Hi all - hope someone can help me solve this problem. DH bought me a quilting hoop for Christmas. Its the kind that stands on the floor and has a diameter of 29 inches. I took the quilt top that I made in my sampler class and made my quilt sandwich by basting the top, batting, and backing. The quilt went into the hoop quite nicely, but now the problem is the quilting itself. I can't seem to "rock" the needle up so that I have nice, small, stitches. It seemed to me that the quilt should be nice and taut in the hoop, yet it seems easier to work with if it is very loose.

So...what's going on and does anyone have any advice?
Lizzie

Lizzie, once you get everything nice and taut and straight, then push down in the center of the hoop and that loosen everything so that you can manupulate the fabric. I watched Alex Anderson fixing one in the hoop and realized all this time I tried to quilt on a taut object when what I needed was relaxed.

Hope this helps!
B
etty

I have one of these too Lizzie and found that loosening it a bit helps a lot. I love mine especially for the fact that it doesn't take up a lot of space so I can leave the quilt and come back anytime and stitch. You actually don't have to baste with mine but I do anyway. The first one I quilted in it was queen size and took forever! Now I have a lap size in it and hope to get it done a bit faster. Mine is only 24" across and I have a bit of trouble reacching the upper right corner with my under hand. But moving the quilt in it is easy enough so I just quilt the 3 areas at a time. All in all though, I love it and you are going to too!

Listen to these ladies, Lizzie, they are spot on. Relaxed in the hoop works so much better.

Thanks so much ladies. I'll give it a try later today and let you know how it goes.

Lizzie

Yes, LIzzie, that's what I've heard and seen, too. I watched Jean Baker on Sharlene Jorgenson's show (Quilting from the Heartland) a couple of years back - she uses a lap quilt and Aunt Becky's finger (no, not her Aunt Becky!! ) protector for hand quilting, and she says to do the same thing - put the quilt in the hoop, tighten a bit, punch (gently) down then tighten the screw. This way your fabric moves and you can feed it onto your needle.

Gerda

Oh, Lizzie, you lucky girl! - one of those standing hoops is next on my wishlist!

Mary

You'll get the hang of it Lizzie, just keep practicing. I love my hoop, can't quilt on the machine. LOL. I used to have one like yours, but have found that that is too hard on my back. So I use a lap one now.

Dorian

Thanks everyone. Practice does seem to be making things better. Its actually a very soothing activity - on those moments when I seem to be "in the zone" and have the hang of it.

Lizzie

I wish I had read this a few years ago! I learned out of magazines and books, I didn't know anyone else who quilts. I've been doing the quilting a slow way because I ran into the same problem. Ouch! Why didn't they tell me this in the magazines and books????? Arrgh! Hey at least I know now...