This is an interesting suggestion or tip! I might just give that a try my next small project!! Thanks :)

Don't give up! It will need time and practice until you find your personal way of quilting. We are all different and our methods and techniques of hand quilting are different as well - the important thing is that you feel comfortable and happy with it. You will find so many tips and hints here on the board and you can always ask questions - what else do you need more? Go your way!

I made a small four block (and sashing) sampler that I handquilted for my first quilt. I can actually see my progress on the quilt, going from large, uneven stitches to smaller (not small, just smaller) and much more even stitches. So practice really does make perfect. Keep at it and it will come!

Besides, only quilters and people who do some kind of handwork themselves might notice that your stitching is uneven and large. Others will just be in awe of what you accomplished!

Many years ago, I bought a preprinted panel that had outline stitches printed in white around the designs and I practiced hand quilting on those, making sure I stayed on the dashes and left the spaces free. That helped me stay straight and have even stitches, even though the dashes that were marked were fairly large for hand quilting. With practice, I've gotten my stitches smaller. For marking, try a Herra marker. It is a plastic flat curved thing that fits nicely in your hand with a sharp edge for marking. When you run this along a ruler, or in a stencil, or even a free hand design, it leaves a crease in the fabric that is easy to follow with your needle and thread and there's no mark to wash out and it's not messy like chalk. I love it! Also, I always quilted with a hoop until a few years ago. While sitting in my chair watching tv, the hoop got in the way of my view, so I took the hoop off. Wow... I found it so much easier to quilt without a hoop and I've not used one since. A good tip to remember is try to put your needle as straight up and down as you can when taking a stitch. When repeated, it kinda sets up a rocking motion and helps to keep your stitches smaller than when the needle goes in at an angle. Keep practicing. What seems difficult now will very shortly prove to be easy and it's so rewarding!

Hey, that's a new one for me! I like your way of thinking...

So I have decided I've bit off more than I can chew with this quilt. After trying it a few hours, I do like the way it looks better, but the quilt is HUGE and with the triangles I'm having to constantly turn it.
I think I'm gonna go ahead and quilt it on the machine and try a smaller lap quilt (without triangles lol) for my hand quilting.
I did want to try something with some kind of motif (I'm thinking floral) in the pattern so will have that in mind BEFORE I start the lap quilt.
Anyway, I did it enough that I decided I really still want to do it, just not this particular quilt.

If you really want to hand quilt---just hang in there. I am doing my first and believe me I have had lots of those moments. But here and there I see a glimmer of it getting better I am making the quilt for one of my daughters so I know she will love it even if every stitch is not the same exact length and even if they are not teeny tiny. I have decided that I want to be a hand quilter so I refuse to give up. I have found that everyone who says it will get better and that you will find your own technique is telling the absolute truth. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: