Butterflyblue

Thank you everyone for the encouragement and tips! I think part of the problem, once I think about it, is that this is a quilt I'm making to memorialize/cope with a loss. I wanted to hand quilt because it takes longer, as does the emotional processing (the top took only an afternoon, and I could have machine quilted it in another) but then when the stitches weren't what I wanted, I felt like I wasn't doing it justice; not the quilt itself but what it represents.

Also, as someone else pointed out, I came from machine quilting to hand quilting, and it is so much easier to get perfect stitches when the machine does it for you! :)

I do think I'll try to mark some masking tape to help me even out the stitches, and having seen some examples of "big stitches" also helps because it gives me a broader idea of what can be considered "good" quilting (but those were still much straighter).

jolo

One other thing ,good quilting is what makes it happen for you. does it make you happy, do you like it do you enjoy it. Its your quilt do what makes you enjoy it.

misseva

I too just started hand quilting - this week. Your quilt looks soooo good. I don't think I'll ever be able to do the little bitty stitches - don't care. I've been looking at the quilts my mother and grandmother made and my stitches look pretty much like theirs. They were making quilts to keep warm and not for looks. I did one quilt with large stitches & embroidery thread for one of my granddaughters - let her draw pictures & color them on cotton then made a quilt out of the blocks. She was 4 or 5 then. Came out really pretty. Used prarie point around it. The drawings were very primitive. So I'm just having fun and practicing on a baby quilt that's been waiting to be finished since 2009.

eaglebeak1960

I wish I could hand quilt my eyes are so bad I cannot do anything but use a machine. to me they look great!!! keep at it.

OKLAHOMA PEACH

Looked it up Mommanac , looks like a great way to learning how to hand stitch.

Maria C

I also had a similar experience with hand quilting my second quilt and didn't like what I had done. I later realised that I had a batting that was too thick and there was no way I was ever going to get smaller stitches. So I think the flannel backing is not helping your quest. Having said that I like what you have achieved and like me you can't expect yoruself to get everything right perfectly on the first try. I love how each experience of quilting teaches me something along the way. Every time I do a quilt I find there is something else I could do better or differently. I have made a small doll quilt to practice some hand quilting and feel better about what I have achieved but once again ditched it for a year thinking I was making a hash of it. Be kind to yourself and let yourself grow through these experiences. You will make a great teacher for others having been through all the trials. Keep up the great work.

csmomma2

Keep at it. It looks great. If you can knit and find it relaxing, then you can hand quilt and it will become relaxing also. I am a hand quilter and like to encourage anyone to try it.

LivelyLady

Very nice quilting. Very consistent, which is important. You'll be a professional shortly :thumbup:

supergma

Don't give up. Your quilting looks great for the first. My dear Daddy told me something when I was frustrated over not doing short enough stitches. He said," Sister, the main thing is to have consistant stitches. Quit worrying about tiny stitches. Just be sure the stitches aren't long enough to hang a toenail in." My daddy. How I loved him.

gal288

Looks great for your 1st. I hand quilt a lot, keep a practice piece. Start taking the first stitches there to "warm" up your hands and get a rhythm going, I have always found it helped. Also as long as your stitches are consistant on the piece, you're good to Go! As you gain more experience you're stitches will get smaller. LOL and enjoy