Hand Piecing &/or Hand Quilting

Triple Irish chain

FLORENCEM-4 — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:56:18 GMT

has anyone ever quilted this? I am almost done with the piecing. I was thinking of tying the "x" blocks and quilting a design in the "o" blocks. I was going to work center -out like always, but a member from my guild said I should tie the quilt first then double back to quilt the design..What does everyone think?

Re: Started the hand quilting!

FLORENCEM-4 — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:18:48 GMT

I too have hand quilted 10-12 hours per day! I have problems with my right wrist from a tumor removal. And yes...I am right handed. I have to keep a light brace on my wrist. But try a heating pad on your shoulder while you work.

Re: Started the hand quilting!

Michelleicurn — Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:42 GMT

Just watched her video on the Aunt Betty's helper. She quilts beautifully and has some wonderful techniques. Looks like she used to teach quilting classes but she and husband are retired now?

Re: Started the hand quilting!

DOQuilting — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:25:33 GMT

[quote user="Mary789"]Hello hand quilters! I am excited because I just made the first quilting stitches on a lap size quilt.[/quote]

WTG Mary. I like your quilt. I have used (and like) Aunt Becky and wold definitely use it again (if I can find it).

Re: Started the hand quilting!

Jane Seybold — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:41:41 GMT

Mary, great quilt! I hope you find hand quilting as enjoyable as I do. Don't worry about the size of your stitches, just strive for even, consistent stitches. Small stitches will come with practice. I, too, use Aunt Becky's finger when quilting in a hoop, but am going to use T.J.'s Spoon Quilter on my next hoop project. I think I can add 1-2 stitches with it. However, when i quilt on my frame, I find my finger underneath works better because I'm quilting in different directions. My last piece of advice is don't quilt for long periods of time. I have been quilting 10+ hours a day most days the past couple weeks trying to finish a quilt I've been working on for 2-1/2 years. (I'm ready to start another project.) I'm paying for it today. I have damaged something in my right arm and can't raise it very high. Going to have to give it a rest for a few days. Really upsets me because I have two borders left to quilt and I really want it finished by July. Oh well .... The bright side of this is that my husband has to unload the dishwasher because I can't raise my arm. I may play this up for a while.

Started the hand quilting!

MaryQs — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:18:57 GMT

Hello hand quilters! I am excited because I just made the first quilting stitches on a lap size quilt. Not all my stitches are perfect, but that is ok with me. I still like the way they look! I imagine I will get better stitches as I progress. I used a layer cake American Banner Rose as well as some fabrics from my stash. I am using glace cotton thread and a quilting size needle. Also, I find using the Aunt Becky's Finger protector for my bottom hand is helping. It was fun going shopping for these gadgets at the local machine dealer which is really well stocked on supplies. Here are a couple of pictures :-)

Re: Stitch size with cotton batting

inquilter01 — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:46:04 GMT

Thank you for your suggestions. I will have to try these ideas and see if they help. It may just be that I need to practice more. Thanks again.

Re: Stitch size with cotton batting

Jane Seybold — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:58:27 GMT

I have done very little quilting with cotton. I mostly use wool. I do know that your stitches are affected by different fabrics so it stands to reason they could be affected by different battings and different brands of batting. Since you are happy with your stitches using poly batting, I doubt the problem is your quilting technique. I would purchase the smallest size of different brands and do some samples to see if any give you better stitches. I have read from other hand quilters that Hobbs Tuscany cotton quilts like running a needle through butter.

Re: Stitch size with cotton batting

FLORENCEM-4 — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:05:27 GMT

Are you using a standard running stitch? If so try putting your needle at 90 degrees, laying it back until you feel needle underneath. then pushing needle back up and repeating until you have several stitches stacked on needle. This is the method I learned from a hand quilting book I recently purchased and it made all the difference in my stitch size.

Re: Stitch size with cotton batting

DOQuilting — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 01:47:40 GMT

That's interesting Cristie.

