Celebrate Hand Quilting

Likes and dislikes

2012-02-23T04:56:00.005-08:00

By Berit Hansen Gilde

Likes:
Star patterns - love those! Hand or machine pieced, I love the symmetric effect, I suppose. Not a great fan of the wonky stars, even thou I do see the charm. Love old patterns like the DJ and Nearly Insane.

Dislikes:
Basting. Really do not like crawling around on the floor hand basting big quilts. But since I rather want to spend my money on fabrics and notions than pay someone machine baste for me, I have no right to complane :-).

My likes and dislikes

2012-02-17T00:01:00.001-08:00

By Annemart Berendse

Great topic, Caron! Althought I just posted, I couldn't let the opportunity go... Preferences for hand quilters can be so different from machine quilters! So here are my preferences:

Likes:

Variegated Egyptian cotton, thin and bright, like King Tut or Valdani (check them out...)
A closed sturdy thimble, that fits just right (hey, do I hear the name TJ Lane popping up again?!;-))
A regular stitch that is the same all over (no matter whether it's 8 or 20 stitches on an inch)
The liveliness of the fabric next to a quilt line, where the fabric goes up and down. A machine quilting stitch is just down.
Having a few hours to finish a certain area to near perfection.
Soft tight woven cotton, that doesn't split when quilted.
A perfect curve
A fine grid
Quilting needles #12
The look of a quilt on a frame or in a hoop itself!

Dislikes:

Cheap printed cotton with the rubbery grey on the back
Thick seams, although a rocking stitch helps a lot!
Old needles
Callus on my underhand

Love to see all the other contributors lists!

Have fun quilting!
Annemart

Hand Quilters Likes and Dislikes

2012-02-16T15:23:00.001-08:00

Hand quilters often think differently than other quilters. When you're a hand quilter, you focus more on the quilting stitch; how it will look, what design will best fit an area, how to achieve that puckered, even stitch.

Hand quilters, join in on this discussion and tell us what you like... and what you don't like about the quilting process!

I'll start the ball rolling!

LIKES:

When I design a quilt, I like wide open spaces without seams so that I have a lot of room to showcase (hand quilting) stitches.

I like fabrics that aren't so busy that the design hides my quilting stitches in a shroud of print. Solid, textural blenders are perfect for hand quilting!

DISLIKES:

I really don't like quilting through a lot of thick seams.

The basting process is a real drag. I baste with little brass pins, and then when I quilt, the thread always gets caught on the pins. UGH.

Your turn!

The Pattern I am in Love With

2012-02-15T18:15:00.001-08:00

By: Karen Goad

Wow – how to pick out a favorite pattern. I rarely design my own patterns. Most of the time I find a pattern I like and often make changes to it making it my own, but I start with someone else’s idea – A lot of us are not quite artistic and creative enough to get started totally on our own Sometimes when I like a pattern I see I make it just as I see it and sometimes even using the same color of fabrics that are in the original design – especially if it was the combination of color and design that attracted me to it in the first place.

Now back to the pattern I am in love with – – I change my mind so often. Right now I can tell you that the next queen size quilt that I want to make is one of Edyta Stars patterns called “Common Bride” it is beautiful. I love the colors, I love the pattern – the only change that I intend to make to it is adding another border to it in order for it to fit my bed. click on the name of the quilt and it will bring you to the pattern and you can see how beautiful it is yourself. If you click on the photo of the pattern it will enlarge so you can see it better. I love a combination of piecing and applique (needle turn). Hand quilted of course

I have not purchased this pattern at this time but it is one thing that I plan on looking for at the Paducah Quilt Show in April. I love the colors – browns/pinks some greens and blues – tiny patchwork blocks that can be done up in numerous shades of those colors.

I will not start this quilt though until sometime next year - I really need to finish a few things first!!

