Hand Quilting in the ditch....YIKES!!!!!

[Catherine S.]

Ok, I MUST be missing something. I've scoured these boards. I am hand quilting a baby quilt that is pieced. I used good quilt store fabrics for top and backing. BUT I find it is almost impossible to hand quilt in the ditch which for this design is a must. My needles (#10 Bohins betweens) are bending like there is no tomorrow, let alone needing a rubbing thing to pull the needle through with. What am I doing wrong???? My stitches are at best 2 loaded on the needle at a time, but mostly one and not as small as I like. Seems like everything I try to hand quilt in the ditch has the same response to me. Please help, I'm getting frustrated.

Sharon

[Margo C.]

Sharon, unless you are bound and determined to do every single stitch by hand, you might want to consider doing all the Stitch-In-The-Ditch quilting by machine, and just do your pretty hand quilting where it will show up. SID quilting is ideally done on the low side of the "ditch" (or seam line) and the stitches really should not be visible. You can do them with thread to match your fabric, or even try using a monofiliment that really won't show at all, but will make the quilt very secure!

Good luck!

[Teri L.]

One thing I don't see is what batting you're using. that may have more to do with the problems than anything else.

Teri

[Margo C.]

One thing I don't see is what batting you're using. that may have more to do with the problems than anything else.

Teri

Good point!! Obviously, I'm not a hand quilter!

I also understand that if your fabrics happen to be closely woven (like batiks, or sheeting) that will make it difficult to hand quilt.

[Teri L.]

It's a question I'd ask with hand and machine quilters alike. Batting makes a difference and I have preferences for both. And like Alex says sometimes I'm a bit of a snob in certain areas and I'm ok with it. :-)
Teri

[Teri L.]

Margo, I suppose for ease I can SID by machine and do by hand the more decorative. That's a good point. The fabric is not batik or sheeting but rather just your standard Moda type fabric. As for the batting I believe I used Fairfield poly-fil "Quilter's 80/20". I've been trying to experiment with different battings. I am not that familiar with the different types and had always used Warm & Natural for machine quilting. Availability in my area is an issue. I have to go at least an hour away to get to a decent quilt shop that carries any kinds of battings. So, it's usually someplace like a big chain store.

[Teri L.]

Are you hooping the quilt?
My first suggestion: switch from the Bohin needles to Richard Hemmings or Roxanne needles.
Suggestion number 2: Make sure the quilt is not too tight in the hoop. Start out tight, make sure the top and backing are smooth in the hoop and then loosen it up. The quilt should be fairly loose in the hoop. If the quilt is too tight it'll be hard to stitch.
Teri

[Teri L.]

Thanks Teri, I'll see what I can locate for needles. Yes I am hooping. Since Alex hasn't responded to my plea for her 'pop-pops' quilting frame pattern (LOL) I got a nice 14" lap hoop. I do have it loose in the hoop so that I can use the rocking stitch. Hand quilting is very new to me (at least trying to do it correctly) so I may even have it too loose!!

[Margo C.]

Just for another option to try, you might want to review Suzanne Marshall's technique for quilting without any kind of hoop! Check out show #203 at about the 41 minute mark. http://watch/watch-shows/video/show-...nning-applique

[Margo C.]

I went back and review show 203 just at the mark you suggested. I adapted that method on another quilt I am doing for the baby. It's a pattern called Less Than Traditional by Quilter's Haven. Since that pattern is already done when the quilt top is done there is no need to baste or even quilt. I opted to do some hand quilting in the open areas and have not hooped it. The 14" frame is great to work on but very limiting as to the size. If I'm going to use a frame i really need to get a full size frame. I had one of the Grace frames but it had metal bars and it did not load up well at all. I can definitely do the "no frame" method, just not crazy about all the basting, geez louise she has a lot of hand basting in that quilt!!!! Thanks for all the great tips. I know I'll get through, it just helps to pick brains that have already been there and figured out what works and what doesn't!

[Rita C.]

Sharon I am wondering if you ironed all your seams to the dark side and if so would stitching in the ditch just slightly to the light side make it any easier. Personally, I would go with Margo's suggestion and machine in the ditch and do the rest by hand. As for the basting, I really love the 505 basting spray because it really does work. But if you don't want to do that or as much as Suzanne Marshall then take a look at Sharon Shambers method of hand basting. I have just tried it on a wall-hanging and it worked really well.

Good luck with it.

Here's the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNy...eature=related

[Margo C.]

Or you could have a longarm quilter baste it for you with VANISH thread that will wash out when you launder it! Lots of options!

[E.M. T.]

All the suggestions are great...here's mine...I do hand quilt a bit...since I haven't room for a full frame, I use a floor hoop
that rotates 360 degrees and adjusts to height ,my reach and my perfered chair and light. It is similar to a Homestead
but built by my DH. Having tried lots of methods of basting, I now use Sharon Schambers' thread basting. It takes some
time but saves me trouble in the end. My quilt and hoop can travel if I choose and as big quilts may take months/years to
complete...stability is high on my list. As for the ditch quilting...I plan so as to do as little as possible by hand and do
follow the suggestions made previously if it's necessary. Remember, the stitches hide and if you match the thread to fabrics
it will be barely noticeably if the stitching isn't just so. Above all, it should be FUN ! Not hard work ! Keep trying out things
' till you get a combo that suits you.

[E.M. T.]

I saw Sharon Shamber's method and really liked it since I'm lazy and getting on the floor much less pinning is not to my liking. I have a lap hoop but find that it annoys me more than anything since it has to be "moved" all the time to change sections. I'm just gonna keep on truckin!! After all these years, I'm doing handwork and loving it. Quilters get the best of two worlds....we can use machines to piece things together and then finish with handwork. Now if I could just retire so I have more time to do the things I love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!