Monday, February 24, 2014

A Lesson in Hand Quilting

I am not very good at hand quilting. I am a fast person and hand work slows me! But I do love the look…so I am trying again. I never give up.


You may remember from past posts that I pieced a hexagon quilt (crib size) by hand. I started it 8 years ago as I travelled by train in Italy.


This top stayed rolled up for many months and I am now ready to "be slow" and quilt it by hand- an excellent activity to be done during the Canadian winter.


My friend Gail gave me a refresher lesson. She does not quilt using a frame. Maybe that is another reason I have not taken to the technique. I do find the frame limits my movement.

This is my back fabric choice.
I used two pieces from my stash.
It isn't something one might think of putting together
but I think it really works well. Both fabrics were
 difficult to use in a traditional quilt
so this was a perfect way to use them up.

We had a nice afternoon together sitting in her sun-filled room…sipping red wine and eating crackers and goat cheese spread. That's what quilting should be like -a "together" activity. Thanks Gail.

3 comments:

  1. Your quilt will be beautiful! I'm a hand quilter, too. I use all sorts of hoops and frames and even do some without. I've found that if I make sure my needle is completely vertical when it enters the fabric for each stitch, that my stitches are smaller and more consistent in size whether or not I use a hoop, frame or just quilt on my lap.

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  2. Love the look of this quilt. I love to hand quilt and have never used a hoop or frame. I just do it in my lap and love the versatility of this.

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  3. Sandra, this quilt will be super duper when finished with hand quilting. Your choice of border fabric is bold and sets of the more rigid multicoloured hexagons in an unexpected way, but so correct as it seems like some other worldly foliage.

    I always quilt with a hoop in my lap. I prefer an oval hoop, but use round ones too, as they are smaller and can pack in suitcases if I need to travel with a W I P.

    When you say that quilting should be a together activity, one thinks of working together around a frame - which I have certainly done too. However, when you can pick your quilt up and move around the house with it, you can be together with your family or friends.

    all is good.x

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