Best Supplies for Learning How to Hand Quilt

Hand quilting is a great way to add a personal touch to your next quilt, big or small. Learn how to hand quilt as well as get tips for what kinds of thread, needles and thimbles to use.

Hand Quilting

Many people may shy away from hand quilting because they haven’t done much hand sewing in the past. However, Ashley Hough shows you how to hand quilt. Once a quilt top is ready to be quilted is layered with batting and a backing fabric. Depending on the size of the quilt you may choose to either pin or baste the layers in place. Once the quilt sandwich is prepared, Ashley shows you the basic hand quilting stitch. She begins by demonstrating how to tie a knot in the thread end and bury it within the layer of batting. Next, she shows you how to make a quilt stitch by starting with the needle perpendicular to the quilt surface. The needle is then pushed through the fabric, rocked to the side and pushed back up through the fabric, forming the stitch.

Hand Quilting Tools

When learning how to hand quilt it is important to use the right tools. Ashley shares the basic tools needed for hand quilting, which are thread, a needle and a thimble. Ashley shows how to thread the needle as well as demonstrates how to form a stitch both with and without a thimble. When hand quilting it is important to use thread made especially for hand quilting. Hand quilting thread is thicker than standard piecing thread which will make it stand out on the quilt top. It also has a coating on it that makes it easier to thread on a needle, as it won’t separate as easy, as well as keeps it from tangling or knotting while you quilt.