I have never had problems hand quilting. My first few quilts might not have been great but I have a feeling I developed my stitch fairly easily after buying a thimble. (Before that I was only getting back-stabbed right hand fingers! OUCH!) I felt like I was a real quilter with a thimble on my finger!
Then someone handed me a quilting hoop and I had to learn the technique all over, but by the next quilt I was doing pretty well again.
A few months later someone demonstrated using a thimble on the left hand index finger as well as on the right hand and I was impressed with their small stitches. I spent another quilt learning the double thimble technique but I got pretty good at that too!And this last year, Erika recommended an Aunt Becky, and Liz sent me one! I've now developed my hand quilting technique using the Aunt Becky and I am very happy with it. I really enjoy the relaxation of hand quilting.
So, maybe hand quilting comes easily to me. I realize that some people really don't like using the hoops and thimbles but I always say,
"Keep trying. It really does make the quilting look nice and remember, you are aiming for small stitches (aiming!)"
Even so, many people give up using that bottom thimble. Oh, well, there are many ways to do it!
I had sent my two students home with homework. But one student came back with a "punctured" quilt stitch. Not a running quilt stitch. Poke the needle down. Pull thread to the back. Poke the needle back up blindly, hoping for a spot near the down-poke. Pull the thread up. This did not make for a line of stitches and on the back side the stitches were basically back stitches.
"Oh dear. This is going to take you forever and probably won't look so good! You really must master a running stitch!"
Poor woman! We took out many of her stitches and I tried teaching a running stitch (with hoop, with thimbles). AARGH!!! It certainly didn't come easily for her! My student was dropping thimbles, bending needles to breaking point, pulling up gobs of fabric and only getting one stitch done at a time (well, that's twice as fast as the punctured stitch technique). And on top of all that, she is left handed so my demonstrating was very difficult for her to follow!
My feeble teaching admonition was
"Strive for two stitches at a time. Don't expect to be able to put 6 stitches on a needle at first. Consider it a success if you can do two stitches. The more you do the better you'll get." (I sure hope!!!)
The other student was having fun with two rather long stitches on her needle.
"Now try to get three stitches on the needle. Try to make the stitches smaller."
But what it boils down to is I know HOW to quilt but I don't know how to TEACH quilting. Any advice besides,
"Keep practicing!"
So far my students are NOT finding hand quilting "Relaxing".
10 comments:
I don't 'rock the needle' like most hand quilters. I 'stab stitch/poke pull' instead. It works well for me. I also have a quilt stand instead of a hoop. It is much easier to use than the hoop. I can teach both methods, but, I can only do one. Learning to rock the needle is much harder, and harder on my wrists and fingers, too. Good luck.
Have your left-handed student sit directly across from you. It will be easier for her to correlate what you are doing.
Hello Tanya,
Google 'how to hand quilt' you will find hundreds of tutorials and your pupils are sure to find a method that suits them. There are even tutorials for left handed quilters, because I am left handed and I found one.
Love the cats, they do look good.
Cheers from Marie in R'ham W.Aust.
Tanya,
A small suggestion. Start on a small project like a pot holder or placemat. Have your students start by making longer but even stitches, ~ 1/4 inch in length.
Once their stitches are even, encourage them to shorten the stitches.
Good luck.
Hmm...well, I have never used a hoop, I hate trying to do a running stitch with one. Right from the start I was way more comfortable without one, and my stitches were just fine....very small and even. Maybe they could try without the hoop?
Two things. First, I would emphasize even stitches over small stitches. I know judges particularly look for evenness. Second, to teach needlework to a person of the opposite handedness you sit facing them rather than next to them so they see the mirror image and can stitch in the same direction as you. :-)
I have never tried underhand thimbles but sometimes use one of those rubber ones on my upper hand. For new quilters, I taught a quilt-as-you-go style using backing fabric that was a busy non-directional print. The students basted the blocks and quilted without a hoop up to an inch from the edge and then joined the blocks. I think working on smaller sections made it a bit easier. I aam left-handed too and usually take only one stitch at a time.
I use two thimbles, on the index finger on my right hand and on the middle finger on my left. I haven't got the hang of rocking the needle very well but manage to get reasonably small even stitches. I just wish I could find someone who could teach me how to use a hoop.
I'm like Cheryl -- I've been doing stab stitches for so long that it seems natural and quick for me. I like the control of working one stitch at a time on detailed patterns. I agree that I'd rather use the machine for simple areas and especially for stitch in the ditch, but I really prefer doing stab stitches in a bright colored thread in areas where my quilting will really show up.
I really haven't mastered rocking the needle ... I can do running stitch fairly evenly, but much longer than a good quilting technique. You have a particular gift! Keep using it xx
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