The best thing to do is to be consistent. As long as your stitches are even and the same size, they will become smaller with practice. Also try different between needles. Many like a size 10 or 11, but I have used a 7 and had more control because they don't bend out of shape so quickly.
I see that you have a fair amount of "give" in the fabric in your hoop. I think I must have been putting it in too tight and so that pleat-thing is problematic for me.
Is a quilting hoop the same as an embroidery hoop - or is it deeper? I've been using a wooden embroidery hoop, but it sometimes pops off.
You do need a fair amount of give in order to pleat the fabric.
A quilting hoop is NOT the same as an embroidery hoop. The rim of the quilting hoop is much wider and thicker. And the screw or wingnut that holds the hoop together is much bigger. There are also big differences in the quality of quilting hoops. You get what you pay for:) I prefer a good quality wooden hoop. I don't like the plastic "non-slip" hoops. It's impossible to get the right tension on the fabric.
@ajamrani the fabric in your hoop to be ready to quilt should be like a cat came a slept on it. it needs to be very very loose, not taut at all. have funj.
Hi I keep coming back to look at this great video. I'm having difficulty 'balancing' the hoop between my arm and my rib cage, when I do manage to hand quilt the stitches are long. Can you quilt the whol of a quilt with a hoop? Best Wishes
Knot the end of the thread, leaving a tail about 1/4 inch long. Insert the needle into the top fabric and the batting, about 1/2" away from where you want to start stitching. Do not go through to the back. Pull the needle up through the top where you want your first stitch to begin. Pull thread through gently but firmly until you see, feel, or hear the knot pop through the top and into the batting. Then begin your quilting stitch. Hope that helps!
My left hand is under the quilt, palm up. The fingers on that hand push up against the quilt as I stitch. The bottom of the hoop rests on my ribcage and the left edge of the hoop sits in the crook of my left arm. So my left hand is not grasping the hoop. It is under to help with the stitching. The right hand is on top of the hoop, as you can see from the video. Hope that helps.
No, I don't backstitch. When starting and stopping I "bury" a knot between the layers. Stability comes from using quilting thread, which is thicker and stronger than regular sewing thread. But I don't know of any quilters who backstitch.
Hi I have 2 hoops: a 10 inch & a 14 inch. Both work well for me. My hand underneath is not really holding the hoop. It is just supporting by being under the quilt. Actually, I place the bottom edge of the hoop against the area of my diaphragm and the left-bottom edge sits in the crook of my left arm. The hoop is steadied between my chest and the crook of my arm. The underneath hand holds the quilt and the hoop up as it pushes up on the quilt. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for sharing your skills and knowledge it has helped me so much. I'm a novice and have learned so much from the video and your explanation ie keeping the quilt loose in the hoop and 'pleating'. What size hoop do you use? I feel that my underneath the hoop hand isn't big enough to hold the hoop and feel for the needle tip on the bottom of the quilt, or am I doing something wrong. Best Wishes and thanks
Hi. I thought that I had responded last week to your question but obviously something was not right. The grid that you see is drawn on the front of a "practice" piece of quilting. I use the practice piece to teach and to also help me warm up if I've not been quilting in a while. On a real quilt, the marks would be temporary. The pencil used here is permanent.
Thank you for hand quilting. I just can't seem to wrap my brain around all the machine sewn that are labeled hand sewn. I only unerstand hand made quilts with needle in hand, and you stitch
Wow, thank you for your wonderful and quick explanation. The idea of 'pleating' the fabric makes sense of the process now and which is what I'll try to do when I make my next attempt.
I was just watching the next demo video called 'Hand quilting demo'. Her movements are very fast. I guess it all boils down to experience and practice.
Now you use the thimble finger to "lay" the needle down toward the quilt top. (the rocking back motion). And you STILL do not push the point of the needle through or forward any more. With the eye end of the needle on the quilt top, pinch, pleat and push the fabric onto the needle so that you begin to see the point come through from the back.
Second: as the needle moves down from the top and through the layers of the quilt, it is straight up and down. As soon as you feel it through on your bottom finger, stop pushing down on the top of the needle.
I had that problem too until I figured out two things:
First, don't place the quilt too tight in the hoop. You need some "room" to be able to push up from under the quilt and to push down again. Actually, when you use the rocking motion to quilt, you are "pleating" the fabric onto the needle rather than pushing the needle through. And to pinch and pleat it on, it has to a bit loose.
Awesome precision
crafts 2 months ago
wow... you are so accurate.
bozomahoney 1 year ago
I can't seem to take really small stitches because when I do, then I don't grab the backing in the stitch. What am I doing wrong?
calicoconnie123 2 years ago
The best thing to do is to be consistent. As long as your stitches are even and the same size, they will become smaller with practice. Also try different between needles. Many like a size 10 or 11, but I have used a 7 and had more control because they don't bend out of shape so quickly.
Cutiequilting 2 years ago
Thanks for your reply. I guess I'll be looking for a good *quilting* hoop instead of using my inadequate embroidery hoop.
ajamrani 2 years ago
I see that you have a fair amount of "give" in the fabric in your hoop. I think I must have been putting it in too tight and so that pleat-thing is problematic for me.
Is a quilting hoop the same as an embroidery hoop - or is it deeper? I've been using a wooden embroidery hoop, but it sometimes pops off.
ajamrani 2 years ago
You do need a fair amount of give in order to pleat the fabric.
