Quilting Methods

History in Quilts Made by Hand

Modern day women prefer to buy comforters and bed spreads at a linen store thus skipping the tedious task of making something themselves. This wasn't an option for 18th and 19th century women. Pioneer women from those times had to hand make everything they used in daily life. Thus, soap, clothes, food, bed linens, quilts, everything was handmade. Sometimes they even had weave the fabrics they made their quilts and linens out of.

Hand quilting wasn't just something that the pioneer woman could do as she chose. It was a skill that she learned and was taught, from mother to daughter. It was a skill that was passed down from generation to generation, much like the quilts that she made.

Handmade quilts serve, and still serve as timeless history books filled with family heritage and traditions. Hand quilting wasn't just a means to pass the time, or simply to stay warm. It was also a way to tell a story, a family's story through art.

Your hand quilting stitch will improve the more hand quilting you perform. Practice makes perfect with most crafts and quilting is no exception. The best way to look for hand quilting perfection is through practice. The more you practice this technique, the more success you will have with this timeless art. Making even, consistent stitches is what you should be aspiring for. This is more important than having a certain amount of stitches per inch.

Hand Quilting Practice 101:

Most hand quilting is done by using a hoop, much like an embroidery hoop. Here is something you can do to practice your hand quilting stitch: Cut two squares of fabric and a thin piece of batting large enough to fit into your quilting hoop. After cutting out the two fabric squares and batting, draw 5 lines (with a ruler to make them as straight as possible) across the top of one of the fabric squares.

Sandwich the batting between the fabric squares and put them into the hoop. Tighten the hoop around the fabric sandwich using the tension control. The fabric should be tight and there shouldn't be any give when you push down on the middle of the top fabric.

Once you have completed the above step, gather these necessary sewing supplies: A needle (#8 with a #9 eye), thread (cotton or poly-covered cotton), a thimble, and a pair of scissors. If the listed needle is too large or too small for you, feel free to practice with different sizes until you find one that works for you. Your thread should be darker in color than your fabric. This contrast will make it much easier to see your stitches on your practice runs.

Hand quilting is usually done in a comfortable chair with the hoop in your lap. So find a good chair to sit in while you practice your stitching. Make sure there is plenty of light, because squinting makes it hard to see your stitching clearly. Once you have begun remember, just go a stitch at a time along the lines that you have drawn on the top fabric. Once you feel comfortable with your stitching and you get really good at it, you can increase your speed.