The Art of Hand Quilting

THE ART OF HAND QUILTING

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

The basics of hand quilting, at your own pace, on your own time. WELCOME

Hello, and welcome to The Art of Hand Quilting: A Beginner’s Guide by Wax and Wane Studio. Here you will learn the basics of hand quilting through a series of videos, tutorials, blog posts, and a step-by-step guide to making your own hand quilted pillow or wall hanging. This course will give you the tools and confidence to navigate the not-so-scary world of hand quilting.

In this course you will …

Gather your hand Assemble a quilting toolkit mini quilt top

Learn to mark Learn to tie and lines for quilting hide quilter’s knots

Build conﬁdence Finish a hand in the basics of quilted pillow or hand stitching wall hanging

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In 2013, I was freshly married with a lot of alone time due to my husband and I working opposite shifts. I had just finished piecing a king-sized quilt top and I had no desire to wrestle it through my machine. So, without any research or preparation, I bought some fresh needles, thread, a 20” hoop and I dove headfirst into hand quilting. I fell in love with the process - the independence, the monotony, and the meditative quality of it. It’s still my preferred way to finish a quilt.

Hand quilting has become a form of self-care for me. It slows me down, it calms me down, and it allows me time to relax and reflect while still feeling productive and accomplished. The romantic utilitarian in me loves that I’m practicing an art that has been around for centuries and I hope my quilts will be used and loved for generations. Hand quilting is a way for me to feel connected with both the past and the future while also living in the moment.

I think it’s so important to have a peaceful creative outlet. Whether you consider yourself creative or not; you have creativity inside of you. It’s just part of being human. Finding a way to spend time creating while also recharging is, I think, crucial to feeling balanced in the fast-paced world we live in today. Through this course I want to share the calming and rejuvenating aspect of the hand quilting process with as many people as possible. I hope you walk away from this course feeling like you found your creative outlet as well as a peaceful, productive way to decompress.

Thank you,

Anna

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Just like every writer has a favorite pen, pencil, or notebook, every quilter has a favorite thread, needle, and notions. I think it’s important to try things out for yourself so that you can find the materials that feel the best for you, but it’s always nice to have a starting point to help you find what you’re looking for. Below I’ve compiled a list of the basic hand quilting necessities and my recommendations.

THREAD

Unlike the elegant, tiny, thin stitches that you’ll typically find on gorgeous historical quilts in your local museums, I tend toward a more obvious, chunkier stitch. I like to be able to see my “hand” in hand quilting. A chunky stitch requires a thicker thread and my current favorite is DMC’s Pearl Cotton in size 8. It’s much thicker than your typical hand quilting thread, has a lovely smooth feel and has just the right amount of sheen to make your stitches shine. While I find size 8 to be the “sweet spot” any size thread will work well for this course.

NEEDLES

I would say I’m still on a quest (a very meandering, unhurried quest) for my favorite hand quilting needle. Lately, I’ve been using DMC’s Embroidery, Clover’s Gold Eye Milliners, and Tulip’s Sashiko needles. Embroidery needles have long, narrow eyes for threading and are especially sharp. Milliners are long, sharp needles traditionally used for making women’s hats but are now most often used for decorative stitching. Sashiko needles are longer and thicker than most needles and have large eyes to make threading thick, cotton thread easy. I recommend getting yourself a couple of packs of needles in various sizes so that you see what is most comfortable for you.

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HERA MARKER My not-so-secret weapon to keeping my quilted lines straight is a hera marker. A hera marker is a small, plastic hand tool with a thin, slightly sharp edge (like the dull side of a butter knife) that is used to temporarily crease your fabric. It is not sharp enough to cut through fabric, but it is thin enough to make a crisp line to draw out your quilting plans. I use this as an alternative to fabric pens or pencils because it does not involve putting any kind of ink or pigment on the fabric. Coupled with a quilting ruler, I use a hera marker to create straight lines on my quilt sandwich to follow while I stitch.

QUILTING HOOP While I did use a hoop for my first hand quilting project - that king- sized wedding quilt - I never used it again. Maybe it’s because I haven’t made a quilt that large since then, but I find it easier to just go without a hoop. However, I know a majority of hand quilters do like to use hoops. Quilting hoops, which are much thicker and sturdier than embroidery hoops, will help keep your basted quilt taught and smooth while you focus on your stitches.

THIMBLE If you do fall in love hand quilting the way I did there’s a chance you’ll find yourself with some sore fingertips! The best way to avoid this is to use a thimble. I go without a thimble as much as possible because I find them cumbersome, but when I do need one I like to use the smallest, sleekest option possible which is why I use the tiny leather pad stickies. There are lots of different types of thimbles out there and the best thing to do is to try out as many as possible to see what works best for you and your style of stitching.

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To sum up, you will need the following items to start your hand quilting journey in addition to the usual quilting supplies needed to assemble and baste a quilt top:

Your Shopping List …

Hand quilting thread (start with Size 8 Pearl Cotton thread)

Hand quilting needles (a long Embroidery or Milliners needle)

Something to mark your fabric (such as a hera marker or the dull side of a butter knife)

Quilting hoop (optional)

Thimble (optional)

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Now that you’ve gathered your supplies it’s time to make your hand quilting sampler quilt top. Click the button below to download a pattern for my newest mini quilt design, Spine. This is a simple, modern quilt that’s great for both the beginner and the advanced quilter. The completed size is approximately 14” X 28” and, after your hand quilting adventure, you can finish it as a wall hanging or a lumbar pillow.

