I also love to hand quilt. One bit of advice I should have taken from this board is when you have a large quilt, queen size, don't give up if you really want to hand quilt it. Take it in sections and eventually it will get done! I have tried a frame and a hoop and don't use either. I find that my stitches are more even without.

Nancy Lee Chong offers a handquilting course on Quilt University,com on the Internet . She spells out every little detail and and answers all your questions. Having learnt from good advices of fellow quilters, I signed up for her course and found what is the best technique for me, The course is offered three or four times a year and is worth every penny.

I have hand quilted for years. About 2 years ago, I purchased "Marian's Magic Quilting Thimble." iT is for the underneath finger. Boy, do I love it. It took me a couple of hours to become efficient with it. No more sore finger. Check it out at www.momsmagicthimble.com. I saw a video on YouTube that helped a lot.

I love to hand quilt and I do it often. My problem is how to quilt evenly when you get to where the seams are pressed to one side. It's so thick in that area that my stitches are much longer in that area. How do you even out your stitches there?

I love handquilting and pieceing by hand. I mark and cut when I can. But, when I sit, I have one or the other to work on. I use a #8 needle. The smaller the needle, the better. But, it needs to be a strong one too. I've bent and broke a few in my day. I lay my baking in the floor and smooth it out as best as I can, face down. then I lay my batting on top. Then I lay my top on, face up. I smooth it the best I can then I start pinning. When it is pinned together, I place my hoop in the center of it and fasten it down. then I check the back and pull out any puckers. I use a thimble with the lip around the edge to avoid slippage. I try to make my stitches as small as possible and uniform. Small is not as important as being uniform. You can do this with practice. I sit in my recliner, with my feet up to help balance my hoop. Also this makes it comfy to watch tv while I work. Hope this helps.

Brain wave studies have been done on handquilters that show one often gets into a state that's the same as meditation. :-)

Jan in VA

Now that's what I'm talking about. :D

"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?" by Illinois

Set your cabinet up on bricks or any type of riser that suits - I think you'll find that your neck/shoulders feel much better. Works for me ..............

Haven't hand quilted in many years...at least with regular thread...I have done some utility quilting with pearl cotton and larger needle.

My hands won't allow the fine hand stitches anymore....but back when I did some, I did find it very relaxing and sort of would go into a "trance" while quilting.

I did my quilting without a frame...though I did purchase one many years ago...a Hinterberg one...and it is still in my garage never used...I like the freedom of not having the quilt stretched while I quilt...and my quilts did turn out square...as I did a lot of basting prior to quilting.

I have never hand quilted without a frame/hoop. Any suggestions for this type of quilting? I always use a 14 inch hoop and quilt in my lap while watching TV. I would be willing to give it a try.