The pattern I love most

2012-02-14T02:57:00.000-08:00

By Annemart Berendse

For February Caron asked us: what pattern do you love most? Well actually, I have to confess, I made only one pattern, a Broken Star. And I made the template and calculated all measurements myself. I never used a kit. Nor did I recreate, other than in class, a quilt made by somebody else. I can't. I just can't. I see the designs of Di Ford and all, and it does not inspire me, although I like the quilts.

To me quilting (and shoe decorating, but that's another story) is about being creative and original. And that means I try to make my own thing. So I make my own Broken Star template, and think of the colors I would like to use and search in every quilt shop until the right colors are there. Or I think of a half square triangle quilt and experiment with color. Or I get a gift like a jelly roll, take it all apart and use it with other fabric. I only once made a quick quilt from one jelly roll. And I wasn't happy about it.

So what pattern I love most? A pattern that gives me the opportunity to search for every color on the color wheel. A pattern that is challenging, brings me out of my comfort zone, without creating panic in my mind. Applique, trapunto, cording, stippling, all by hand.

I know what my favorite pattern is. It is my next quilt. What it will be? Don't know. But something with a lot of color, applique, trapunto...

Have fun quilting!
Annemart

Quilt Marking

2012-02-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

By Rose Marie Castonguay

There are times when I'm working on a project, I know right off the bat what hand quilting designs to use. Then there are the times when nothing sings to me. Or after the top has been sandwiched, everything changes or I want more designs added.

For my pumpkin quilt, the centre portion got marked up, sandwiched and hand quilted fairly quickly. For the borders, nothing came to mind until much later and then it hit me what I should do. It should be easy, right? Nope, not that easy. For this quilt, I used Hobbs Poly-Down batting and how can you mark borders when the centre portion has already been quilted and the borders don't lay flat and are kind of puffed up? My DH came to the rescue by cutting out a wooden template of my quilting hoop. He just traced the inside of the hoop onto a piece of 1" thick board.

Then he cut out the template using a jig saw and sanded the cut areas afterwards.

Now, I can place the board inside my hoop and lay a border section on top and then place the outer hoop section on, secure it and then trace whatever design I want. This way, everything is taut and my border lays flat. Much easier. Before having this board and with my quilt in the hoop, I tried using some books underneath the quilt but nothing stayed in place and the markings were not that great. They were crooked, etc. Now, this is making me very happy.

The one drawback to the board is that it is very heavy to handle. A year has passed and now I am wondering if a piece of styrofoam would work?

Following the same process, my hoop was traced onto a 1" piece of styrofoam ....

... and then cut out using a knife. Much easier than a jig saw.

It fits nicely into my hoop.

Yes, it works very well. The border section that is in my hoop gets marked up, the styrofoam template is removed and then hand quilting takes place. Both the wooden and styrofoam work well. All that is needed is a firm surface to work on.

I have just finished quilting the borders on my pumpkin quilt and it is now ready for finishing. Oh, happy days!

Have a great day!

Hello!

2012-02-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

By Grace Thorne

New contributor here...My name is Grace, and I live in coastal southern Maine currently. I lived in the Boston area until 2001 when I came to Maine for family reasons. I prefer city life so call myself "cityquilter" not affiliated with the New York shop of the same name. I am currently unemployed, so I have lots of time to sew and quilt. I started quilting in 1979, drawn in by amish quilts. I love the simplicity, the color and the densely quilted patterns. I do this for fun and hardly ever make blue ribbon quilts. Here is my current quilting project. It's an amish center diamond made from fabric I bought on a trip to Lancaster a couple of years ago. I am down to the last very wide border and corner squares. I'm using matching thread because that is traditional for amish quilts. I have mostly used Mettler quilting thread, but have some King Tut and Aurifil in my stash also. The batting is a cotton/wool blend I bought from Buffalo Batt several years ago. It needles very nicely but has no bonding, so it also beards quite a bit. I enjoy seeing all the quilting projects posted, and the Hawaiian really caught my eye because I am currently appliqueing a bed-size Hawaiian done with an orange flame batik on white. Thanks for "visiting" and looking!

