Hand Quilting - need encouragement
01-29-2011, 05:43 AM
#81
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bucks County PA
Posts: 1,241
Take your time. Enjoy the process of learning. You will get better sooner if you relax-- I promise!
Concentrate on the evenness of your stitches at first, not on the size. Just try to stitch with a good even rhythm, making rows of nice, even, same-size stitches. Once you get the hang of it, then you can try to make your stitches smaller.
And you decide what size you like. I know some folks like teensy tiny stitches that are so small they look more like a "." than a "-" !! I like mine to look like this - - - -
Anything worth learning takes time and effort. I hope you can have fun with your lessons and not be critical with yourself. Be kind and breathe! Your stitches will be better with time and practice, and it's well worthwhile.
Concentrate on the evenness of your stitches at first, not on the size. Just try to stitch with a good even rhythm, making rows of nice, even, same-size stitches. Once you get the hang of it, then you can try to make your stitches smaller.
And you decide what size you like. I know some folks like teensy tiny stitches that are so small they look more like a "." than a "-" !! I like mine to look like this - - - -
Anything worth learning takes time and effort. I hope you can have fun with your lessons and not be critical with yourself. Be kind and breathe! Your stitches will be better with time and practice, and it's well worthwhile.
01-29-2011, 06:15 AM
#82
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boonville, NC
Posts: 720
practice practice practice. I hand quilt some and have been working on my stitching. I have a small white fabric that I put a design on. I practice on that before I start to quilt on a quilt. take your time some times I use tiger tape to quilt a straight line. it helps trying to get your stitches even. after all that it comes with practice and a lot of it. I love it. don't try to be perfect just enjoy it. it gets easier and stitches get better with time and practice. Don't be so hard on your self.
01-29-2011, 07:34 AM
#83
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 1,618
I'm adding my $.02 as well. You are building up dollars on this one!
I hand quilt all my special projects. I took a mini class on it once, well it was more like watching a demo, and I just couldn't get it. When I moved down south and learned quilting bees are alive and well, that was when I learned. Most of the points I use when I teach has been covered here.
Size is not nearly as important as consistancy. Yours all look similar in size and for your first project, that is excellent.
It looked like you originally posted you knit as well. Certainly, your first knitting project didn't come out perfect. It takes time, like anything else, to find your groove.
I started a thread with questions about handquilting on flannel before I did my last queen size quilt. Everyone talked about the importance of washing it and that it wouldn't be hard to quilt on at all. Well, I washed the daylights out of it and it shouldn't shrink much more. I found it incredibly difficult to quilt through the flannel and I don't think I'll put flannel on another one to hand quilt.
Whether you stab stitch or rock your needle, it's your method that's more important than anything else. Over time, if you keep your consistancy even, your stitches will get smaller.
I recently saw a program on F&P about utility quilting and using pearl cotton instead of thread and making big stitches on purpose. Honestly, try as I may, I cannot get my stitches that big. These last 5 years of hand quilting my stitches have gotten small and I can't get them big again!
I hope some of this helps. You are welcome to PM me anytime and I can try to be of assistance.
I hand quilt all my special projects. I took a mini class on it once, well it was more like watching a demo, and I just couldn't get it. When I moved down south and learned quilting bees are alive and well, that was when I learned. Most of the points I use when I teach has been covered here.
Size is not nearly as important as consistancy. Yours all look similar in size and for your first project, that is excellent.
It looked like you originally posted you knit as well. Certainly, your first knitting project didn't come out perfect. It takes time, like anything else, to find your groove.
I started a thread with questions about handquilting on flannel before I did my last queen size quilt. Everyone talked about the importance of washing it and that it wouldn't be hard to quilt on at all. Well, I washed the daylights out of it and it shouldn't shrink much more. I found it incredibly difficult to quilt through the flannel and I don't think I'll put flannel on another one to hand quilt.
Whether you stab stitch or rock your needle, it's your method that's more important than anything else. Over time, if you keep your consistancy even, your stitches will get smaller.
I recently saw a program on F&P about utility quilting and using pearl cotton instead of thread and making big stitches on purpose. Honestly, try as I may, I cannot get my stitches that big. These last 5 years of hand quilting my stitches have gotten small and I can't get them big again!
I hope some of this helps. You are welcome to PM me anytime and I can try to be of assistance.
01-29-2011, 09:42 AM
#84
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cypress, Texas by the way of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Posts: 155
The quilting is just fine. In the beginning your stitches will be big. Your goal is to make them even and it looks like you already are doing this. Pat yourself on the back. Batting type also effects the size of stitches. But most important, the more you hand quilt the stronger your hands become and strong hands equal small stitches. When my dd was visiting she was saying how she wished her stitches were small like mine. Then I pulled out my very first hand quilted quilt. Seems my stitches were "toe catchers"too. Just don't give up! Hope this encourages you to go on because I liked what you did so far.
Donna
Donna
01-29-2011, 02:49 PM
#85
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 487
I think you are doing a great job for just starting out. It took me a long time to learn to rock the needle and get stitches that were more even. You are on your way, don't give up now. Before retiring I had a very stressful job and hand quilting was my life saver. It will relax you when you get used to it.
01-29-2011, 07:47 PM
#86
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northern New Hampshire
Posts: 1,936
Originally Posted by Butterflyblue
Today I worked on quilting my first hand quilted project (aside from a potholder). I don't know, I wanted to do the hand quilting to learn a new technique and because everyone says how relaxing it can be, but I don't feel good about how it's coming out. I want smaller, more even stitches and it just seems like it is physically impossible for me.
On the one hand, I feel like of course it isn't relaxing, the first day. I had to keep looking up tutorials and stuff, and even had some in-person demonstration from DH's grandma. I find knitting incredibly relaxing, but when I first started it drove me nuts, so this is probably the same.
On the other hand, I just want some tips and encouragement, so please, help me out!
BTW - the colors are SO different than these pics show. The back is BLUE, not green, and the border around the animal panel is pastel purple.
On the one hand, I feel like of course it isn't relaxing, the first day. I had to keep looking up tutorials and stuff, and even had some in-person demonstration from DH's grandma. I find knitting incredibly relaxing, but when I first started it drove me nuts, so this is probably the same.
On the other hand, I just want some tips and encouragement, so please, help me out!
BTW - the colors are SO different than these pics show. The back is BLUE, not green, and the border around the animal panel is pastel purple.
Relax...take a deep breath...now sigh and say I'm doing OK! The longer you hand quilt your stitches will become smaller on their own. For me, I love the rythmic rocking of the needle as you pick up 3 or 4 stitches and slide the thread through. Sit in a comfortable chair, make yourself comfortable and just take your time and let your rythm flow naturally, don't force it and please remember to take long slow breaths as you rock the needle. If you still need encouragement PM me.
Andie :D :D :D
01-29-2011, 08:04 PM
#87
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,385
You are doing great with this - don't stop now. It takes a little practice but you will get better as you go. My 1st attempt at hand quilting resulted in gigantic, uneven stitches. Yours are much better than mine were your first time out. It won't take you long to start seeing an improvement :)
01-30-2011, 06:08 PM
#90
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,648
Your stitches are even and follow th design... It's very good...
It is a learning experience and it takes time to master it.
I am hand quilting a baby quilt and I can look at the first blocks I quilted and compare them to what I'm doing now... much improvement.
Keep up the good work.
It is a learning experience and it takes time to master it.
I am hand quilting a baby quilt and I can look at the first blocks I quilted and compare them to what I'm doing now... much improvement.
Keep up the good work.
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