Maureen NJ

I bought the spoon for hand quilting and also have not been able to do it. I quilt in a hoop and just found it awkward and that I wanted my hand free, not holding something. Well, I was reading Jenny Beyer's site and she talked about watching an older lady quilt and she was fast and her stitches small and she used a QUARTER on her bottom hand. I tried it and I love it. I tape (with painter's tape) the quarter on the bottom of the thumb so it extends about 1/4" beyond the tip of the finger. When the needle hits the quarter, I pull back a little and make the stitch and repeat. It is important to have your fabric loose enough in the hoop. I have it so that you can indent it about 2". You will know if it is not loose enough because you will not be able to make small stitches.

Sleepy Hollow

The quarter is a creative solution to a problem!

Someone suggested a spoon to me when they saw I had the Aunt Becky, but I haven't tried it. Pretty much for the same reason--I don't want to have to hold something. I can move the A.B. around to different positions, fingers/thumb easily, and I don't feel like my hand is going to cramp up holding something. I'll remember the quarter trick though, in case I ever find myself without my A.B.!

citruscountyquilter

I was excited when I saw the title of this thread because I too saw someone use an Aunt Becky and got one. I have yet to use it. Seems like there are a fair number of us newbies. Thanks for the link to the longer video. I'll check that out. At least as we are all practicing with our Aunt Becky we can rest assured we are not alone in our struggle.
The quarter idea is so clever. I had never heard of that!

purplefiend

Dottiemae,
I found a Youtube video by the woman who invented the Aunt Becky's finger protector. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeKrAHJKAwU
Sharon in Texas

dottiemae

Thank you all for the responses. I have watched Jan Bressler and her way of using Aunt Becky. I noticed she "rocks" as well, but not as much as I do. Here is my samples how my stitches look using Aunt Becky.[ATTACH=CONFIG]567436[/ATTACH]

carolynjo

I use the Aunt Becky and I seem to have no trouble. Yes, the gizmo rests under the quilt, but I simply push the needle through the quilt on the top of the ridge. You can't (or I can't take but 1 or 2 stitches, however. Have you tried Veterinarian's tape, the spongy stuff that animals can't chew through?) I fold it in half and wrap it around the finger that pushes the needle through and it works.

dottiemae

Thank you carolynjo, that is what I have been doing as well ( pushing needle through when the top of the ridge is at needle. I can get 3 on my needle. However, I have to rock the needle like Jan Bressler does in her video. It doesn't seem to work for me doing it Jean Brown's way because my needle just doesn't seem to go down into the fabric when I pull back the aunt becky. Not sure if my quilt isn't loose enough in the hoop or too loose. I have tried loosening it and tightening and can't seem to get it. I have to problem getting my needle through the fabric or any of that. Which is a plus. I think my stitches are ok for a first timer ( picture in previous post).

bearisgray

Your stitches look great!

Sleepy Hollow

Your stitches look good to me! How do you like them compared to your stitches without using it? If you like them just as much, just stick with it and you'll get better as you go (I have logged over 150 hours on mine now, and my stitches are smaller and more even than they were when I started. Going to a small needle (a 10 or 11) also helped.)

Sleepy Hollow

Disclaimer: I'm preparing for night shifts, so had to keep myself awake until 6 this morning, and got curious.

I looked up the patent number, and the Aunt Becky was invented by a woman named Rebecca E Nicklous. She filed for the patent in 1981. In her instructions, and drawn figures, she basically describes rocking the needle, so really, it's not wrong to rock the needle!

Patent link (if you click on images at the bottom of the patent page, it takes you to her application and diagrams--use the arrows or page selection on the left to go through the four pages)

From patent: "It may be desirable to hold the protector in a substantially vertical position as shown in FIG. 2 when the material is supported by a frame or hoop. Here, the curved surface 25 is held flush against the underside of the fabric and at substantially right angles to the penetrating needle. The needle can be inserted until it touches the protector. The protector can then be moved back under the tip of the needle to push the needle point back upwardly. The eye of the needle is pushed back down simultaneously so it will slide up and over the surface 25 and through the fabric. Again, any of the corners or surfaces available can be used as suited, depending upon the nature of the work being done. "

In 1985, sisters Jan Bressler (the woman in the videos linked above) and Lou Shafer bought the Aunt Becky company and started giving lessons.

I also found out their store is in Philomath, OR (a converted old theater). I drive through that town when I go to the coast! I think I'm going to need to plan a trip to the coast this spring/summer and stop by their shop, and maybe take a class.