Monday, January 24, 2011

Operation Learn Hand Quilting: Successful!




I'm calling this my practice pinwheel quilt.  I used this technique for making super quick pinwheels and then determined to figure out how to hand quilt once and for all.  I looked up all sorts of tutorials and youtube videos and then experimented with many different materials and techniques until I was able to come up with a method that worked for me.


Molly's Hand Quilting Notes to Self: 

Forget quilting needles and quilting thread.  The official needles are way too short and the thread is way too thin.  I finally bought cotton darning needles and used the longest ones in the pack.  Then after buying perle cotton size 12 (thin) and then buying perle cotton size 5 (too thick) I settled on perle cotton size 8 (just right).

Pin baste your quilt sandwich and then don't use a hoop.  I just could not get the hang of the big hoop but since it was basted well there was no problem with letting it lay across my lap.  Well, except for the Assistant laying her head on it every five minutes for a quality check.

Make one simple knot in the perle cotton before burying it in the batting.  Don't worry about twirling it around your needle and pulling the knot down the cotton like they show on the videos.  You will never be able to master that technique and it doesn't matter (breathe deep....).


By the time I was done I was pretty good at burying knots and getting semi-even stitches. I can't express my relief when I pulled it out of the dryer and saw all my stitches were still there and nice and tight.   Whew!




This quilt is sweet and simple and I think it will find a home someday with a baby.  I'm not super proud of it but it taught me a lot and it is bright and fun.  The best part was that, with the exception of the various perle cotton and needle purchases, I didn't buy anything new and used up lots of my large batting scraps that I zig-zagged together.   As Martha would say ... that's always a good thing :)

18 comments:

  1. Um. Yea.

    See comment on flickr photo.

    Seriously.

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  2. I love it! Congratulations on learning something new! I've been tinkering with the idea of learning how to hand quilt but been too scared to try it yet. Maybe your little quilt is just the inspiration that I need!

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  3. lovely quilt! lovely stitches!

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  4. You rock! This is awesome, to try hand quilting... A big leap! So, willyou do it again?

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  5. Good job Lady!! I will live vicariously through you because I've been wanting to try hand quilting and I haven't made the leap yet. Yours looks great! Thanks for adding your tips... it's going to help me one day... you know... when I give it a try. : )

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  6. "Successful"? You can say that again! This looks awesome. AWESOME. Good for you for sticking with it til you found something that works!

    I don't use a hoop for hand quilting, either. Same reasons as you.

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  7. wow well done on the hand quilting, I'd love to have a go. I have always wondered about the necessity of a hoop. It looks lovely:o)

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  8. Oh, wow! I love the funky colours and the olde-worlde hand work, really lovely! This is my goal for the year - hand quilting. If mine is half as nice as yours I shall be thrilled! And thanks for sharing your notes, most helpful indeed!!

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  9. Looks great! I love hand quilting so much more than machine quilting (the process, that is). And I'm so glad to know that there's someone else out there who can't do those stupid knots, whatever they're called! This quilt is beautiful!

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  10. I came to your blog from the ORBC flickr group.(lrmcdonald2000 on flickr) I have been interested in quilting with perle cotton since I saw the quilt on the cover of the book Material Obsession. I have a question: What type of batting did you use? I have heard that some are hard to hand quilt through???

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  11. Looks great! I am working on some hand quilting of my own! [mostly because I am even worse with a walking foot!]

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  12. I think it's super cute! So proud of you that you tries this - I have yet to try it. I fear I don't have the patience. Did you use a layer cake or did you cut each square?

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  13. This looks fab and welldone for mastering the hand quilting and finding your own technique. I love that you used up your stash for this quilt.

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  14. Well done! Your hand quilting came out fantastic! I'm just not patient enough to give it a try. Love the fabrics too!!

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  15. Your hand quilting is bit like mine, lol. I hae yet to try perle cotton for the quilting.

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  16. Just came across your blog as I was looking for information on hand quilting. I'm a novice quilter and am in love with the look of hand quilting. Thank you for sharing your process!

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