I've never used anything but cotton but I'm guessing it's because the cotton is denser than the poly. I suppose smaller needles or more practice may help.

Stitch size with cotton batting

inquilter01 — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:54:17 GMT

I am a long-time quilter who alternates between hand and machine quilting. Over the past 10 years, I have mainly used polyester batting. But recently, I bought cotton batting and and have enjoyed how 'smooth' it is without any bearding. However, the one thing that I have noticed is that my hand quilting stitches are not nearly the size of those when I use polyester batting. I look at my polyester-batt quilts and think how beautiful the stitches are. Will I need to accept that my stitches will be larger now, or do I just need to keep working on it?

Has anyone else noticed this as well?

Cristie - in rainy Indiana

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

FLORENCEM-4 — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:13:42 GMT

I just placed my practice piece next to an older quilt, and boy what a difference!

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

FLORENCEM-4 — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:12:03 GMT

A quilter does what ever necessary to feed the habit!

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

tnmtgrl — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:38:34 GMT

I have the second edition also and it is very good, a lot of good info inside and I agree with you Jane, her white and silver pencils are great marking tools.

EPP (English Paper Piecing) by Hand

pat1m1@yahoo.com — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:03:25 GMT

Several of you are interested in EPP by hand.. Please post your questions, etc. here to keep this group together. Have fun--

Pat--"Keep Calm and Carry On"

Correction---Anyone interested in EPP should go to Paper Piecing Group

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

FLORENCEM-4 — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 17:38:28 GMT

Sorry I have been off line for a few days.with family issues. The copy I have is by Roxanne McElroy. She passed away as it went to publication but the latest updated version is by a family member named Diedra McElroy. If you go to amazon.com both versions are available. I am starting an Irish triple chain quilt and can't wait to use my new knowledge to quilt it.

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

DOQuilting — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:37:01 GMT

Jane,

I have an "Aunt Becky" but only used it a handful of times. I now use a thimble on my bottom hand. I thought of getting the spoon but haven't met anyone who uses it. It's so hard to go by online reviews.

[quote user="Jane Seybold"] Roxanne wrote the first edition of "That Perfect Stitch" but died six months before publication and Diedre wrote in the introduction that she finished it as her mother would have had she lived.[/quote]

It's strange, then, that Dierdra's website says she wrote both books. I have the second one (got it today) but haven't had time to look through it.

[quote user="Jane Seybold"] But her white and silver marking pencils are my marking tools of choice. [/quote]

I don't think I've seen those. My shopping list is growing. LOL Thanks Jane.

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

Jane Seybold — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 02:11:23 GMT

Kris, I think you will like Roxanne's thimbles. They have deep dimples and you can control the needle very well. I don't care for her needles -- they tend to bend or break for me. I prefer Clover's Gold Eye needles. But her white and silver marking pencils are my marking tools of choice. For what it's worth, I was correct in my earlier statement -- Roxanne wrote the first edition of "That Perfect Stitch" but died six months before publication and Diedre wrote in the introduction that she finished it as her mother would have had she lived. I own the first edition of the book as well as Diedre's DVD.

I have always used Aunt Becky's finger underneath because my finger would just be mincemeat -- I could never get that callus. I bought a T.J.Spoon Quilter recently and while I haven't mastered it yet, I believe it's going to allow me to get smaller and more even stitches. We'll see.

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

DOQuilting — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:40:58 GMT

Jane,

I was just reading about their thimbles. With such a high level of precision I just might get a thimble that fits. They're pricy but should be worth it. Thanks for mentioning them.

Re: That PERFECT STITCH

DOQuilting — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:21:56 GMT

Actually Dierdra wrote both books. She used her mother's name for the first one then her own name on the revised version.

I like "Roxanne" needles and basting glue but haven't tried their thimbles. I'll check to see if they have extra small ones. I have small fingers and even small thimbles are too big. I use jelly thimbles.