Steve

Ok, so the actual hand quilting is coming along nicely, but I do have a question. I’ve learned to do the running stitch (still walking) by the book as it were, though when I come to the spots where patched are seamed together taking a small stitch is tough due to the many layers of material. Many times I just duck under between the patches but then come out somewhere a bit further from the corner of the second patch than I’d really like. Going over leaves a long stitch and re-stringing would be silly. I've only a couple of patches left on this one. What suggestions do you all have for me?

mimisharon

Morning Steve,
I'm in the middle of a queen size that I'm hand quilting for my niece so I know your pain. What I do, right, wrong, or indifferent is to put the neede through to the back, the push it back through to the front without trying to put multiple stitches on the needle. Sometimes I do a quick backstitch, turn the thing over and make sure it's not ugly on the back side and then get on with the row.

One stitch at a time is time consuming but I feel like my hard work of piecing and then quilting deserve the time. How 'bout you?

Sharon

Steve

Well the hand quilting is fun in a way, slow, but rewarding. There is something about the feel and look of a hand stitched quilt that I like a lot. I'm probably going to eventually give the machine a go of it, but figure special quilts, like those for my parents, will get my undivided attention and hand stitches.

I'll give your method a shot on the last couple patches. If I do this for any length of time (as I’m planning) I might as well learn as many tricks as possible. Thanks!

I wonder how many here hand stitch their quilts?

lin

Hi Steve. Those pesky seams can be a problem! LOL I usually just run the thread between the layers until I get to a point that I can start stitching again. If you need to go a long distance, you can put your needle in an inch or so, pull the needle part way out, then while holding the end of your needle, turn it around between the layers and poke it back out on the eye side of the needle. You can keep doing this all the way across a quilt if you want to and never really come up for air LOL. Although, I can't imagine any reason why someone would need to do that! LOL I'm just saying there isn't any length that's too long for this technique. If it makes you feel better to have stitches even across those seams, then you can do the one stitch at a time thing like mimi suggested. If you don't mind skipping over the seams, just be careful where you bring your needle up on the other side. You should do fine. :)
Also, I agree that family or heirloom quilts should be hand quilted whenever possible. I wish I had more time to devote to my hand work. I still make sure the ones that are really important to me are done that way.

Norah

I do the one stitch at a time on the bulky areas, too. If it is not quilted, sometimes the seams and bulky areas raise up and ruin the look of the quilted pattern. I love to hand quilt. A big quilt on a machine would drive me nuts, DH says it is a short trip. lol He knows me too well.
Glad too that we another guy on the forum. Now we have two to pick on......eeeh, I mean joke around with while showing the greatest respect.

Steve

Great idea and it works on the tough spots.

I finished the blocks today and am outlining the borders now. I asked Leslee and she says the border won’t require the hoop, just to make sure the back edge is flat since the inside quilting will hold the piece in place. She did suggest going ahead and basting it when I turn the back to finish. Should work.

It’s funny how much I’ve learned over the last month and especially the last two weeks when putting the knowledge into practice.

I’ve a funny story about readying the new quilt. I took some fat quarters over to the friends whose baby gets the next one. I showed them the quilt and the baby (1 ½ year old) got excited. Asking him if he’d like a quilt, I took out some fat quarters of blues and yellows and had him pick out two of each. He understood and pointed to the blue ones he liked. Then he pointed at one yellow but hesitated. He kept floating his finger over a yellow with blue flowers, obviously wanting it but thinking the blue flowers made it a blue piece. I said “Yes that has blue flowers but it is yellow in back too, do you want that one?” He started pointing at it and shaking his head yes. Cool! The funny part is the quarters he picked are an awesome combination. I just hope I can fill in the blanks and make it nice for him. He’s going to be weaned in the next few weeks and will need some comfort.

ShellyQ

Hi Steve, sounds like you're going great guns, can't wait to see your quilt. I love to hand quilt especially on hand pieced and applique work. I do the stab stitch over the seams, which I think is the same thing as the others have described. For hand quilting I also try to avoid seams in the backing, just saves a bit of work :-)

I don't always have time to hand quilt but love it. Some times I will combine the two by machining the straight lines ie in the ditch, where quilting dosen't show up as much. Then save the areas where I have a bit of open space to showcase a bit of hand quilting.

vicki reno

" I don't always have time to hand quilt but love it. Some times I will combine the two by machining the straight lines ie in the ditch, where quilting dosen't show up as much. Then save the areas where I have a bit of open space to showcase a bit of hand quilting"

What shelly said here is how I completed my last one. Use the machine at great speeds for the wide open spaces--stitching in the ditch and hand quilted the other parts. I just couldn't seem to get the quilt to turn when it was suppose to around the curves, so out of desperation, I hand quilted around the flowers. I would have liked more stitching but had already used fuible webbing o hold everything an dplace and knew I'd never get a hand needle through lall the layers.
Can't wait to see both of them. You are hooked big time :!: :lol:

patricej

hmmmm ... Tim goes on vacation; Steve shows up.

coincidence?

ok, Steve. prove you're Steve and not Tim in disguise, testing our loyalty

:wink:

kathy

AHA! good point. Steve, tell us how you feel about flying geese.