A quilting hoop is NOT the same as an embroidery hoop. The rim of the quilting hoop is much wider and thicker. And the screw or wingnut that holds the hoop together is much bigger. There are also big differences in the quality of quilting hoops. You get what you pay for:) I prefer a good quality wooden hoop. I don't like the plastic "non-slip" hoops. It's impossible to get the right tension on the fabric.
anntitus 2 years ago
@ajamrani the fabric in your hoop to be ready to quilt should be like a cat came a slept on it. it needs to be very very loose, not taut at all. have funj.
casagrandecats 1 year ago
Fabulous but by hand ?
SuburbanDon 2 years ago
Hi I keep coming back to look at this great video. I'm having difficulty 'balancing' the hoop between my arm and my rib cage, when I do manage to hand quilt the stitches are long. Can you quilt the whol of a quilt with a hoop? Best Wishes
promisso 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
OMG WOW AWSOME!!! lol NOT ^ cuts my eyes out
SliKnOtSaVioR 3 years ago
How do you bury the knot between the layers? I remember that, but so vaguely, that I'm staring at my practice work blankly.
ibumichele 3 years ago
Knot the end of the thread, leaving a tail about 1/4 inch long. Insert the needle into the top fabric and the batting, about 1/2" away from where you want to start stitching. Do not go through to the back. Pull the needle up through the top where you want your first stitch to begin. Pull thread through gently but firmly until you see, feel, or hear the knot pop through the top and into the batting. Then begin your quilting stitch. Hope that helps!
anntitus 3 years ago
can you explain how to hold a quilt again
justbringit3600 3 years ago
My left hand is under the quilt, palm up. The fingers on that hand push up against the quilt as I stitch. The bottom of the hoop rests on my ribcage and the left edge of the hoop sits in the crook of my left arm. So my left hand is not grasping the hoop. It is under to help with the stitching. The right hand is on top of the hoop, as you can see from the video. Hope that helps.
anntitus 3 years ago
Do you ever add a backstich for stability?
purpleingridpurple 3 years ago
No, I don't backstitch. When starting and stopping I "bury" a knot between the layers. Stability comes from using quilting thread, which is thicker and stronger than regular sewing thread. But I don't know of any quilters who backstitch.
anntitus 3 years ago
So that's how you use a thimble! :")
Nilyentaraka 3 years ago 2
Hi I have 2 hoops: a 10 inch & a 14 inch. Both work well for me. My hand underneath is not really holding the hoop. It is just supporting by being under the quilt. Actually, I place the bottom edge of the hoop against the area of my diaphragm and the left-bottom edge sits in the crook of my left arm. The hoop is steadied between my chest and the crook of my arm. The underneath hand holds the quilt and the hoop up as it pushes up on the quilt. Hope that helps!
anntitus 3 years ago
Thank you so much for sharing your skills and knowledge it has helped me so much. I'm a novice and have learned so much from the video and your explanation ie keeping the quilt loose in the hoop and 'pleating'. What size hoop do you use? I feel that my underneath the hoop hand isn't big enough to hold the hoop and feel for the needle tip on the bottom of the quilt, or am I doing something wrong. Best Wishes and thanks
promisso 3 years ago
The pleating explanation is a terrific help! Thanks . . . also, I wonder if the grid I see is on the front or the backing? Is it temporary?
jpoklar 4 years ago
Hi. I thought that I had responded last week to your question but obviously something was not right. The grid that you see is drawn on the front of a "practice" piece of quilting. I use the practice piece to teach and to also help me warm up if I've not been quilting in a while. On a real quilt, the marks would be temporary. The pencil used here is permanent.
anntitus 4 years ago
Thank you for hand quilting. I just can't seem to wrap my brain around all the machine sewn that are labeled hand sewn. I only unerstand hand made quilts with needle in hand, and you stitch
Click2u 4 years ago
Part 2:
Another question: Do you use a double or single strand of thread? I tend towards a double strand because I fear the stitches will not be durable.
Thanks again for your kind explanation.
poppa2006 4 years ago
Part 1: continued in part 2:
Wow, thank you for your wonderful and quick explanation. The idea of 'pleating' the fabric makes sense of the process now and which is what I'll try to do when I make my next attempt.
I was just watching the next demo video called 'Hand quilting demo'. Her movements are very fast. I guess it all boils down to experience and practice.
poppa2006 4 years ago
Now you use the thimble finger to "lay" the needle down toward the quilt top. (the rocking back motion). And you STILL do not push the point of the needle through or forward any more. With the eye end of the needle on the quilt top, pinch, pleat and push the fabric onto the needle so that you begin to see the point come through from the back.
anntitus 4 years ago
Second: as the needle moves down from the top and through the layers of the quilt, it is straight up and down. As soon as you feel it through on your bottom finger, stop pushing down on the top of the needle.
anntitus 4 years ago
poppa2006
I had that problem too until I figured out two things:
First, don't place the quilt too tight in the hoop. You need some "room" to be able to push up from under the quilt and to push down again. Actually, when you use the rocking motion to quilt, you are "pleating" the fabric onto the needle rather than pushing the needle through. And to pinch and pleat it on, it has to a bit loose.
More in next comment
anntitus 4 years ago
I can never get my stitches that small if I hand quilt. Once my needle comes back up, the size of the stitches increase.
Thanks for this short demo, though I had no sound.
poppa2006 4 years ago