Life has had several little coincidences lately. You know the sort of thing: you think about something and then that something appears in your life some how. Two most recent: yesterday I had a craving for pizza, and when Fee came in last night he had a large, flat box in hand! Then yesterday, as I worked on my current project considering hand quilting it and decided to ask for hints and opinions about small frames, then Karoda's post this morning voiced the same concerns.
So hand quilters, what suggestions do you have for hand quilting and frames? I've only quilted tiny things (8" x 10" or smaller) at this point and only about 3 of those, so I'm a novice in this skill.
More rain. I've got to take Laddie to the doctor this morning and then to the office where I'm currently employed as part time file clerk. In the rain...yuck.
Have you ever gone out wearing one of these? I noticed it before it was too late, but still arrived at the grocery store only to have a kind lady remove the lady bug from my shoulder. !! It had been hours since I was in the yard, so the adventurous "lady" had been hitching a ride for quite a while.
I haven't hand quilted anything for ages, but back in the day when I was doing a lot of that sort of thing, I really liked those square and rectangular frames made from PVC - can't remember what they're called.
ReplyDeleteDo you already have daylilies blooming?? Or is that a photo from another year? It's gorgeous.
I always found framing a tricky problem, not least because of the cost. My embroidered/quilted pictures are framed in clear acrylic boxes - a solution I stumbled across at an exhibition. I love it because the frame provides the straight edges and the protection, but as it is clear all round it shows the hand-crafted aspects of the embroidery, and the distorted shape of the work looks good!
ReplyDeleteMy frames are made to order for each piece because I don't work to a fixed size. They are not expensive, however. Certainly far less costly than wood and glass - and of course much lighter.
I Googled 'acrylic box frames' and got this result for the US: http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-supply-stores/online/1083
What a coincidence. I have been thinking about doing handwork myself lately. I have been surfing the web for info and inspiration and have spent way too many hours on the computer the past couple of days. LOL
ReplyDeleteI use my 14" wooden hoop for nearly all things. Sometimes I'll go up to the 16" but I prefer the 14"...I have tried every kind of hoop and frame but I always return to the 14" round wooden hoop...Floor frames...ummm...I have used them but I prefer not to...I did learn to quilt left-handed on one, though, because you can't turn your work...My best advice is to borrow different kinds of frames and hoops and try them all until you find something you like...
ReplyDeleteI think DebR is talking about the Q-Snap frame. I have those in a couple of sizes & they are nice for small square or rectangular pieces because you can combine piecesfor differnet sizes. I also have a nice round 14" wooden hoop that has a bungee cord on it to hold your work in place, I think it's called something like Buhoogee Hoop. It seems to be gentler on your quilt, & doesn't pull on your applique.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't use a frame when I hand quilt, and I've hand quilted quilts up to 60" square. Anything larger and it's hard to get all that fabric bunched up in your hand. When I was teaching Hawaiian quilting, many of my students who were told to use a frame had a lot of difficulty, so I liberated them and they did just fine.
ReplyDeleteI'd suggest trying a variety, like the Qsnap and a wooden hoop (see if you can borrow them from someone), but don't feel like you have to use them if you can't get comfortable.