So, having tried my hand at handpiecing (going quite well, if I say so myself), I'm now thinking more seriously about learning handquilting too.
Where I live there aren't many classes etc, but so far I've learnt from books, web, you guys etc more than from classes.
Regardless, I need to get some stuff, right? For space and financial reasons, a hoop seems like a good place to start for me, and I've found some that look nice that I can easily get when visiting my parents in a months time. I was thinking to just get the hoop, this guy also does floor stands and gizmos that attaches the hoop to the table. If needed I could get one of those later?
But do I need some sort of stand to even get started? And if not, then how do you balance everything (hoop and using both hands for quilting).
And what about a thimble? I use a nimble thimble for hand stitching, but I gather that is not suitable for quilting (no little holes for the needle to sit in).
Hanne in London PS. The handpieced 9-patches have generally straight seams, but the eye balling of 1/4" is still work in progress. But as someone kindly said last week, it is easier to fudge than when machine piecing :-)
I have handquilted both with and without a stand, and I think the stand is better. I find it almost impossible to hold a hoop steady without a stand. I use a Grace Hoop 2 floor stand with a 14" square hoop. I have a 24" hoop that came with the stand, but I found that 24" was too big to be able to quilt in just one direction, as I prefer to do, so I use the smaller hoop (which came with the Grace lap stand). Both the floor and the lap stand allow me to rotate the hoop as needed. Both were a bit pricey, but they will last forever, so that actually makes them a bargain, right? There are cheaper hoops and stands out there that I'm sure work just fine. I know there are people out there who handquilt without a stand, and even without a hoop, but I can't imagine doing that myself.
My first thimble was the Nimble Thimble. I liked using it for handquilting, because it was comfortable, and I found it held the needle just fine, but it didn't last long at all, and I never found another one that fit right. I prefer to manipulate the needle with the side of my middle finger rather than from the end, so I am currently using a ring-type silver thimble I bought from TJ Lane. I am considering trying the less-expensive plastic thimble that the Thimble Lady is now selling. She uses a technique you may want to try; she has a video clip on her website,
On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 05:33:38 -0500, Hanne Gottliebsen wrote (in article ):
Hanne, quilt university is offering a handquilting class in a couple of weeks. Even if you don't sign up for the class there is a good supply list there.
While a far cry from being an expert I hand quilt as well. I do use a hoop but just let it and the balance of the quilt rest in my lap. I can only quilt in one direction and use a thimble on my upper (quilting) hand. Like others, can't get used to a thimble or any other device for that matter on my bottom hand and thus, just walk around with very sore fingers when I'm quilting. I've managed to be reasonably successful (at least I think so) without spending gobs of $$ on supplies. Having said that, there are just sooo many neat gadgets out there just begging to be bought and tried!
As to eyeballing the 1/4" - why not mark it? Realizing that takes a fair amount of time but it may be worth it. My friend who first interested me in quilting was a hand sewer. Said she couldn't get used to using a machine. It always amazed me how well she sewed by hand because mine was so poor. She then showed me the templates she was using for that particular quilt. 1/4 wide 'rings' of the appropriate shape. She traced the outside for cutting and the inside for sewing. She's much more comfortable with a machine now but like me, enjoys the hand quilting process.
I do 100% of my quilting by hand, and I imagine I break some of the "rules", but I get rather spectacular results. First, I make my own templates using plastic sheets with 1/4" grid marks. And rather than make templates to draw around, I make the plastic sheets into stencils, so I can drag my pencil in the inside of the holes -- much easier! Also, I cut the stencil holes the size of the finished pieces, so I am actually marking seam lines and not cutting lines. By placing the stencil holes 1/2" apart and cutting the fabric between the seam lines, I have cut pieces marked for stitiching. I have template sheets covered with 2" squares, template sheets with 1" squares, etc, so I can mark quite a few pieces at once. And I always save those sheets for use on later quilts.
When I design a quilt, with a little arithmetic I can very easily figure how much of each fabric I will need, and add a wee bit more for errors in cutting, etc.
When I cut the fabric, I already know how many of each piece of each size and fabric I need, and cut it all at once. Then I lay out all the little piles of cut and marked pieces of each size and fabric, and then re-arrange them into little piles of the fabric pieces needed for each block. Each pile for a block is put into its own envelope (I use regular mailing envelopes) with the flap tucked in but not sealed. Being a cheapskate I re-use all those envelopes, and have them numbered in the corner, so when I'm opening envelope #26, for example, I know I have already stitched 25. I can take envelopes with me when I travel, along with my small plastic box of stitching stuff -- threads, scissors, needles, thimbles, etc -- in a tote bag. As each block is finished I fold it, slip it back into its envelope, and begin another.
