QuiltE

Just thought of another .... applique.
I'm working on a DJ, so I have been prepping the blocks, with the pieces pinned on.
Then do the handsewing while on the phone.

Conference calls or not ... I try to have something ready for when the phone rings.
Always hexies ... sometimes binding, and now the applique.

scrapinmema

I like working on the Cathedral Window. It's easy and hard to mess up and once it's all put together you don't have to worry about quilting it.

RST

If you want to skip drawing your stitch lines, you can keep a roll of 1/4 inch masking tape in your work box, then fuzz up the tape a bit by sticking it to your clothing a few times (makes it easier to remove from your piecing). Run the tape along your stitching line, or just at the corners to keep you on track. You can re-use tape multiple times.

I've found that I prefer to make rather small projects with hand piecing. Two reasons: when it's hand pieced, it feels like it's calling to be hand quilted too, and that's going to be hard on my hands, so I keep it small. Plus-- hand work does call for more careful care and maintenance, in my experience. So I want something that won't need to be laundered a lot. I end up making pillows or wall hangings most of the time.



RST

PenniF

Dresden plate is one of my favorites to hand stitch / take along... I mark the pieces beforehand with the 1/4 inch line. It goes so quickly - you can have a whole "plate" done in no time at all.

nanac

If you are just starting out with hand piecing, then I agree that you should draw your seam lines. It is an extra step, and very time consuming, but this can also be done during conference calls, or while watching the tv. I am very good about eyeballing my seam lines, but I only do hand piecing, so after 25+ years, this is a step I no longer need to do. IMHO, as a beginner, you need to do this, so you can keep your seam lines straight, and corners match up. If you continue to hand piece, you will get better and faster than you might think. In addition to hand piecing, you could add a little pizazz, and do some hand applique, as well
Everyone has already given good advice on patterns, so choose a small project first, to see if you will enjoy it. Remember, some people do not enjoy the handwork, while others do not enjoy binding, etc. Quilting should be fun, not a chore.

nanac

To RST - excellent suggestion about the tape. Wish I'd known about that 25 years ago, lol

Prism99

Years ago I watched a Jinny Beyer video on hand piecing (that I borrowed from the library). If you can find this video or her newer DVD anywhere, I highly recommend getting it as it really helps. She has wonderful tips and demonstrates everything that she does (and she is a very fast hand piecer).

I much prefer regular hand piecing to English paper piecing, which I also tried.

For hand piecing, it's best to work with hard-to-machine-piece shapes such as hexagons. It would be a shame to hand piece something that could be strip-pieced faster on a machine. I highly recommend any pattern that uses hexagons.