I'm curious about what's involved. Tell me anything you want to. I'm intrigued by the theraputic qualities. :)

i love my leather thimbles - i use a coin thimble - it has a piece of metal at the finger tip - keeps the needle from going thru the thimble

i prefer to use warm & natural batting and cotton thread - fav thread is YLI glazed cotton. Don't like quilting thru poly batting or using a polyester thread. Just personal preference.

Even stitches are more important than teeny tiny stitches that aren't even. I think the tinier stitches will come as you quilt more.

I know it takes a while to complete a project - but that's ok w/ me

I sandwich my 3 layers and baste or spray baste. I use an oval hoop and lap quilt. I do not have the space for a regular frame. My stitches are very uneven but once the quilt is finished and washed it looks good. What I have hand quilted has been tops my grandmother pieced in the 40's and 50's. I use hand quilting thread and Roxanne between Needles size 10 or 11. Hope this helps.

http://www.google.com/#q=how+to+hand...e=univ&tbs=vid:1&tbo=u&ei=dXP5TNfIM4Wdlgfr9PCsBw&sa=X&oi=video_r esult_group&ct=title&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCUQqwQwA A&fp=125a18097c006d08

I have my nails done and just use them instead of a thimble. I love hand quilting but have to take breaks or end up with serious back issues.

There is a method of hand-quilting called the "Aunt Becky" where you use a metal cover (the Aunt Becky) in one hand and you move IT up to catch the needle. The needle hand really does not move much except to push the needle against the Aunt Becky. I have taken a class by Jean Brown on this technique and with a little practice, it works well. This is particularly good for people with arthritis or other joint problems. No rocking motion!

I like to hand quilt. Not the technique if you are in a hurry, but I find it relaxing.

I use a small hoop so my work can go where ever I go. I just use a cheap plastic thimble with a cut out for my fingernail.

Quilting with wool batting is like heaven. Poly batting isn't bad. I have not hand quilted with warm&natural.

NOTE to Madqulter:I bought the Aunt Becky,but I'm not very proficient with it-any tips you can offer?

I suggest you get the book "How to Learn Hand Quilting in A Day" (and practice for the rest of your life). By Nancy Brenan-Daniels. Very good basic book on hand quilting.

Thanks for asking. I had promised to make a photo tutorial but sort of lost track of time. I will ask DH to be the photographer this weekend and I will show it (unmanicured paws and all) step by step.

The key is DO NOT ROCK THE NEEDLE - that was the toughest hurdle for me.

For someone just starting out I suggest making a sandwich and just practice. I would purchase some tiger tape, size 10 betweens and here is where it gets personal your thimble.

I actually use my fingernail until I get too many holes in it :shock: . Then my next 2 choices are the Thimblepads (little round sticky backed leather dots) or the nimble thimble (has an opening in the top for your fingernail and a little steel dot for pushing.

What I did to learn was lay the tiger tape out onto my sandwich and just practiced going up and down at the black marks. You really get the feeling of it and then start forming a rhythm. Then pencil out some slight curves and work yourself from there to corners, circles, etc.

It just takes practice. It sort of for me becomes a mindless activity, get for watching tv. LOL

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.

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.

Why do you suggest not rocking the needle?

You don't rock the needle if you are using the "Aunt Becky".
It's a small metal piece that goes on the finger under the quilt and you push the needle towards "Aunt Becky".

It's hard to explain. There's a youtube video that demonstrates it-type "Jean's Hand quilting" in the youtube search box and the video will come up.

Thanks for the explanation. I do not use the Aunt Becky so I guess I am ok in rocky my needle.

What does rocking your needle mean?

While I was reading this I thought MY WORD it could have been written by me.

Ditto to all of the above.

I have quilted for over 20 years and am self-taught. I have learned that I like #10 needle (no bending or breaking) and use hand quilting thread (stronger and no tangling); I have tried soooo many thimbles (I'm thimble poor) but liked none, I would suffer with the terribly sore fingers until I would have to stop quilting to wait for them to heal. But now I use cut-off rubber finger tips from Staples on my thumb and middle finger of sewing hand and the Diamond Thimble on my hand under the quilt to guide the needle which works great for me. I used to pin my layers for quilting but I have discovered the spray adhesive which is wonderful. I discovered that there are no quilting police in my house, so I don't worry about teeny stitches, just small and even. I also have broken the law and use solid-colored material if I choose (not often, but I do sometimes). I even made a whole quilt in all solid colors, which turned out beautifully. I use a large wooden frame on wheels that tilts which eases body tension. I can quilt now for as long as I want with no pain. I have to force myself to quit sewing to work in my Bible reading, eating and sleeping in. :)

I also use a latex "finger". I buy cheap latex gloves (the type that you see in doctor's exam room) at the dollar store. I cut out the three larger fingers and put one on my pointer finger. I use a metal thimble with a lip on my middle finger. On my underneath finger, I use Marian's Magic Quilting Thimble (from Clotilde). I can quilt for hours with no sore fingers.

I was so excited to see this topic. I was dancing in my chair! I really want to learn to hand quilt. I do a lot of hand embroidery and smocking so why not. Honestly quilting my quilts by hand are the only way they are going to look decent. My machine quilting seems to be getting worse with practice. I have a vintage sheet quilt all cut out just waiting for the time to sew that baby together! Then Im going to hand quilt it and see if it looks any better...lol
Thank you all for all your advise! Oh Im so excited!

You use needles called 'betweens' - usually size 9 and you stab the threaded needle straight down into the fabric and rock it back up again so that you can stab it straight down again after you bring it up again. It is best if you can watch a demonstration from a skilled quilter, to get the correct starting and finishing of the thread. The important thing is to keep the running stitches that you make at an even length and evenly spaced apart. You will become more refined with practice. To start, you will need a thimble,a set of betweens,sharp embroidery scissors,hand quilting thread, a nub of beeswax and a quilting hoop.The thread is pulled through the beeswax to make it more easily pulled through the quilt.Some people don't like using it as it can mark the quilt a little, so they use specialty hand quilting thread that is pre - coated.
When you begin, you hide the beginning of the thread in between the layers of the quilt by knotting the end of the thread and inserting from the top, a little way away from where you are beginning to quilt. After you have brought the needle up in your starting position, you give a little tug on the thread so that the knot pops through the material into the sandwich of your quilt and is buried there. You finish off by making a double stitch in your last place, knot the thread and pop it into the sandwich in the same way. All the best!

When I have to quilt thru multiple layers (like seam allowances) I do 1 stitch at a time, also called stab stitch. If I try to rock and do multiple stitches in those bulky areas, the stitches are too big.

Try to plan your quilting design to avoid seams when possible. On my first quilt (an irish chain), I hand stitched in the larger center areas and stitched in the ditch on my machine for the other areas so I didn't have to quilt thru all those seam allowances.

I've also heard if you quilt on the bias, it is easier. I'm grid quilting a table topper (on the bias)right now and it does seem to be going really well. But that may also be the wool batting.