HAND QUILTING 101

Please visit Alice in Stitches for all your quilting needs

Remember to vote on this guide at the bottom of the page - Thanks!

Hand quilting is a beautiful, traditional art form that greatly enhances your quilt.  It is the process of joining together the pieced (or wholecloth) top with the batting layer and backing layer.  The top is marked for quilting lines, the three layers are basted together, and the hand quilting process begins.  Along the way, you will find various options and techniques to complete the quilting process.  This guide will take you through the process, step by step.

ESSENTIAL TOOLS

• Raised Edge Thimble
• Sturdy hoop
• Betweens (quilting needles)
• Quilting Thread (thicker than average thread)
• Marking pen or pencil

OPTIONAL SUPPLIES

• Quilting Templates
• 1/4" tape
• #2 Safety Pins

MARKING YOUR PIECED OR WHOLECLOTH TOP

Your selected quilting design will determine your marking process.  If your choice is a simple "quilt in the ditch", which means your quilting will appear in the seam lines, no marking will be necessary.  This is a good choice for first time hand quilters, who made need a bit of practice before showing off the quilting stitches too prominently.  If you would like to simply follow the seam lines, an option is to quilt 1/4" away to keep you would of the thicker seam allowance area.  The 1/4" tape is handy for this technique (or a 1/4" ruler for marking).  Simply lay pieces of the tape down next to a seam, do your hand quilting and pull the tape up to move to the next seam length.

For more intricate designs, the easiest method would be to purchase a plastic template to trace your design onto the top.  There are many designs available for blocks and borders.  When marking your quilt, be sure to mark lightly with either a pencil or special marking pen.  Beware of marking pens that feature disappearing ink!  If you leave your project for too long, the ink may have disappeared and you'll need to remark your top.  The blue ink marking pens work fairly well.  They generally wash out easily with water.

Hawaiian quilts usually feature a quilting style called echo quilting.  This quilting follows the lines of pieced or appliqued areas and echo the lines outward, like a ripple effect.  The rows of quilting are generally spaced fairly close together.  It is not really necessary to mark these quilting lines, just work by eye and follow the previous lines as a guide. 

When marking a border with template units, begin marking at the center of a border and work toward the corners.  This way you will be able to adjust the design evenly as you near the corners and determine whether it will fit correctly.  It is sometimes necessary to slightly modify the standard plastic templates to fit your project.

CHOOSING YOUR BATTING

More and more batting options hit the market all the time!  You can pick between cotton bonded and unbonded, polyester of many thicknesses, and wool.  They now come in dark or light colors to be sure it won't show through your quilt.  Determine what the use of your quilt will be when deciding on a batting.  Often, I will use a thin, lightweight batting if my quilt is a wall hanging.  It will be easier to quilt and does not need to be warm.  If your quilt is likely to be used and laundered a lot, consider the polyester batting - they will probably hold up the best over time.  Cotton battings have evolved and now many are bonded.  If you use an unbonded cotton batting, it will require quilting every inch to ensure that it will not come apart.  Bonding allows you to quilt further apart and eliminates the possibility of your batting pulling apart and bunching up in your quilt after use and washing.

A wool batting will create a heavy, warm quilt.  The danger of using wool is the possibility of the batting shrinking and ruining your quilt.  If you do choose wool, be sure to tell a dry cleaner about the batting to guarantee the correct cleaning process.

Cotton batting will create a flatter, more old fashioned quilt look.  Polyester will have a puffier end result.  If you use too thick of a batting, you may want to consider tying your quilt rather than quilting.

When I create an art wall hanging or table runner, I will often use flannel for my batting.  If you try this option, be sure and prewash your flannel - it shrinks a lot!  I love to use flannel if I will be doing a lot of quilting or if I want my project to lay nice and flat (such as on a table).

LAYERING YOUR QUILT

When your top is complete and marked, the next step to to layer it together with the batting and backing.  Be sure that each your batting and backing is about 4" larger than your top all the way around.  Generally, a large empty floor space or table will be your best bet for this process.  Begin by laying the backing down, wrong side up, and smooth out the wrinkles.  Next, lay the batting on top of the backing.  Each layer should be centered and as smooth as possible.  Finally, lay your top down, right side up, on the layers.  When you are happy that all three layers are smooth and even, you can begin the basting process.

Your next decision is whether you will pin baste or sew baste the layers together.  If you are sewing, with a long running stitch, start from the center and create a cross hatch pattern on the quilt with your basting stitches.  The layers will need to remain on the floor or table during this process so that they will not shift during the basting.  You need to begin all rows from the center, so that you can smooth any wrinkles to the other edges.

Personally, I prefer pin basting.  This process involves pinning your layers together will safety pins (#2 size will be the easiest to work with).  The pins should be of good quality.  Cheaper pins often have burrs on the tips that will cause your fabrics to pull and snag.  When pin basting, every 4" or so should be adequate.  As with sew basting, you should begin this process from the center of your quilt and work out to the edges.  Quilting safety pins are also available.  These are slightly bent to help you bring the needle back up through the layers.

QUILTING

Now that your project is marked, layered and basted, it's time to quilt.  If you are a new hand quilter, I would highly recommend an easy guide such as the Hand Quilting book by Ami Simms.  When hand quilting, you are striving to keep your stitches small and evenly spaced.  The spaces and the stitches should be the same length.  This will take practice and patience.  If you are just beginning, you may want to layer some plain fabric with batting and do some practice designs before beginning on your quilt. 

I find it easiest to quilt using a lap hoop or a standing hoop.  This should be a sturdy hoop that will tighten down sufficiently to not allow your quilt to loosen during the process.  An embroidery hoop will not be strong enough.   Personally, I like a 12" hoop.  When you are beginning your quilting, you will once again, quilt from the center and work outward to the edges.  Another essential tool is a good thimble.  I love a thimble with a nice tall band around the tip to keep your needle from slipping off during the process.  

The quilting process all takes place on top of the hoop.  You will never put your needle all the way through and attempt to bring it up from the bottom.  It is similar to a running stitch but you will be rocking your needle up and down (called a rocking stitch) to create even stitches on the top and bottom.  Once again, it is helpful to have a hand quilting book with clear illustrations for hand placement. 

When your quilt has been fully quilted, you are ready to wash out the quilt marking and remove the basting.  You can then also trim back the batting and backing to the same size as your quilt and you'll be ready to attach your binding. 

Hand quilting takes a while to get the hang of but will reward you with a look that you can't get with machine quilting.  If you found my guide helpful, I'd appreciate your vote at the bottom of the page.  Thank you.

Good luck!

Please visit Alice in Stitches for all your quilting needs.