What's in my Frame

2012-02-06T20:16:00.000-08:00

By Pippa Moss

I am still hand quilting my large purple and white Hawaiian quilt, Pilani. I have outlined all parts of the quilt and am now filling in the remaining echo quilting lines. I hope to have it completed by July so that it can go off to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham in August.

I use a Q-snap floor frame which has worked well for me. The frame is at the right height to sit at comfortably, and rest my forearms on the frame edges. It is light enough to move around the room - it lives in a corner!
You can see in this picture that the echo quilting is not marked, I just insert a line of pins (using a small ruler to measure the 1/2") and use those as a guide.

You can see more of the Pilani pattern in this photo - wool wadding is being used and it quilts up very nicely.

Perhaps you can see the quilting stitches more clearly in this picture. These frames do not last forever - my first lasted about 20 years, then the plastic gave up and I had to buy another! Luckily, I found one cheaply on Ebay. The quilts do have to be carefully basted before using this frame - I do it with lots of safety pins to hold the three layers firmly in place. The plastic caps allow you to reposition the quilt freely and also to adjust the tension.

I do have two other frames that I am meaning to try - I just haven't had time just yet.... this is a traditional British frame, it is very simple and consists of two long poles with webbing and two "swords" or uprights that go through two slots in either end of the long poles. The idea is to sew the backing onto the webbing fore and aft, then lay the batting or wadding on top of the backing. The top is also sewn onto the webbing at the front edge - then the far side is "needled in " or secured with pins or needles. As the quilting was completed in one width, the quilt was rolled up and a new section secured with pins, quilting across until the quilt was complete. This particular frame is not full size - it is only 48" wide and the cross pieces are about a yard long. As I am so interested in antique quilts I will certainly be making a small wholecloth quilt on this frame. The webbing that is on there now is hession or burlap and is a bit rotten, so I will have to remove the tacks and replace it with new webbing.

The other frame is similar but slightly more complex, as it is a folding frame; the two sides are like an X with the quilt held across the top. I think this dates from the 50's or 60's although it could possibly be older. Not sure how big this frame is - I keep saying that I will get it out and assemble it, but have not gotten around to it.

I also have smaller hoops both round and square and these are fine for quilting - most of my earlier quilts were quilted with hoops. I always advise students to see how interested they are in quilting before spending lots of money - simple tools are just fine when you are starting out - then when you know that you are "bitten" you can start spending more money!

In the hoop

2012-02-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

I wanted to show ya'll what I have been quilting on. Now I'm not a very fast quilter but I sure love to quilt thou. This quilt is huge, did not know it was going to be this big when I first started it and I'm afraid it will take me a while to finish.

Picture this, it's on a king size bed and it hangs over the sides.

Yes it will be a while.

Here is a little of what I've done. Nothing fancy, this quilt is very busy with very little open space so I thought the best way to handle that is just with outline quilting, 1/4 inch.

Till next time

Kat

=^..^=

My Square Hoop

2012-02-03T22:25:00.000-08:00

By Audrey Easter

I'm a little late to this 'Whats in my hoop' party. What fun to see all the different quilts being hand stitched at this very moment! This is quilt made from a Pat Sloan pattern featured in an old American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. It was slow going with the hand quilting in the beginning as I dithered back and forth with marking, not marking, taking out the curved, wavy lines, leaving them in etc. etc. Finally I found a rhythm that is working and I'm loving the casually, imperfect look of my stitching for this quilt. I used to always use a round wooden hoop for the majority of my hand quilting and this plastic square hoop just for the border work. Then, one day I decided to use this hoop for the entire quilt and I've never went back. It was a little awkward at first trying to figure out how to hold it just right, but being able to quilt right up into the corners makes it worth the effort. It has a crack in the right plastic clamp but I'm babying it along until it's completely unusable just so I can see how many years I get out of it.*wink I'm frugal that way.

Desert Island

2012-02-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

By: Glenn Dragone

What does that title have to do with quilting?

