Hand quilting in a hoop
 

A friend of mine has a quilt top her grandma made in the 20s or 30s. We discussed ways that this could be quilted. She likes to hand sew but not machine sew. Can you hand quilt a king size quilt a little at a time in a big hoop? I thought I would help her baste the layers together by machine with thread that comes out in the wash.

What is the easiest batting to use for hand quilting? Could we put the batting in using three pieces to make it less bulky as she quilts? Best thread?

Any suggestions on how to quilt this quilt? I thought just echoing the hexes as the piecing is the star of this quilt.
Thanks. She's interested to hear what the board says.
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Wow, what a treasure! I love that she stuck to a limited color palette with this. I can't answer your question about hand-quilting a king size quilt, but I think wool is definitely the easiest batting to hand quilt through.

I've tried to big stitch quilt some sample blocks with both Warm and Natural and Quilter's Dream Select cotton and of the two, the QD was definitely easier because it doesn't have a scrim, but still not as easy as the wool. The needle glides through the wool like butter! :)

Now having said that, I do think that you would get the most "authentic" 30's look with a cotton batting.

And I would agree with you about echoing the hexes.

Check out Mary Huey"s blog. "quilting through rose colored trifocals". She showed a GFG quilt yesterday that she did with big stitch, quilting around each "round of hexies". Looks very nice. Your quilt top is beautiful.

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*** Yes, it can be done on a hoop.
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*** I did one King on a hoop, but it was tiring to hold it up.
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I agree with what Sheryl said.

I am a lap quilter and have done a king size chevron quilt. I used my small grace frame to drape it over to take some of the weight from my lap. You can also drape it over a chair or a table.

I think doing it in thirds would be hard.

Note that if you are wanting warmth from the finished quilt, wool is much better than cotton.

I think echo quilting is traditional with hexies.

I'm working on a twin size Irish Chain right now, and I drape it over a table while I work on it. I tried sitting in my recliner with it but I just didn't like having all of that in my lap.

Also, I tried using a Q snap frame but didn't like that either, so I quilt "hoopless".

Sit near a table and prop the far edge of the hoop on the edge of the table. Takes a lot of the weight off you. I did it this way for many years before I got a floor frame.

Oh how beautiful and how lucky is your friend!!!!

I quilt in a hoop when i travel. I take the large hoop and "hang" it on the back of the desk chair in the hotel rooms. That will support the weight of the quilt. I would start in the middle of the quilt and work my way out - yes, it's a long way, but that's the best way I have found.

I would roll/fold up the quilt on the one side I wasn't working on to control all the extra fabric.

I hand baste my quilts before quilting. Yes, it takes some time, but i just take the radio plan on taking a few hours to do it.

I finished a Grandmother's Flower Garden that my aunt pieced by adding a border to it. That allowed me to square off the quilt. I was pleased to find some coordinating fabric. Of course, my aunt's quilt was more scrappy in nature which made it easier to add fabrics.

Good luck and enjoy finishing it so that it can be enjoyed.

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on the batting i agree w sherry. i have hand quilted kingsize on down to miniatures. i use a hoop. because of my back i cannot sit at a frame, cannot even sit in a chair for very long ..sewing now is a pain, literally, since i don't have room to set up the table hubby built me where i can stand to sew. but for hand quilting in a hoop i recline in my recliner, hoop up on my knees and rest of quilt spread out on my legs. not so heavy or unmanageable that way. to change position of quilt in the hoop, i take the quilt to spare bedroom, lay out on bed & reposition. i have always hand basted for hand quilting ..it does take time ..but it works much better for me than the safety pins which i tried for machine quilting.

I also hand quilt king size in a hoop just hanging out in my lap in my comfy chair. I have migrated to thread basting quilts that large vs pin basting to help reduce the weight. I've only used W&N for hand quilting. I don't find it particularly difficult but perhaps that's just because I don't know any better. LOL. If your friend is planning to have this an an heirloom piece, she may want to check into silk batting as well. It feels abolutely luscious. I've also just used a single piece of batting and not had issues with bulk.