Newbie to hand piecing

[Jules M.]

My best friend lives in Brazil, but they are from the US and just there for his work for a few years. Because of me, she has taken to quilting. She doesn't have a sewing machine so is hand piecing. All she knows is what I've said via emails. :| I'm a machine stitcher/quilter through and through. I've looked in my library of books and there is not much more than a paragraph on hand piecing.

I have offered her my free 6 month subscription to here but she is pretty sure she won't be able to get the videos to feed. I thought the Jinny Byer one from Season 400 or 500 would be great for her. However.

So -- do you have websites that teach hand piecing I could recommend to her? What small things can I send her? Pkgs are very expensive to mail but I'll send little things if I can.

She has a rotary cutter and very small mat for cutting. I had thought of sending her some templar template plastic but what do you think?

Her grandmother has a stash of Kansas City newspaper patterns and my friend is delighting in getting those via email.

So far she has made: me a block for my guild President's quilt , 4 coasters for her step-mom, and is now piecing a 60" square wallhanging and has 1/2 the blocks done already! She can do about 2 a day midst homeschooling her 3 boys & keeping a family going. She has a kit to make a tree skirt and now is planning to make a Diary Quilt.

Tips? Websites?

Thanks!!

[Robin G.]

Hi Joyce, how wonderful you're able to help your friend. You might check out Linda Franz's website: http://lindafranz.com/section/home/71 I've been using her Quilted Diamonds books to learn how to hand piece. The second one comes with a DVD, and it's really helpful -- more than an hour's worth of lessons, and she's very thorough. She also has a lot of information on her website.

[Margo C.]

You might want to refer her to Jinny Beyer's book Quiltmaking by Hand:
http://www.jinnybeyer.com/ax_commerc...C5841390C7C222
and her CD: http://www.jinnybeyer.com/ax_commerc...DD3F69E2491301

Jinny does ALL of her sewing by hand!

[Margo C.]

I know when I was in Brazil they said they ordered all their fabric from the US. So, fat quarters and rotary blades and maybe some needles and thread.

[Lynn K.]

Yes, Ginny and Linda Franz are two top quilters to follow. There used to be a video or two on UTube with Linda showing some very intricate tips for hand piecing Dear Jane blocks.

[Jules M.]

I love the idea about Jinny's DVD so will consider that for a purchase sometime. I think that would be easy to send... wrapped in fabric of course.

The YouTube idea is great! I'll look for some of those to email to her.

Thanks!!!