When i made this top, i had no idea it would be a year before i settled down to quilt it. I shared the making of it with all of u, here is the link http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-25353-1.htm
And then the finished top http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-28259-1.htm
And i showed u all the steps to placing it in my floor frame, ready to hand quilt http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-35888-1.htm

and now i thought i would show u all the steps to hand quilting it.
This is my favorite thing to do, settle down at the frame and quilt.

Ninnie, it is so lovely to see a post from you. I am glad you are now progressing on this lovely quilt, since we followed you cutting and stitching the top together. I look forward to following your progress.

very good ninnie just the way i do it nice to see one do it the way you do it so i know i am doing right

Thank you Ninny so much for your tute. Hand quilting is something I hope to do in the future and it is so nice to see pictures of how it is done. I'm going to look at your other posts as well and then I'll print all of them so I'll have a 'story of hand quilting' in my notebook. Thank you again.

Thank you for the post. I really enjoyed it. I hand pieced and handquilted my first quilt almost 40 years ago and am now just getting back to quilting again. That 1/4' tape looks like a fantastic help...I recall making VERY light marks with a number 2 pencil for mine - will definately try to locate some of that tape. I have purchased some stencils and am eager to try them.

I am not a hand quilter. But you make it look easy! Thank you.

Great to see you handquilting this beautiful top. I watched your previous posts and absolutely love this quilt.

Thank you, thank you! I just started practicing hand quilting and I am anxious to begin on a real quilt - your tutorial makes it more doable in sections - now I am ready to try!

Oh, I so enjoyed seeing your hand quilting. I have not tried it yet, but plan to soon. Thank you so much,Michele

Thank you Ninnie. I am sure we would all love to have a class with you
Hey, I will be in NC next week...

Ninnie... thank you for sharing this tutorial... I finished a top for my husband just last night and have decided I want to hand quilt it. I'm looking for a fleur-de-lis stencil... can't wait to get started... of course, first I have to sandwich and this is the largest quilt I've made so far...
Somehow I'm encouraged by your tutorial... thank you!!

Ninnie,
I so enjoyed your directions on your quilting frame. I am still hand quilting without a frame or hoop, but am wondering if there is an advantage to this frame. I have been looking at frames---some are pretty cheap and some are pretty pricey. Noticed that yours was a Hinterberg...I know nothing about frames, could you enlighten me?
Do you find that you are tripping over the frame for the many months that it takes to get it quilted? Does the tension hold well for you? Do you feel that you are a prisoner to that frame with it being in the center of your living space? Is it easier to mark stencils on the frame or have you ever just used a table if you quilt without a frame?
I am very curious!! Wonder if a frame would make me get more quilting done and not be on the QBV so often?

would like to know about the frame also?,,,,,Michele

Thank you, Ninnie. What a wonderful tutorial. Now I understand what "threading a few needles at the same time" means. (not what I thought) I have nests of threaded needles in my sewing kit. Also, never thought about using the tape.

Lots of times I get beautiful stitches on the top and nothing on the bottom. Is there a secret to catching the backing? Thank you so much. pal

I am a handquilter also. Question: Do you always stencil once the quilt is on the frame, or while the top is on a table? I am currently working on a queen size and marked it while it was on a table top. Used a pouncer with iron-off chalk but the marks seem rather faint after mounting on the frame.

Love your quilt and the tutu on hand guilting. Thanks for enlighten me.

My dear husband built me a frame several years ago which is in the attic and I've never used. The gear and hardware kit didn't come with instructions for use and I've never gotten the courage to try to figure it out. Thank you for the instructions.

I have quilted without a frame also, and for small projects, it is fine, i use 405 spray to keep the layers together when lap quilting. The advantage to a floor frame is that all 3 layers r together, and u can set the tension for keeping them flat. Also, it is big enough to invite 3 or friends to come help, gets the quilting done faster. And yes, it is easier to mark, when the tension is set and the top is flat and tight. this frame turns up on its side, and can be placed along a wall when not in use. Also, it tilts, so u r always quilting at the perfect height for u.
And for staying of the QB, well no, u will still come here, it is an addictive place to be lol.

What is the name of the frame?....Michele

That is exactly how I quilt. I moved into a small place when we moved back up here from OK and I no longer had a room I could set up my floor frame in. I use a lap frame until we get a bigger place and I can set my floor frame up again.

