Hand Quilting – how to do it (and love it!)

Hand quilting is a traditional way of sewing together all the layers of a quilt – top, batting and backing, with running stitches

If you are the kind of person who becomes anxious to see your finished quilt as soon as you are done assembling the top, hand quilting is definitely not for you… It can take months to finish a hand quilting project…

But if you are looking for a way to relax and pass the time, hand quilting is the way to go!

Compared to machine quilting, this method adds a more “handmade quality” to a quilt. And although it is more time consuming, it is very pleasing to look at a quilt and see that your perseverance has paid off!

We are not saying that we don’t like machine quilting, not at all! Nor that it can’t be wonderful, because it can! In fact, the vast majority of our designs are machine quilted. We are only highlighting the therapeutic and satisfying side of hand quilting.

Being able to stop for a few minutes (or hours!..), slow down and dedicate ourselves to a relaxing activity is very important, especially in our busy routines.

So, if you want to embark on the world of hand quilting, read our top tips for success!

1. Use a quilting hoop!

Although some people believe that a quilting hoop is not necessary, we strongly suggest that you use one, especially if you are just starting out with hand quilting.

Quilting hoops help keep the quilting taut and this will result in more even stitches. There are thousands of types of hoops on the market, and it may not be very easy to choose which one will be the best for you.

There are wooden hoops, plastic hoops, with or without tension fasteners… hoops with different diameters… whew…

So, how should we choose???

Here are some valuable tips:

– choose a quilting hoop with a comfortable hand grip, after all you will be holding it for a long time!

– your quilting hoop must be able to hold your quilt in place while you are quilting.  If the fabric keeps slipping you will not be able to make even stitches.

– if you choose a natural wood hoop, make sure it has high quality, rounded edges and a smooth, sanded finish. You don’t want wood splinters getting into your fingers or tearing your quilt!

– whether plastic or wooden, your hoop should have easy-to-adjust fasteners (see photo on the right). This will keep the quilt taut and make it easy to change its position.

– your quilting hoop should also have a wide enough diameter, so that you can stitch different quilting patterns without interruptions.

Ultimately, the choice of the best hoop will depend on your personal preferences (and how much you can afford to spend on it!).

Start with a well rated and relatively inexpensive hoop, and over time, if you find it necessary, try other options.

But here’s a golden tip for hand quilting: always remove the quilt from the hoop when you have finished quilting for the day, otherwise your quilt will be scarred and disfigured (and you will cry…).

2. Quilting needles are not sewing needles!

There are different types and sizes of needles, and each one is best for a particular type of handwork.

As a general rule, the smaller the needle number, the larger the needle size. This means that a #6 needle is longer than a #9 needle.

You may see a slight variation in needle preferences among quilters around the world. But there is an agreement that the most suitable for hand quilting are needles #7, #8, or #9.

You may also have heard of needles that quilters affectionately call “betweens”. This term refers to sharp, short, narrow needles with a small, rounded eye, and they are commonly used by traditional quilters.

You can find betweens in sizes ranging from #3 to #12, but size #9 is the most commonly used by quilters, regardless of their level of confidence, as it allows them to have complete control of the quilting process and make very uniform stitches.

Recently, modern quilters have become big fans of Perle Quilting (or Big-Stitch Quilting). This type of hand quilting is usually made with thicker threads than standard quilting cotton and therefore requires a needle with a larger eye. If this is your case, you should use a #9 embroidery needle.

So which needle should we use?

A good idea is to buy a pack of different needle sizes with different eye widths. This way you can choose the one that best suits your hand and the type of work you want to do.

3. A thimble can become your best friend!

This subject can cause distress to some people, because it is not very easy to get used to a strange thing on your fingertips (although some of them are beautiful!).

If you are quilting a small project, the need for the thimble may not be so obvious.

But when you start quilting larger projects you will see that it is essential for your finger’s survival! It will greatly assist in pushing a needle through several layers of fabric and batting.

There are also different types of thimbles on the market. Unlike the old thimbles that were made of metal or porcelain, there are new models made of silicone, leather, and even disposable adhesive thimbles!

The most beautiful ones are probably only useful for you to start a new collection… but surely you will find one that fits your finger well.

Important note: It is also advisable to use a finger protection that goes under the quilt! No one wants to go to all that trouble and end up with a bloodstained quilt!

4. Choose appropriated quilting threads!

If you have been quilting for some time, or if you are a fan of traditional quilting, you have certainly heard that cotton quilt thread is the best thread for hand quilting.

It is stronger than sewing threads and will not break in the middle of your work.

However, if your quilting habits are more on the modern side of the art, you have probably seen more daring hand quilting projects, using thicker threads like perle or even embroidery threads.

There is no right or wrong. The choice of thread will depend on your personal taste and the final result you want your work to have.

About thread color, unless you really want to show off your stitching or if you want to be bold by using gradient colored threads, for example, use a thread color that “disappears” into the fabric whenever possible. And if the fabric is printed, it is a good idea to match the thread color to the background color.

5. Choose wisely the method to transfer the quilt design to the fabric!

Usually, we spend hours choosing or creating the quilting design that will bring our quilt to life.

Once chosen, unless you are absurdly talented (or brave!), the quilting pattern needs to be transferred to the fabric.

Again, there are several options on the market for that.

There is tailor’s chalk, fabric pen that comes off with washing, fabric pen that comes off with heat, and also metal or plastic creases.

Although a bit controversial, our favorite is the magic marker that disappears when heated. But beware of some markers that leave traces no matter how hard you try to get them out! Always test on a piece of fabric before you go drawing on your quilt!

6. Stitch sizes can tell a lot about you!

All the steps in hand quilting are important. But when you want to achieve a more advanced result, keeping your stitches small and even is the most important part.

The tip is to try to always keep the same amount of stitches per inch.

Competition-level quilters, for example, can do 12 stitches per inch, which is not very easy!

But if you are a beginner you can try to do any number of stitches between 6 and 12 per inch.

To tell you the truth, it doesn’t really matter how many stitches per inch you can make. The key to wonderful quilting is consistency! You need to try to keep the distance between stitches the same, and this will naturally allow you to make the same number of stitches per inch.

7. A final tip

The most important thing about hand quilting is: Accept that it will take a long time… and have fun!

Love,

Sisters