I have a quilting machine & frame also that I don't use. Mainly because I just have not sat down & figured it all out but I love handquilting so I just keep putting off trying to figure out the quilting machine.

You do beautiful work. thanks for showing us how you do
it.

Beautiful quilting, you do a great job. wish my stitches were as even as yours

I am so impressed with your work. I hand quilt as well. Doing 1 stitch at a time, what is the time in a quilt?

Your ID could not fit you better. I have never seen such exquisite quilting. I love to hand quilt but even marking mine I can't keep as straight a line as you. I will definitely try the John James needles. I do use a thimble. I never could until I started quilting. I have large hands & always had trouble finging one to fit but have found the adjustable one that works for me. Please keep posting pictures of your work. It's better than going to a museum. Is needle marking when drag the needle across the fabic where you want to quilt?

Very nice! I also do single stitches but mine don't look near as nice as yours.

Did you adapt this "one stitch quilting technique" or did someone teach you--your mother or grandmother? Do you not like the multiple stitch method that is always emphasized? is there more control with one stitch?

I am curious as others have posted on the time factor of one stitch?

Again, I really appreciate your sharing your quilting pictures.

Beautiful work..thank you for sharing your technique !!

I am a very lucky person: I can quilt all day long, 6-8 hours per day. For this quilt I needed 4 months to finish - right now I am closing the edges!

Thank you for this helpful photos, especially with the hoop. I purchased a floor hoop at a tag sale for $5.00. It is an Edmonds brand & old. Then was given a handfull of others for .50 cents & a box of scraps for .25 cents, which contained a Gingher 4" round tip sissors. Wow! Again Thank You. Now I will try the hoop on bigger projects.

I use stencils, I use patterns I find in books and make cardboard templates, I draw patterns myself and I do freehand quilting. The hoop I use is a Jasmine Easy Spinner and I love it. The thread I normally use (YLI) is a hand quilting thread and it is already coated, so beeswax is necessary. For the quilt you see here on the pictures I needed 4 months (6-8 hours per day) and ca. 1100 yards of quilting thread. I will post pictures of the finished quilt as soon as possible.

Yes, I use a darning needle for that. Here are some pictures if you are interested:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-89527-1.htm

I am a self taught quilter. Unfortunately my home country (Germany) does not have a quilting tradition like the US have and before I started quilting in 1989 I didn't even know what a quilt is and I had never seen one. I found a book about quilts in my favourite library and that is how I got hooked to it. My mother and my grandmother both did knitting, embroidery and other crafts.
When I started hand quilting and studied the pictures in my book I tried very hard to put several stitches on the needle because the author emphasised this was the right way to quilt. I never felt comfortable with using a thimble as well. Just before I began my second quilt I found a book written by Barbara Chainey, a very famous quilter, quilt historian and author from UK. It was a great relief to read her statement about doing single stitches for practice first! And she also wrote that is okay to keep that method when it works better for you. Well, I kept that method for me. I have a better control on my quilting stitches and they are more even - and I think I quilt quite efficient. For me the time factor is not so important. But this is just my personal point of view!

Your quilting is exquisite!!! What kind of batting do you usually use? I am planning to try your method of marking with a darning needle. I knew there was a reason I never threw away those old needles I found in an auction box :lol:

I like the Hobbs 80/20 and the Legacy 80/20, but I have also used Tuscany cotton, Quilter's Dream and they are also great. I prefer low loft battings.

Beautiful work!

I have bookmarked your post so I can show it to my Mother who also handquilts. This is just gorgeous. Thank you.

Thanks for posting these pictures. You sure do make it look easy! I'm totally terrified of attempting hand-quilting LOL.....

Thank you so much---what a wonderful help to those of us who have worried we cannot do it the way it is recommended-----rocking the needle. Your quilting is so beautiful!

absolutely gorgeous.

It took me a long time and a lot of picked out stitches, but I rock the needle successfully now. What amazes me is everytime I try to make only one stitch, it isn't even with the rest of them.