Let’s play a game. You’re on a desert island and you have all the comforts you desire. The luxury hut, complete with ocean views (how could it not?) and of course, electric. It’s has been constructed by the mate of your dreams. He/She happens to be a gourmet chef and mysteriously anything you need to make your stay heavenly appears when summoned.

It’s a game remember so go with the crazy premise.

Now that you’re all relaxed and fed you have the simple joy of hand quilting your days away.

The deal is you can only bring one of your favorite quilting items with you on this magical adventure. It could be a tool, an audiobook, a TV, anything you like.

So, what’s the one item that you can’t quilt without?

Here’s mine:

My TJ Lane thimble is my favorite tool when hand quilting. The fit, the feel and the look make me happy each time I make a stitch. As you can see, the thimble happens to have a case in the shape of a piece of luggage. The little guy is ready to go!

In my hoop

2012-01-31T13:39:00.000-08:00

By Ann-Mari Duffy

This has been on and off in the hoop for about two years now.

Have been busy making lots of quilttops. And putting off handquilting large quilts!

Happy quilting

Janet's Hoop

2012-01-30T13:10:00.001-08:00

By Janet Olmstead

I'm new to posting on this blog. I have only been hand quilting for about 3 years so I don't have a lot of experience. What I do have is enthusiasm!
I have enjoyed all the "what's in your hoop?" posts. It's been very inspiring to see all the different projects people are working on.

I am currently working on a red and white quilt for a challenge my guild is doing. The challenge was inspired by the Infinite Variety exhibit in New York. I didn't get to go to the exhibit but there were so many gorgeous pictures of it online to enjoy.
I especially loved the quilts with beautiful hand quilting and resolved to hand quilt my contribution to the challenge. I am currently working on the straight lines behind the half feathered wreaths in the setting triangles.

Here is a picture of the whole quilt from when I basted it. I would have liked to make a full sized quilt of this but it needs to be finished by the end of May and my time for working on it is limited. This is the first time I have tried wool batting. I find it a bit puffy compared to the silk batting I usually use but I do love how it needles.

Other than the center squares, I haven't figured out what to quilt in the red areas of the blocks. I'm not very good at planning ahead when it comes to quilting projects. Someone commented on my blog that the quilt would speak to me and tell me what it needs. It hasn't had anything to say yet. Do you have any ideas?

Happy Quilting!

Quilt as you Go question

2012-01-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

From time to time I receive questions from quilters about hand quilting. I will post them here, in hopes that our writers and readers will be able to respond and provide help to each other. The email below came in over the past weekend. Can you help?

--------------------------------------

Just to say how much I enjoy the Hand Quilting blog. It is so interesting!

I like to quilt by gathering running stitches on my needle and kind of scrunching up the sandwich from the left hand edge so that my thumb is on the top but my index finger in underneath and then pushing my needle thro' one, two or three stitches at a time. (Georgia Bonesteel in her book "Lap Quilting Lives" illustrates this as a method she uses.) It is quite tricky to do when you are quilting a large piece and I have been experimenting with quilting smaller blocks and then joining them. (Quilt as you Go).

I would be very interested to find out from other hand quilters if they do QAYG (Quilt as you Go) and exactly how they join blocks. It's fairly easy with cotton batting but the wool which I prefer has a lot more bounce so it's hard to control and it catches in the foot of the sewing machine. So far I have found "joining strips" easier for the wool but I can't work out a satisfactory way to add borders. (Believe me - it doesn't work when you get to the corners!)

I am currently using Aurifil thread. I started using their "mako" for hand applique (wouldn't use anything else now) and now use it for quilting too. It is very well behaved and if you get a little knot it will just pull out.

I do hope the blog continues to flourish. We are all so unique in the way we sew and little tips and tricks from other people can be really helpful.