It's great to see someone who shares the same techniques as me. I LOVE your templates. I'm hoping to find a store that sells them since most everything has something to do with Machine quilting or FMQ and no one uses these awesome templates around here anymore.

i know what u mean about the threading of needles. It was awhile before i figured out to thread them on the spool, and then cut length of thread with one needle on it. lol i was doing all mine separate , i would have needles lined up in a row, stuck in top, lol and half the time would end up losing some of them before using.
I did now show a pic, but when i am quilting , it is all about the pointer finger on my left hand, being on the underneath side. I have to feel the needle when i am quilting, and when it hits my finger, i am sure it is through all 3 layers. Also, the tension of your work helps. too lose, and u can miss the bottom. but also too tight and it will bounce off bottom and not catch. It is just something that u will get the hang of with more experience.
1/4 in tape is wonderful, it comes in dif colors. Most quilt shops will carry it.Right now i have the green, and then the beige, that looks like masking tape.
I have used masking tape to mark,sometimes, in a larger square, u might want to do a 1/4 in, and then another round 1 inch in from your first line. I have used different things around the house to make quilting patterns with. the top of a spool makes great circles, and when over lapped, a beautiful rope. So, look around, you will find different things to use.

Over the years, i guess i have tried just about every type of marking tool there is. and, like u, i have tried marking the whole quilt before starting to quilt it. and half would be worn off before i got to it, and would have to remark. so, now i mark as i go. most quilts will have centering points in each block, that will tell u stencil is in right place. and most of the time we r just straight line quilting, so u can tape as u go.
After trying all types of markers, i have settled on the Fons@Porter. I ordered mine from Keepsake quilting It came in a medal box. And the refils r not expensive and last a long time.
Also, there is no waste, you can put more than one piece of lead in, and the second one will push the first one all the way through so that u can use all of it. Also, i have never had a mark not come out in the washing. It has always been easy to find a marker easy to see on light material, but harder to see on dark, and the white lead for this pencil works great.

Well what can i say, other than I am in love with my frame. And yes, it is a Hinterburg. The one i have is called the Caddiliac, and i think it ran around 600.00. I have had it for about 8 years now.It comes with different size poles, and you can quilt a King size in it with no trouble. Mine was a gift from my family one year for my birthday. wow i was shocked lol. when not in use, i just set it in a bedroom, and turn it up on its side, so it is not in the way. But, if i had to, i would leave it setting in middle of living room, lol it is well worth the trouble of walking around it.

How sweet of your hubby!!!
also , for any of u who would love to have a frame, and hubby is handy building, Hinterburg does sell just the hardware.

here is the link to their web site

http://www.hinterberg.com/cat-Frames-46.aspx

i love stencils, and i do confess, i have several, lol. here is the link to where a lot of mine came from they r very reasonable priced, and hold up well

http://quiltingstencils.com/

Thanks for sharing the info. I believe I will have to remark as I go since my eyes aren't as young as they used to be! My husband is from the Ashville area in NC. I'm trying to get him interested in quiting but so far he's only assisted getting quilts on the frame. Oh well - gotta start somewhere! Thanks again Ninnie.

I have never seen another collection like it! Those are fantastic! I bookmarked it and am already creating a wish list. Those are even good to mark for the basic machine quilting I do! Oh the possibilities. Thanks so much!

~M~

I Have never done such a large hand quilting and it amazes me what you do just to prep it for quilting. It really is Beautiful. Thank you for showing me

A great tutorial. You make it look easy, makes me want to try!

I am going to bring my frame up from the basement and try once again. Your tute was very helpful. I guess I have been thinking too large an area instead of breaking it down into smaller sections. Thanks.

thanks so much for taking the time to educate/illustrate !!

someday i'll get the nerve up to handquilt. i think its a wonderful tradition!!

How terrific of you to show this! I am a hand quilter (so far) and have always quilted in a hoop. Someone gave me an antique quilting frame, and though I have no idea how to set it up, I am anxious to try it. Thanks for sharing!

When I was a young woman and went to the quilting bee at church, all they let me do was thread needles. I would thread needles constantly and give it to the women to quilt with, they knew I could not do the quilting on the frame. I tried once and it was too hard. Your quilt looks great, thanks for the tute.

Beautiful quilting. My stitches are not as small as yours. I haven't gotten that good at handquilting,

It is going to be beautiful when you get it finished. Please show pictures when you are done.

THANK YOU so very much for taking the time to post this Ninnie. You are such an inspiration!

Your hand work is stunning. I tried to hand quilt once, but with the MS, I don't have the control or strength. Can't wait to see the finished quilt.

thank you for posting, and congratulations on your weight loss!

Thanks for this great tutorial. I have been wanting to try hand quilting and you have made it look like I might actually be able to do it.

quiltingstencils .com is an awesome site :thumbup: I've come to the conclusion that I am no free hand quilter. Not even meandering! I have decided to use stencils for EVERYTHING - and finally accomplish something that looks half way near decent. I'm so disgusted today, I shouldn't even be online :thumbdown: So I'll get off.