That reminds me: Spit gets blood out of fabric. So does Peroxide and so does Oxy-clean. Important to know!

Thanks, MadQuilter. I'll look for your tutorial

Is there a church by you that does quilting? I bet they'd let you help. I did my first hand quilting there and I was in my mid teens. The ladies there were soooo helpful and encouraging. Even though I was slow they kept telling me to come back.

My only addition to all this is that I love hand quilting and I find it to be the most relaxing activity I have ever tried. I can not hand quilt without taking a nap! It was also very theraputic when my mom was so sick. I would bring a quilt to work on while I sat with her. I didn't nap as much, but I found that it helped me to keep calm despite the stress of knowing that she was dying. Now when I get very sad thinking of her, I remember that she taught me to quilt (among so many other things) and am grateful that I was so lucky to have been her daughter. Then I pick up a needle and quilt while I pray a rosary for her.

My stitches are uneven but it still looks good to me! I use an 18 inch hoop on my lap keep it up and you get better at it. It is relaxing and a satisfying experience to see the completed quilt. My first quilt (my avatar was all hand quilted), I was determine to do it and I did!!

I hand quilt and I don't use a frame. I safety pin the daylights out of it to baste. It is very calming to me.

That's what I do I safety pin it from the middle out and I start hand quilting from the middle out, that way I get all the wrinkles out and I don't run into a problem when I get to the edge of the quilt. I made a very big mistake when I was first starting out I bound the quilt before I starting hand quilting ran into a lot of problems doing that. Now the last thing I do is bind the quilt after I have hand quilted it.

I always thought I would like to do this, I have been working on a Sasiko for 4 yrs(preprinted) which I do enjoy, but to do a quilt, ummm, I just can't make myself sit down and finish it that way, I want it finishes, so one the machine it goes. I guess patience isn't one of my better virtues...LOL

Love to hand quilt but it gets my back. Found one of those bendy wire and mesh devices at Dollar Tree and it is fantastic ! They call it a lumbar support, I think. Now if I can just work the ouch out of my neck and shoulders from working at the machine. It is in a cabinet and I wonder if I'm leaning forward too much. Anyone have a suggestion on that one?

I have a Grace Z44 hand quilting frame and it was such a relief to not have to layer and baste for hand quilting. I like the plastic thimble that has a fingernail on it and a small dent in the middle for the needle. I use Betweens needles, I think that is a 10 but not sure without looking.

I also use the little round of bees wax to run the thread over. It helps with not tangling the thread and goes smoother.