Many thanks,

Stephanie

Floor frames

2012-01-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

A question from Mary Carolyn

Since the question is what's in our hoops, I'd like some information on floor frames. I've never used one and would like to hear from those of you who do. How much room do they take up? What's the difference between three and four (I think) roller frames? If you have one that uses long boards, what do you think of it and do you know where are patterns available to build one? How hard is it to learn to quilt on one - if you remember? What other information would you give someone who knows nothing about them? I've been quilting for almost 40 years but didn't know anyone who had one - and still don't know anyone who uses one. I quilt just fine (all that practice!) without one but I'm curious.

In The Hoop

2012-01-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

Tim's Hoop

I'm getting close to the finish line on the Log Cabin quilt.

When I get so close to the end I have difficulty putting it down! It won't be long and I can bind it (black) and give it a wash. The top is antique and I usually don't wash antique tops until I have all the quilting done. The quilting adds strength to the top and there is much less chance of causing damage in the washer once the quilting is done.

Happy Quilting!
Tim

Marjorie's Hoop

2012-01-29T07:55:00.000-08:00

This double wedding ring is what's in my hoop.

I'm about 2 months into the hand quilting, and somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 done. With each "melon", I've outlined each side of the ring plus one row of echo that lines up with the points of the second piece in the strip.

I've been trying to convince myself that this will be enough quilting. The stitching is 1-1.5" apart except in the center of each circle, which ends up with 4" square w/o stitching.

I am using a bamboo/cotton batting.

I want it to look modern and fresh as it's a gift for a young couple, and am fighting my tendency to over-quilt. I have an idea for what I'm going to do, but I'm open to suggestions for the centers of these 35 circles.

Double Irish Chain

2012-01-29T05:56:00.000-08:00

by Carla Therrien

I am currently working on a king size Double Irish Chain. This quilt is the result of organizing my sewing studio. My goal was to empty a large Rubbermaid tote full of scraps. It was a large undertaking for me, I have never made a quilt this large.

I must admit I struggle when it comes to choosing how to quilt something. I decided on this one, to use the same motif, but in two different sizes.

This a close up of the alternate blocks

King sized Double Irish Chain

I am amazed at the progress I have made on this quilt. I started quilting it after Christmas and only have a couple of blocks to finish up before I start the border. It does prove the point that diligence pays off.

In My Michigan Quilting Hoop

2012-01-29T04:38:00.001-08:00

I’ve been faithful to quilting on the Yes We Can, Jane quilt… adding a few hours of quilting most evenings. I’m just about finished with stitching along the sashing in one direction, and this week will probably begin going in the opposite direction (perpendicular, I mean). It’s difficult to see the stitches I’ve made, as they go right along the white sashing in a matching thread color. But they are there!

I happened upon a post of Helen’s blog this morning to see her progress on a quilt she is hand quilting for Zoe. Drop by and take a look! It’s beautiful and colorful.

Yesterday I had lunch in Lansing, Michigan with Tim Latimer, another writer on this blog. We had a good time, and of course, had to go visit Country Stitches when we were done eating. We each added to the weekly income for the shop, excited about our purchases. What a fun time!

Hoop? What hoop?!

2012-01-29T01:42:00.000-08:00

By Annemart Berendse

Glenn asked us to write what's in my hoop. Well, I do have a hoop. Even more than one. I have a Jasmine Heirloom floor stand hoop, I have a border hoop (half ring), I have a lap hoop and I have a simple plain round hoop. And they are all like this one. Empty. Oh, and enjoy the green slipper on my foot on the picture!;-)

Work in progress.

But that doesn't mean I am not working on a quilt. My frame Alice, a Jasmine Heirloom frame I am very proud of, is filled. I am working on the feathers of a Broken Star. I have a system in quilting. First the main lines, than the feathers, than the grid. That way my grid is never curved or out of rhythm through quilting somewhere else.
Oh by the way, the seam on the picture seems bend. I assure you, it's not. It's the clamp to keep my quilt flat in the frame.
I am working with a variegated thread from King Tut.

The quilt is not really visible on the quilt picture, for visible inspiration, see below. It will be work in progress for a longer time, as I spend my time on my work, my blog, decorating shoes and regular things like bathing, eating and sleeping too...;-) Lenience is a great thing!

