Hand quilting - advice please!

[Wanda M.]

Hello everybody - I have just hand pieced a wall hanging - my first project and about to start the hand quilting - I find it hard to achieve small quilting stitches. I have loads of books but none explain how far out the quilting stitches should be from the seam lines. The seam allowances are pressed to one side and so the work is quite thick with the top layer, batting and backing and then the possibly two layers of seam allowance as well. Should I be quilting at least a quarter of an inch outside the seam lines? Look forward to hearing from someone soon! x

[Wanda M.]

Hi

You won't get very small stitches quilting through so many layers

I hand piece ALL the time and always trim my seams to under 1/4 inch if I want to 1/4inch outline a block or something

However its not really the size of the stitch but the evenness of them. If you look at old welsh or Durham quilts for example the stitches weren't too small but they were even. Once you have the evenness it is easier to gt your stitches smaller. It also depends very much on the fabric and the batting.

Its all a matter of practice and finding what suits you.

For example I use Quilters Dream cotton - low loft. I keep my quilt very loose in the hoop and I use a Thimblelady thimble so I use the underneath of my finger to guide the needle in rather than the top of my finger. I also use a quite long needle - its a Clover Patchwork size 9 ( in a brown case not the usual green clover case) - I line the long needle as I can then load a lot of stitches on to it.

But I have been through several different types of needle and methods before I have settled on the method that suits me.

I am sure that you will do the same. Remember there is no right way just the way that suits you and gives you the result you want.

Regards

Maureen T - Sydney Australia

[Wanda M.]

Thanks Maureen for all those tips - I hadn't thought of trimming back the seams. I'll concentrate on eveness of stitch and forget the smallness! Trouble is I'm too fussy - I am also going to look for the needles you recommend and will try the batting you recommend next time - thanks for taking the time to write at length x

[Wanda M.]

If it's advice on hand quilting you're seeking, don't miss Alex's TQS Classroom found on the Daily Blog Page. At the top of the page, you'll see a little square that says Alex's TQS Classroom. Just click on that and you can view all the video lessons she is posting. She's just started and currently has 8 little introductory lessons, starting with batting choices. She's going to get into more detail about the actual quilting process.

These lessons are great because each one is only a few minutes long. Then you have the opportunity to digest the material before moving on. Of course, you can view each lesson over and over again. This Classroom is a great addition to the website. Don't miss it.

[Wanda M.]

Thanks Louise - I'll have a look at that later! x

[Judy M.]

Hi! It's always easier when quilting "in the ditch" or rather, next to a seam, to quilt in an area with less bulk. I usually quilt a few threads away from the seam in the area without the seam allowance, and when I get to an area where the seam allowance is I meander to the other side without the seam allowance, trying to keep as straight a line as possible. Hope this helps.

[Judy M.]

Thanks Judy - that is a useful tip. I've picked up quite a few on here and have started on a wall hanging; the pattern came from a book that I bought years and years ago, called 'Make Room for Quilts' - I think by Barbara Martin - it's a brilliant book!

[Judy M.]

At the risk of sounding really, really stupid... can someone explain what is meant by "the evenness" of the stitch? Are we talking trying to make sure the stitches are in a straight line? The amount of space between each stitch?? Also, again... this is going to sound stupid... single strand or double? With regular sewing we double the strand but.. how about hand quilting?? I am SUPER new to hand quilting.. can you tell? Thanks all!!

[Judy M.]

Evenness of stitches means that the stitches are the same size as the spaces. An even stitch should look like - - - - - - - , no matter what size your stitch is. You can have lovely small stitches, but if your spaces are uneven the the stitch will not look neat (kinda like -..-...-.-.-..-....-) . For a beginner work on evenness first, then work toward getting the stitches smaller. As for strand it is single strand usually for quilting, although I have never actually had anyone tell me why. I figure it has to do with how heavy the stitch line would look. Good luck and enjoy!

[Judy M.]

At the risk of sounding really, really stupid... can someone explain what is meant by "the evenness" of the stitch? Are we talking trying to make sure the stitches are in a straight line? The amount of space between each stitch?? Also, again... this is going to sound stupid... single strand or double? With regular sewing we double the strand but.. how about hand quilting?? I am SUPER new to hand quilting.. can you tell? Thanks all!!

You are NOT asking stupid questions! Sounds like all the RIGHT questions to me!

[Judy M.]

Thanks for your input. I guess I have to say that my beginner stitches are sporadically even, LOL!!! I've mastered "hide the knot" at least! I struggle with the needle, don't quite have the hang of what each hand should be doing yet. I'm holding it like I'm sewing and I know that's not right but any other way feels very strange. As a result, I can only do about two stitches at a time vs. the "rocking" multiple stitch technique. Being left handed doesn't help. I keep wanting to sew backwards! I'm getting there but... practice, practice, practice I guess.

[Judy M.]

Hi Jessima, I've been sewing my entire life (it seems) and had never used a thimble until my first quilting class in 1992. The teacher had us use a spoon underneath the quilt. So I'm sitting on the couch, trying to balance a spoon below, a TINY needle on top, and a thimble!! My husband came home and with clenched teeth I said to him, "I can't believe I paid good money to learn something so frustrating!!" And it stayed frustrating for a few years, just trying to get a method that would work for me and get my stitches the same size. My first stitches were extremely large, but by the time I finished my first quilt, they were getting better. I finally got rid of the spoon and I think I'm doing better without it. The fabric also has something to do with how your stitches come out. Cheaper fabrics don't have the thread count (the number of threads horizontally and vertically) that good quilt shop fabrics have, and the individual threads can have a larger diameter. There are a number of variables when quilting. You just have to work through them.

Quilting thread is glazed and is a bit heavier than regular sewing thread.

Try not to be discouraged. I can tell you that if you persevere, one day it will just 'click', and you'll know you've got it!

It might help to get a good quality muslin and just draw lines with a pencil and practice, practice, practice. That helped me. Also, it's easier to quilt diagonally across the fabric than to quilt horizontally or vertically.

I hope I've helped a little. Don't worry about asking questions. Every quilter here has probably had the same question when they were newbies.

Keep us posted about your progress, Sharon in TN

[Judy M.]

Jessimina-Single thread (not double) when hand quiting. Don't use too long of a thread cuz it'll tangle and make you say bad words real loud. :wink: Keep at it! Eventually you'll find hand quilting to be very relaxing and satisfying.

[Judy M.]

I knew there was a reason!!!

[Judy M.]

Jessimina - another tip is to get lots of practice with straight lines. Just quilt a grid or along your sashing.

Don't try to quilt through any appilque pieces, they're way too thick. I once saw a beautiful applique quilt that had been professionally hand quilted with white thread all over and she had outlined all the appliques on top and I thought it was ruined! You should quilt around appliques which helps to make them puff up.

If you quilt upto a really thick intersection, you can "travel" through and skip a few stitches.

You're right to start with something small that you can turn around in your lap. Don't expect to be able to quilt in every direction at first. That takes time.

You might also want to experiment with where you sit. The arms of a chair are sometimes too high making your shoulders scrunch up uncomfortably. It helps to sit at a table or to have something like a pillow on your lap to support the hoop. I usually prop my feet up on an ottoman and that brings the hoop close enough without my needing to lean forward.

Just keep practicing. You'll get more comfortable with time and grow to love it like we do! :lol: