Hand Quilting - yikes
06-22-2012, 05:15 PM
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mabank, Texas
Posts: 768
Great advice.
For your first try, it is a miracle of consistency! Be kind to yourself. You are doing fine!
My first recommendation is to match the thread to your fabrics until you get more control. Then, it will look better on the front and eventually on the back.
I use thimbles on both hands - middle fingers-- and use a small quilting frame to give the fabric "bounce."
My stitches are 10-12 per inch (counting top and bottom.)
First control stitch angle -always straight -and distance from edge. (allow for seam allowances underneath.) Mark with ruler and washable pen/pencil if needed.
Once you control the stitch angle and distance, work on the consistent length. Even if it is half an inch long, make it always an half an inch in that quilt. Take it out and redo, if it gets out of whack. It will make you feel better, I promise.
Bury your knots in the batting.
Then try for smaller and smaller as you do more and more projects.
Eventually, speed will come.
I have been hand-quilting and sewing since I was a child. I am 62. And THANK YOU for continuing a wonderful hand-work art.
I earned my consistency. YOU can. too.
My first recommendation is to match the thread to your fabrics until you get more control. Then, it will look better on the front and eventually on the back.
I use thimbles on both hands - middle fingers-- and use a small quilting frame to give the fabric "bounce."
My stitches are 10-12 per inch (counting top and bottom.)
First control stitch angle -always straight -and distance from edge. (allow for seam allowances underneath.) Mark with ruler and washable pen/pencil if needed.
Once you control the stitch angle and distance, work on the consistent length. Even if it is half an inch long, make it always an half an inch in that quilt. Take it out and redo, if it gets out of whack. It will make you feel better, I promise.
Bury your knots in the batting.
Then try for smaller and smaller as you do more and more projects.
Eventually, speed will come.
I have been hand-quilting and sewing since I was a child. I am 62. And THANK YOU for continuing a wonderful hand-work art.
I earned my consistency. YOU can. too.
06-22-2012, 09:54 PM
#53
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brady TX
Posts: 6,613
Hand quitin' is my true love! For years I quilted one "rocked" stitch at a time. I used my fingernails & boy did my fingers git sore. I'd try thimbles but couldn't git 'em ta work. One day I was at a thrift store & they had some thimbles out so I bought one. I put it on &, wow, it didn't fall off. What I realised was the other thimbles I had been tryin' were way too large. When I got a thimble that fit. I kept it with me till my finger got sore. Then I pulled that puppy out & put it on. I had ta be motivated! Now I can't imagine quiltin' without it. I always concentrate on the same size stitches & each quilt I quilt the stitches are smaller that the last one.
One stitch at a time. Your gonna be a great quilter.
One stitch at a time. Your gonna be a great quilter.
06-23-2012, 01:49 AM
#54
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 78
Or you could try another quilting pattern that would avoid going through the seams quite so much. Might make it easier on the fingers. I use a funny thimble designed for people with long fingernails -- the tip is open but there's an extended bit that works like a fingernail. Found it at Walmart.
I like making my stitches 10-12 per inch (counting the up and the down). It's just a length I'm comfortable with, but size of stitch, I think, is less important than getting them straight and even. That, as everyone has said, is a matter of practice, practice, practice. You'll make it!
I like making my stitches 10-12 per inch (counting the up and the down). It's just a length I'm comfortable with, but size of stitch, I think, is less important than getting them straight and even. That, as everyone has said, is a matter of practice, practice, practice. You'll make it!
06-23-2012, 08:04 PM
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,811
For the first time, I think it looks fine. It is more important to have equal stitches than small stitches. Yours are pretty equal for the most part. As you continue to quilt, you will learn to make them smaller. My first was all different sizes and it was only a table topper. Practice will improve it as you go along. Everyone is always much more critical of their own work than someone else's work.
06-24-2012, 09:06 AM
#59
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Sully, Iowa
Posts: 2,390
Update: I've been working on my quilting on a piece of muslin with black thread. Here are pictures of the 1st and the 2nd try. Do you know which is which? I'll bet you can tell.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]344340[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]344342[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]344340[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]344342[/ATTACH]
06-24-2012, 09:42 AM
#60
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sheridan, Tx
Posts: 255
Now thats why I love this site, all the great advice and help. I tried hand quilting once and it I thought it looked terrible. By the way yours looks 100% better than mine. Now I may try again, at least on a small project.
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