DOWNLOAD SPINE MINI QUILT PATTERN

Mini quilts are a great excuse to dive into your scrap stash or pull out some fat quarters and charm packs you’ve been hoarding. Don’t be afraid to get creative and use more fabrics and colors than are required.

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After making your quilt sandwich, grab your hera marker and your quilting ruler. Use the Quilting Map in the Spine pattern to mark the quilting path. Marking these lines now will help you to keep your stitches straight and even. If you’ve never used a hera marker before check out the short video tutorial for help.

HOW TO MARK LINES FOR QUILTING VIDEO TUTORIAL

PLAN

Before you dive in come up with a quilting plan. Whether it’s drawing lines on paper or just a vague idea in your mind, don’t skip this step. For this course use the Quilting Map included in the Spine pattern.

USE A RULER

While I’m sure free-wheeling with a hera marker can be great in some cases, this is not one of those times. To get clear, crisp lines you need to use a quilting ruler. Keep the lines looking square by using the quilt top seams as guides.

USE PRESSURE

When wielding your hera marker to use a bit of pressure to leave a mark that will stay for a few weeks. Also, use several back-and-forth motions, while applying the pressure.

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One hand quilting secret that I learned the hard way was how to hide knots. On my first hand quilting project, I spent too much time strategically planning my stitch paths so at the end of my thread I could reach in-between the layers to tie it off. When it came time to take on my next hand quilting project I knew there had to be a better way to navigate loose threads. So, I turned to good old Google, and learned the “pop the knot” trick. It was a game-changer. Popping the knot is a technique where you pull the knot through the fabric so it hides between the top and the back, within the batting. For a more in-depth tutorial on this method check out the following page and the video tutorial below.

HOW TO TIE AND HIDE KNOTS FOR HAND QUILTING VIDEO TUTORIAL

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TYING KNOTS

Before you start your stitch you must tie a quilter’s knot. Hold your threaded needle in your non-dominant hand, and the tail of your thread in your dominant hand. Wrap the thread around your needle twice and hold in place with your finger and thumb. Then pull the needle and thread through your finger and thumb, keeping hold, until it forms a knot.

HIDING KNOTS

Decide where you want to start and insert your needle about ½” away, keeping it between your quilt sandwich layers, and bring it out at your starting point. Do not go through your backing layer of fabric. Pull the thread until the knot is against your fabric. Grab the thread close to the fabric and gently tug so that the knot pops through the fabric. Now the knot is hidden in the batting.

ENDING YOUR THREAD

Before you take your last stitch, tie a quilter’s knot about ¼” away from the fabric. Insert your needle at the ending point, keeping it between your quilt sandwich layers, and bring it out ½” away from your ending point. Do not go through your backing layer of fabric. Pull the thread until the knot is against your fabric. Grab the thread close to the fabric and gently tug so that the knot pops through the fabric. Now the knot is hidden in the batting. Snip your thread close to the fabric and hide the tail in the batting.

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The basic idea of hand quilting is to weave your needle in and out of the layers of your quilt in order to hold them all together. The act of stitching is a simple gesture that varies from person to person and the best way to get comfortable with it is to just try. Start with just one stitch at a time. Then, when you’re comfortable with that, try fitting two stitches on your needle before pulling the thread through. Then try three and maybe four. Just keep stitching and if you come across one particular stitch you don’t like, pull it out and try again.

Hand quilting is a lot like handwriting in that the more you slow down, concentrate, and practice the neater it will be. Hand quilting is also like handwriting in that everyone has their own style. My stitches are not going to look like your stitches because we are different people with different hands. If this is your first, second, or even hundredth time hand quilting remember that no one is perfect and nobody’s stitches will be perfect. For me, part of the beauty of hand quilting is that it’s not perfect. It shows human time and effort and that, in itself, is a beautiful thing.

My favorite part of hand quilting is the slow, thoughtful, meditative aspect of it. Once you’re comfortable with the rhythm of your stitches try thinking about all the things you are grateful for or how much you love the person who will receive that quilt (even if that’s you!). Prepare your favorite drink, put on your favorite tunes, take your time, and enjoy the process.

QUESTIONS? LET’S CONNECT!

Historically, quilting has always been both a solitary and social handcraft. As much as I adore the peaceful independence of the process, I also love the way it brings people together. If you find yourself confused, unsure, or just wanting to chat please reach out! I’d love to hear from you!

[email protected]

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You did it! You’ve put your heart and hand into stitching a mini quilt and now it’s time to finish it. This Spine quilt pattern is the perfect size for a lumbar pillow or a wall hanging. If you need help with the finishing process I have a couple finishing tutorials you can use to guide you along.

Finishing Blog Post Tutorials

How to Finish a Mini Quilt Wall Hanging

How to Finish a Mini Quilt Envelope Pillow

How to Prepare Binding

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Wax and Wane Studio is the ongoing personal project of Anna Brown. Inspired by nature, mid century design, unusual shapes, and contrasting colors Anna creates unique and thoughtful quilt patterns for the modern maker. Anna has a BFA in Printmaking, 20 years of sewing experience, and a deep fondness for fabric and repeat patterns.

DO YOU LIKE MUSIC? I do too! Listening to music while making quilts is one of my favorite things to do. I also like creating playlists. If you’d like to hear the music I listened to while designing and creating this project visit my Spotify profile.