I make my own motifs too. Some stencils, not many as I only have two. I make templates for a lot and mark with a Bohn pencil similar to the resin one Fons and Porter have available. It takes me about 5-6 months to quit a queen size.

I hope to try a whole cloth next or get into feathers, plumes or fruit quilted in. I love handquilting and find it very relaxing. I learned at a quilting bee right out of any historical book you can read. It still exists and I miss those wonderful ladies so much after I moved away.

I use a thimble with the edge on it to catch the back of the needle and push it through. I use a broken piece of balloon to pull the needle the rest of the way if it gets stuck.

I am familiar with Quilter's Dream Batting, do you like the cotton? or something else? I can not find a batting that gives me the results I am looking for. Every manufactor seems to have changed what they produce.....going green....please tell me the specific name because it sure looks like you are getting a great result.

beautiful!

Beautiful work! Thank you for sharing your technique. However, your needle choice is too small for my crocked fingers to grasp. One stitch-at-a-time sounds tedious, but your end result is outstanding.

Your work is beautiful and sooooo precise.

Thanks for sharing!

Nice photos! I generally don't use a thimble either, and bringing the stiches toward you seems to be a more accurate and faster way for me than going away from me...I use my fingernail to 'rock ' the needle and do a few stiches at a time. I love your work!

Your quilting is excellent, nice even stitches. When I first started quilting, I didn't have anyone to teach me, so I stitched one stitch at a time. I took some classes, made one quilt for my daughter that was handquilted, but developed carpal tunnel, so I only machine quilt now. I could possible do a small project if I paced myself, but I'm too impatient for that. Whatever works for you and your method is obviously working.

Your quilting is truly exquisite! Thank you for sharing your technique...I am going to try your method.

Put it in the frame but relax it a little. Some one told me like the cat slept on it. I think most of us put it too tight in the frame or hoop. When I use a hoop and pull it in place and then push the back of my fist in the center before thightening it.

Awesome workmanship. Great pictures. Thank you for sharing them.

I will try to find this book to read.

I agree that your quilting is "quite efficient." :-)

And I would think with your skill level your time would be equal to a multiple stitch quilter and certainly better than those of us still trying to master that multiple rocking quilt technique and never finishing anything as it is not "good enough."

Thanks again for sharing all your techniques and information on this post today. I keep coming back to see the additional comments.

WOW, thank you SEW very much, Andrea, for posting these pictures. As usual, I am in awe of your beautiful work. :)

The Quilter's Dream I tried once was "request". For the quilt on these pictures here I used Hobbs 80/20. I like the very traditional look of quilt and I prefer the low loft ones because they are much easier to hand quilt. For one of my coming projects I am going to use wool again - it's also great for hand quilting.

Beautiful! Thank you Andrea!
I never felt comfortable with thimbles until I have found the Open sided thimble of Clover. The rocking moving is not for me, and I agree: the good way to do something is the way that works for everyone. I quilt with a frame, not too tight.
I do hand quilting but my stitches are not as regular as yours! Patience and time…I started quilting 4 years ago! I’ll try marking with a needle instead of pencil.

Patricia

My "freehand" quilting is "quilting under the influence" or so it seems with my lines that can't stay straight.

I only baste for a larger project - under 14" square, I just hand hold it and keep smoothing as I go. I only use Warm 'n Natural and I find it has such a nice grip, I don't need anything for basting (I do start at the center and work outwards). I am told this is not the type of batting for nice hand quilting, but as particular as I am in other areas, I guess I should really pay more attention to the quality of my hand quilting.

Nancy

I'm getting ready to do some hand quilting. My biggest problem is getting the back stitches to look like the top stitches. I love the idea of fewer stitches on the needle. I might try to get two, just to speed it up a little bit. I am so impressed with your exquisite work!

OMG, it's beautiful. How long does it take you to quilt something like this one stitch at a time?

Hey Barbie50, make sure you're inserting your needle straight down through all layers and not on an angle.

Where do you get the watercolor pencils?

Here you can buy them in shops with supplies for painters and artists.