Now that you have all of the tools you need – quilting thread, thimble, quilt hoop or frame, and – most importantly – the quilt – you are ready to begin.
Decide where you will start your quilting stitches. Once you have figured that out, bury your needle about 1” away from where you would like to start.
Feed the needle between the layers of the quilt and bring the point of the needle up where you want to begin quilting. (The goal here is to bury your knot inside the layers of the quilt.)
Pull the needle all the way through the quilt top, then give a gentle tug. The knot should slide right through into the center of the quilt. If it doesn’t, just play with it. Sometimes I tug on the thread with my fingers while securing the fabric with my needle. If your knot is small enough, it will go through the weave of the fabric.
Check the end of the thread past the knot. If it is still sticking up through the quilt tip, you may need to work it into the layers of the quilt. That can be done with your needle.
Gently poke your needle through the quilt top, just above the thread. (I know you can’t see this, since it is covered by the fabric, but you can get a sense of where the thread is.)
Then slide your needle parallel to the fabric toward the tail end of the thread. This should pull the tail into the layers. If the tail of the thread is extra long, you may wish to trim it slightly. Be sure you have enough extra thread on the tail past the knot so your knot will be secure.
Once you have your knot safely tucked inside your quilt layers, you are ready to begin quilting. Wearing a thimble on the finger you will use to push the thread into the quilt will save that finger.
Using your “thimbled” finger, push the threaded needle straight down into the layers of the quilt until it comes through to the other side. Use a finger on your other hand under the quilt to feel when the needle has come through.
Use the finger underneath the quilt to guide the needle and thread back up through the layers to the top of the quilt. Poke the needle up through the layers in a line where you quilting pattern is (you could be quilting ‘in the ditch’ or have designed a fabulous decoration for your quilting pattern).
Once the needle pokes through the top of the quilt, use your thumb to push the fabric down and away from the needle. That will complete one stitch.
Beginners may want to make one stitch at a time. With practice, you will be able to make 3-4 stitches before you pull the needle through all layers of the fabric and tighten the thread. The thread needs to be tight, but not so tight that it puckers the quilt.
Continue this “rocking” motion of quilting along your quilting design until your thread is only about 6” long. Now it is time to knot the thread and cut it off.
In the video below, you will see Dierdre McElroy demonstrate how to take hand quilting stitches:
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Click to watch Dierdre demonstrate how to take quilting stitches. |
Thread another needle, and begin again. I generally use a quilting hoop, and when I have a hoop-full of quilting, I move the hoop and begin again. I also usually start in the center of the quilt and work out to the sides. Before you know it, your quilt will be complete.
Hand quilting is something easy to do when watching TV. (Even if you don’t like sports, you can sit and quilt and pretend to watch the game!) It’s also a great activity for long car trips – if someone else is driving – waiting in the doctor’s office, or in the car for your kids, or while your kids are practicing dancing, Little League, or a variety of other things. You get the idea – it’s portable, productive, and fun!
To learn more about Dierdre McElroy's products to help you hand quilt, including this video which includes information about fabric, hoops and frames, thread, needles and tons more visit her website:
Other articles for hand quilting:
Tools for hand quilting - information about needles, hoops, thread and more
Tying a Knot and Taking that First Stitch
The "rocking" motion of hand quilting
How close should your quilting stitches be?
How do you choose a quilting design?
Ever tried spoon quilting?
Quilting Frame or Quilting Hoop?
How do you choose a quilting design?
Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren
Master Quilter
