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How to Quilt>Hand Quilting
Tools for Hand Quilting
Hand quilting is basically just sewing the three layers of a quilt with a running stitch. Shorter hand quilting stitches are deemed to be better. Not to worry - even though your stitches may start out fairly long, with practice and the right needles, thread and thimble, your stitches will get shorter. To prepare your quilt, the backing, batting and top must be layered and secured. Securing the layers can be done by hand basting with extremely long stitches, by pinning with safety pins, or now many quilters are using plastic tabs like stores use to attach price tags to clothes. Hand basting takes somewhat longer to do than the other methods, and if you are hand quilting, all of the methods are comparable. With nickel plated safety pins, the risk of the pins rusting in the quilt has been eliminated. Another option for basting is the plastic tabs like they use to hang price tags on clothes. This takes a special tool and, of course, the tabs. More recently, quilters have begun using spray basting "glue." I have tried this only for machine quilting, and may not use it for hand quilting. I believe it will deposit a residue on your needle and make it more difficult to quilt. With any of these methods, the layers should be secured at least every 6.” Once you have quilted in a particular area, the basting can be removed. I usually remove it along the way, before I quilt in a particular area. You will need good thread, preferably 100% cotton hand quilting thread. Quilting thread is stronger, and often has a wax-type coating to make the stitches go through the fabric easier. The 100% cotton thread generally has a waxy surface to help the thread go through your quilt easier. If you use regular thread, you might want to coat the thread with a beeswax or other type of coating. This will not make the thread any stronger - it simply coats the thread to help make it go through the layers of your quilt. Quilting needles are called “Betweens” and most quilters use size 9, 10 or 12. The smaller needles have the higher numbers. Not all brands are the same size, even though they are marked with the same number, so you may want to look at the actual needle rather than just the size marked on the package. You can find needles with big eyes - which I like because it makes them easier to thread. Good, sharp scissors are a must for clipping threads close to the fabric of the quilt without cutting the fabric. Generally I use embroidery scissors, since they are smaller than other sewing scissors. A good, protective thimble is probably a must for keeping your finger whole. There are many
different styles of thimbles – ranging from metal, fully enclosed thimbles, to metal thimbles with a hole on the tip to allow your finger to breathe; and leather thimbles, both sized and adjustable. A leather thimble usually has a metal piece to add further protection. The kind of thimble you use is completely personal preference. There are quilters who cover their fingers with masking tape instead of using a thimble. It would take several layers of tape, and you'll want to be careful as you quilt through your quilt in places where there are extra layers - such as where the seam allowances are folded over.
And you will want a good hand quilt frame or hoop, although there are quilters who quilt without a hoop or frame. For larger quilts, especially if there will be several quilters working at the same time, a quilt frame is ideal. I use a small (well 14” in diameter or square) hand quilting hoop so I can turn the quilt around as I sew. The hoop serves to keep tension on the layers equally so your quilt will not have any major puckers when it is complete.
Other articles about hand quilting: Tools for hand quilting - information about needles, hoops, thread and more Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren ©2005-10, Penny Halgren
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