As to the quilting itself, I break a major "rule" by not using a frame or hoop at all! Instead, when I assemble the quilt 'sandwich' I put in quite a few pins so I can move the sandwich from the floor to the dining room table (which is very carefully covered with pads, table cloth, and finally a plastic picnic-style cloth or shower curtain liner). Then, beginning at the center and working out, I baste rather closely (stitches about 1"), using up a lot of leftover or junky thread. A closely-basted sandwich doesn't shift, so I simply lap-quilt, which I find comfortable, convenient, and conducive to the very tiny stitches I use. Since I don't drag the quilt around a lot or let people manhandle it I don't need to baste a scrap binding on it, although if I were planning to take it on a trip to my niece's house with both toddlers and dogs I probably would.
Once I was working on some whole cloth quilting while covering phones at the church office, and it was the day the quilters came in to work on the current quilt at the church. A couple of the very old, very opinionated, very excellent quilters stopped by the office, saw what I was doing, and very firmly told me it was simply NOT RIGHT and that to quilt without a hoop or frame was sure to get horrible results. I flipped the piece over (it was a Christmas tree skirt) to show them, and they were very impressed, apologised for being critical, and told me to keep on doing what I was doing because it was excellent. However, they did tell me that I really need to learn to do fine stitching with a frame so I could join a proper quilting group, and offered to teach me to quilt properly with a frame so I could join them every Tuesday afternoon. These ladies have a lot to teach, and I have a lot to learn, so I am planning to join them.
Anyhow, the bottom line is to do what you enjoy and get good results with, and don't worry too much about the "rules", because there are, after all, no Quilt Police!
I have the Grace HOop 2 also. It really has worked out well for me. I do have an oval carry around hoop that is about 14" oval that is really handy. I had to buy one of the smaller hoops for my floor stand too. I really think the large one that came originally with mine was too cumbersome to work well for me. The day the hoop came in the mail DH made the comment that it must have cost $100. I said at least and he was sure he didn't want to know any more. I have a favorite sterling thimble that I found in an old sewing machine drawer years ago. The whole sewing machine was worth the cost of that wonderful thimble. I'd try the Thimble Lady stuff if I wasn't so cheap. Taria
Valerie > I have handquilted both with and without a stand, and I think the stand is
Wow! What a fun subject to find on this group, first thing in the morning: handquilting! ;-D
Tools: I love the 12" hoops, thick ones w/ a good, sturdy screw to tighten the hoop; no floor stand, no floor frame any more. A variety of needles helps, as does checking out a few thimbles to see what's comfortable. Good thread made for handquilting, like the Gutermann & the good ol' Coats & Clark brands, are faves for hand quilting as well as hand piecing. I like the scissor straps that hang around the neck to keep a small pair of (embroidery) scissors close at hand, like these stork scissors which are sharp and have a nice feel to them, and a basket to keep everything beside me (also holds a few chocolates &/or mints &/or chewing gum). I keep several packages of finger cots in the notions drawers (pyramid cabinet by the front door ), a special treat for grasping & pulling those needles thru' the layers; cheap item, must have it in my sewing bags. And that's it, the only handquilting equipment I *need*.
My best tools stay in a small cosmetic bag (snaps or zips shut) in the open sewing basket; a second set is packed in another bag, ready to go when I do, containing my not-so-favorite thimbles and 2nd or 3rd best small scissors, thread, extra needles & finger cots, marking pen, spare change, a couple of buttons, address labels & tiny note pad. For airplane rides I have a small pill bottle stuffed w/ needles and finger cots, wrapped in masking tape (makes a great guide for marking straight lines &/or seam allowances), also holds safety pins removed from the basted quilt; this goes into a ziplock-type bag w/ thread & a plastic letter opener that has a tiny sharp metal edge in it for cutting thread, along w/ a pen & a tiny note pad; this all packs into a larger ziplock bag containing the small take-along quilting project.
Newest favorite thimble: open-ended Clover metal
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(I didn't pay that much!); my fingers aren't tapered to a point asso many thimbles are. A variety of thimbles is a good thing. If a nimble thimble works for you, Hanne, go with it. This should be fun and comfortable; handquilting is addictive. ;-)
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Cheers and good luck!
Ragm> So, having tried my hand at handpiecing (going quite well, if I say so
Hanne, I'd recommend measuring your arm from your inner elbow to your palm. Don't get a hoop any larger than twice that measurement (in diameter, I mean), because it will otherwise be difficult to reach the center of the hoop.
