How do you get your hand quilting stiches to look good on the back?
This is the question thats playing on my mind right now. I have decided to try and give hand quilting a go as I love the look that pearle cotton can give.
The picture above is the front and Im much to embarrased to show a picture of the back, lets just say the words "wonky" and "uneven" spring to mind!
I am stitching just one stitch at a time but my stitches are uneven on the back, so do I rip them out and machine quilt instead? Or do I perservere and hope that the wonkiness on the back adds to the charm of the finished quilt, and hope it may not look so bad once its all quilted?...Any tips?
Bear in mind that this quilt is a wedding gift for my sister, so I want her to think I'v done a good job. The batting is loftier then usual as I want to give a plush look to this quilt so gathering a few stitches at a time isnt really achievable although the batting did say it was very good for hand quilting, so I think it may just be my inexperience, trouble is, how to I fix it?
I come across so many wonderful blogs, but rarely do I see discussions over stumbling blocks people might have, you all seem to know what your doing so I hope somone in the blogosphere can help shed some light on this subject.
Talking of trying out new things, I'm giving Y seams a go. Unhappy with my attempts at hand peicing, I've decided to try and machine peice some hexigons, This is my first attempt:
and the back...
I have no idea which way I'm supposed to iron the litte flaps created by these seams and I'm still trying to figure out how to close up that little gap you get without leaving a pucker, but I think I'm improving!
The Y looks terrific - I get the same dodgy backside when hand sewing , so I am no help, but I know Jo - Bearpaw is an expert,try her - good luck xx
ReplyDeleteThis is the tutorial I use for hand sewing: http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/2010/03/stitch.html
ReplyDeleteyou've probably seen it but just in case :)
I love the seam for the hexagon!, I have done some hand quilting,,by all means not perfect.the only way to perfect is to keep doing.the question is,do you think you sister will compare your stitches to someone who has been hand quilting for quite a long time or enjoy that you took time to make her something?. good luck, I think the front stitches look really nice.
ReplyDeleteI think your stitches look fabulous on the front. Sometimes I worry about the stitches on the back, because they are usually so much smaller than those on the front. But then I get over it...I tried to get them even on the front and the back, but like handwriting, I think we each have our own "style," and my style is larger on the front, smaller on the back. Like I said, yours look really good!
ReplyDeleteI've got no advice for hand quilting I'm afraid (I've got my project for it picked out but still need to finish designing the quilt, then making it) but your machine pieced hexies look AMAZING. Really, really amazing :)
ReplyDeleteMy back stitches are always smaller too! And, I think your y-seam is stunning.
ReplyDelete