Broken Star

Have fun quilting!

Annemart

In My Hoop…..

2012-01-28T10:11:00.001-08:00

By Karen

I have several projects going right now, in my small hoop I am hand quilting a sampler quilt. I have 20 Farmers Wife’s blocks that I made. I didn’t want to make anymore as I tired with the blocks for some reason and I’m not interested in making this quilt any larger! I use a 14 inch hoop or my large 3 roller floor frame – as the frame is occupied with a different quilt – the Farmers Wife is in the hoop.

I am using a simple stencil for the white blocks in this quilt and the other blocks will be outline quilted I do believe. I am using a golden brown YLI thread for the quilting. As you can see I do not take tiny, tiny stitches as some of you do. I am not concerned with trying for 10, 12 or even more stitches to the inch. I rarely ever count my stitches – when I do I know that I have a consistent 8 to 10 stitches per inch and that satisfies me. I do not enter my quilts into show – I make them for me and for my enjoyment – a release of my creative spirit!

On the floor while I was pin basting it.

If you are new to hand quilting I urge you not to be concerned about how many stitches per inch you can do but to be aware of being consistent – whether that is 6 stitches per inch or more – consistency is what makes it look good. And most of all enjoy what you are doing or it isn’t worth the time you put into it.

What's in your hoop?

2012-01-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

By:Glenn Dragone

Take a candid picture of what's in your hoop and post it. It's a great way to see what's happening in the hand quilting world.

Give it a click!

Batting and needles

2012-01-28T01:28:00.000-08:00

I have my preferances, as do every other quilter.

Batting:
Dream wool - love the loft! And needles like a dream...

Needles:
Clovers gold eye number 12

I do occationally choose other needles, if the piece I am quilting has a lot of seams, as these needles tend to bend if I have to use some force - I then will normally go for a number 11 between.

Using Unusual Threads

2012-01-27T15:54:00.000-08:00

By: Suze

What kind of thread do you use for hand quilting?
If you quilt like I do, you are not limited to just cotton quilting thread!
I have a couple that were quilted with Monopoly...

Susan Magnolia: This is a painted piece I started at Road To CA in a class from Patt Blair. The batting is wool and is not trapuntoed - it just is that puffy from the batting..by densely stippling the background, the center flower and leaves stand out.

Midnight in the Pumpkin Patch: This piece was outline quilted with Monopoly.

And a couple that were quilted with metallics...here is one:

Penrose Posey: This piece was quilted with gold metallic.Sorry it doesn't show too well in the picture - the quilting is shiny in person.

Penrose Posey: The full wallhanging.

A couple of tips for handling unusual threads.

- Don't make a knot and try to pop it thru the top..instead, enter the quilt top about 4 inches away from where you want to start quilting and leave that long tail in the batting..make a small loop knot on the surface - hold on to the tail by pinching it with your non-needle hand thumb and forefinger as you pull the loop snug..if you start near a seam or out from under an applique, this tiny knot will not be visible..likewise, when you end the thread, take a small loop knot (either in a seam or under a piece of applique) and bury about 4 inches of the thread before clipping.

- Use fairly short pieces of thread (remember to add the 4 inches for the starting tail though)

- Going thru bulky seams may break your thread..try to avoid!

- I would not use these unusual threads on any piece that would get washed a lot or would be used on a bed.

What unusual threads have you used?

My Current Project..

2012-01-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

By: Erin Anderson

I haven't posted here yet - haven't had the time. But I wanted to show you what my current hand-quilting project is...

This picture was taken before I got it basted, when it was still a top. I've got most of the squares quilted and am debating what to do with the borders. I put a wool batting in this one, as I love how a wool quilt puffs up with the quilting. I quilt in a round hoop that is 14" across. I know an 18" hoop is the traditional size, but my arms are just not long enough to reach across that far (or maybe it's that my belly is so big my arms can't reach? Whichever).

I've been working on this quilt for a year and a half now - hopefully I'll have it finished in time to hang for this year's Halloween..