If you can swing it, I'd go ahead and get the floor stand at the same time as the hoop. You never know whether it will still be available later, and it definitely makes the quilting easier, IMHO. You can, of course, balance the hoop on your leg or a table or chair, but a stand is much easier and lets the hoop swivel. However, I'd skip getting any little attachment for doing the edges; I've been disappointed in the ones I've tried and found that making a "hoop cap" (from instructions I found in an old issue of QNM and saved) worked much better.
A thimble is very personal. Do you push with the top of your finger or with the pad? I push with the pad, and my fingers tend to get hot (look where I live! ), so a "topless" thimble (aka tailor's thimble) works very well for me. Buy the least expensive one you can find until you're sure of the style you prefer; then you can invest, if you like (or not! ) in a nice one -- sterling tends to expand/contract with your finger according to the weather, so that's a great excuse for spending a bit more. LOL! HTH!
For just trying out hand quilting for the first time Mom suggested that I spend as little money as possible on hand quilting gizmos until I had decided if I enjoyed the process. I thread basted my little quilt. I used a large (12 or 14 inch) wooden embroidery hoop that I already had in my house, although I could have borrowed a heavier quilting hoop from my mom. I did some of the work using the hoop, and some of the work using no hoop at all to see which method I preferred. I've never had a stand for needlework so I was already familiar with propping the hoop on chair arms and various body parts so I had no problems doing the same with a quilt. I did not use a thimble at all, but if you already use one, use the one you like until you know if you need a different type. I drew quilting lines on my quilt with a chalk pencil as I moved the hoop from section to section.
From my first attempt at hand quilting I learned I enjoy hand quilting, I prefer using a hoop, and that I needed a thimble that I could push the needle with the side of my finger. I now have a thimble that will work that way. I don't think I would like a hoop stand at all because my hand quilting project would be less portable if I had to carry a stand around with me.
So Hanne, basically you need needle, thread, a chalk pencil or other line marker, your favorite thimble, and a hoop. Everything else can be bought if you decide you love hand quilting. Debra in VA See my quilts at
I _think_ I'll do the following: Get a hoop (just a hoop, no stand) and use my current thimble (which I got for hand stitching label, bindings etc).
Apart from finance (the hoop I'm looking at is just over $30, the stand for that hoop is another $170), I wanted to bring it back in the suitcase when I next go to visit my parents (buy it there, that is). And I think the stand might be quite heavy and possibly not pack up nicely. I never did hand quilting before - maybe I won't like it at all. I certainly can justify (to myself at least) $30 to try it out, but I'm not so sure about $200 :-)
WRT thimbles: I've never done HQ, I have no idea what I'll prefer. I saw that Alex Anderson in her book suggested getting cheapish thimbles for various styles/fingers to test before (possible) buying more expensive ones. I'll try with my leather one first, I didn't realise this could potentially work, since books/web sites talk about needing deep dimples for the needle to rest in. But I'll try.
At least this means I can try out hand quilting without spending a lot of money up front. I am sure that if I like it, the finance will go the same way as for piecing and machine quilting :-)
If you are having problems with eyeballing 1/4", have you tried putting a piece of 1/4" sticky tape on your thumbnail? I'm right handed and put a small piece on the thumbnail of my left hand, which makes it really easy to check how your seam is going.
Sarah in Durham, UK where it has finally stopped raining!
Good tip, Sarah ... and I like using the florescent tape for that, Hanne.
That tape just doesn't show up enough to be useful on the rulers, IMO. Do you find it useful on the rulers? I put it on the bottom. Should I stick it to the top? Do I need double layers? Suggestions appreciated.
My rules have lines in black or dark green only - with the yellow rulers I can't imagine it would work very well.
I stick it on the bottom, to avoid distortion. I stick a length of it on
- maybe 10" for a 12" ruler. I've got pink and yellow, and chose colour based on the colour of the fabric I'm cutting. Works for me.
I actually don't use it that much. I have one (I think) 12" square ruler with _way_ too many markings on it, and worse (!) it doesn't start from
0 at the edge. I really don't like that ruler, but it is good for when I need something wider than my beloved 6" Quilt in a Day rulers can handle. But I have to use the tape, otherwise things will definitely go wrong.
Probably I should replace that ruler...
Hanne > Good tip, Sarah ... and I like using the florescent tape for that, Hanne. >
Since you've been using a thimble while sewing, handquilting will (probably) be fairly easy/comfortable for you.
The hoop: if you don't end up using it to handquilt much, it makes a nice frame for hanging up your artwork/quilting. ;-) Also works as a place to hang strips of fabric, ribbon, shoestrings.
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