How to Hand Quilt Without a Hoop – Quilting Tutorial
Finishing off my hockey jersey quilt and needed to learn how to hand quilt without a hoop to do the jersey quilt blocks with large emblems. I’ll show you how I did it, the supplies that were used and some tips I learned along the way. Beginner quilting tutorial for big-stitch hand quilting.
Part of this quilt was machine quilted but the quilt blocks containing hockey jerseys needed hand quilting. Time to learn another new quilting skill. Hand quilting was actually enjoyable to do on this large quilt but would have been more enjoyable on smaller projects.
Smaller projects are just easier to handle, especially when you are not using a hoop. Now the only reason I didn’t use a quilting hoop was because I was in a rush and just wanted to finish my quilt, my stitches were not even but that has to do with practice too. The more you do something, the better you will become at that skill.
Hockey jersey quilt
For this blog, I’m starting with a basted quilt. This particular project (hockey jersey quilt) was done with diagonal straight line machine quilting on my home sewing machine through all the quilt blocks but the jersey blocks. I don’t know how to free motion quilt and have never sent my quilt tops to a long arm quilting service.
If you are a new quilter and need to machine quilt with straight lines, check out these straight line machine quilting designs for ideas and inspiration. The last step was to hand quilt the jersey blocks around the emblems.
Anyway, I washed and dried the quilt and that’s when I realized that I had to deal with the 15 hockey jersey quilt blocks. This quilt needed quilting in every block through all the layers of the quilt to give it integrity and a nice long quilt life. My quilts are made to be used, machine washed often, dried in a dryer often and loved. Don’t skip steps just to finish it, do it the right way.
Why stitch distance is important
The stitch distance for my batting was 10″ and my quilt blocks were 12″, hand quilting was my only option left. Unsure what stitch distance is? It’s important information on your quilt batting that tells you the amount of inches you can leave without quilting, hand or machine quilting. Check out my batting tutorial which has all the info.
I had never hand quilted before so first step was to get supplies. So I went to my favorite online shop which is Amazon of course, and got my items the next day. The most important part of hand quilting for me was to protect my finger tips. Traditional quilting used a metal thimble but It was bulky and didn’t stay on my finger tip. These rubber ones worked pretty good and were inexpensive. I didn’t have time to look for quilting tips made with leather thimbles, those looked the most attractive to me and I saw them on The Last Homely House tutorial.
Make sure you check this out!
After you read this post, make sure you also check out How To Learn How To Quilt: Beginner Quilting Guide. It’s jam packed with even more information, links and resources that are so helpful when you’re first learning. It also has a section with free quilt patterns that are great for beginners. So make sure you check this out, seriously don’t forget!
Grab a copy of my Quilt Planning Journal, filled with graph paper and note pages to help you design 4 quilts or sewing projects! You can jot down ideas as I see them, draw mock ups of quilts and write your cutting dimensions and finished quilt size for future reference. Pin in fabric swatches, photos of your finished quilts and enjoy your creative process!
How to hand quilt without a hoop
What You’ll Need
Before we get started on this hand quilting project, make sure you have the right supplies:
- Basted quilt sandwich (top, batting, and backing)
- Embroidery needles (between size 9-12 are good choices)
- Embroidery floss (cotton thread, hand quilting thread is stronger and coated for ease)
- Steele or leather thimbles (to protect your fingers)
- Needle puller (to help grip the needle)
- Marking tools (washable marker or tailor’s chalk)
- Thread wax (to wax thread so it slides through layers of the quilt)
- Scissors
Start with a basted quilt
Start with your basted quilt. If you are unsure how to attach all the layers of a quilt, here are helpful tutorials below:
Spray baste a quilt for beginners
Quilt batting sizes and how to choose the right one
Then plan your quilt design. Decide on the quilting design you want to follow. For the hockey jersey quilt, I’ll be hand quilting around each jersey block to highlight them. Mark your design lightly on the quilt top using your marking tool and ruler. I prefer tailor’s chalk because you never know if the washable marker will work properly.
Step-by-step instructions
Cut your thread to the length you want, it’s best to use enough to make it all the way around your emblem. Adapt this to suit your pattern and design. Slide the thread through the slot in the wax holder. Pull one end all the way to the other end. Wax allows your thread to slide through your handmade quilt more easily. Then thread the needle, I used a small needle in length but a thicker needle with easy to thread without a needle threader.
Tie a triple knot at the end of your tail and cut off the thread tail after the knot. I placed the quilt on an extension table and worked one block at a time, moving my way around the emblem until done. The rubber thimbles (not really thimbles but did the job) allowed me to grip the needle and push it through the large quilt pretty easy. I used the rubber tips on my middle finger and pointer finger om my top hand doing the stitching. My bottom hand (underneath hand) was under the quilt, assisting my quilting hand by making sure the needle was actually going through the backing fabric.
Start Your Quilting Stitch
Start a few inches away from your marked line. Insert the tip of the needle through the quilt top only and bring it up at the starting point of your quilting line. When you get to the end of your thread go slowly, then give it a slight tug to pop the knot under the fabric and remain between the layers of the quilt. the thread just a little so it goes under the quilt top fabric and no longer shows. This hides the knot inside the quilt. If the thread keeps popping out when you do this, make your knot bigger.
Note: Tiny needles have a small eye to thread through. Embroidery needles come in different sizes, Get the size that works best for you. Not too small and not too big.
Work surface
Hold the quilt in your lap or on a flat surface. With your non-dominant hand underneath the quilt, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the fabric where you want to start stitching.
Push the needle down through all three layers (top, batting, and backing), then use your thumb underneath to push it back up. Aim for even stitches both on the top and bottom of the quilt. The goal is to create a running stitch. The rubber tips really help with this step. Try to keep your stitches consistent in length, around 1/4″ long is good for big stitch quilting. Practice makes perfect, so don’t worry if your stitches aren’t perfect at first.
Continue quilting along your marked line, moving your hand to a new position every few inches. Take breaks as needed to avoid hand strain. When you come to the end of your thread, make a small knot close to the fabric surface. Use a double or triple knot for this step. Insert the needle back into the quilt, travel a few inches through the batting layer only, and bring it back up. Pull gently to bury the knot inside the quilt, then trim the excess thread.
Tips for Hand Quilting Without a Hoop
Comfort is key. Find a comfortable spot to sit and quilt. A sturdy chair with good back support and a well-lit area will make the process more enjoyable.
Take your time. Hand quilting is a slow process, but that’s part of the charm. Enjoy each stitch and the time you spend working on your quilt.
Use a Thimble: Protect your fingers with a thimble. It might feel awkward at first, but it will save your fingers from getting sore.
Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t be discouraged if your stitches aren’t perfect. With practice, your technique and stitch consistency will improve.
Beginner Supplies
Here are some quilting tools and supplies I recommend. I make a small commission if you purchase through the links, this helps to support this free content. For more info, check out Supplies for Beginners (Best Tools To Start).
Rotary Mat Cutting Mat (Self-Healing Mat)
28 mm Rotary Cutter Replacement Blades
45 mm Rotary Cutter with Sharp Blade (start with this one)
45 mm Rotary Cutter Replacement Blades (start with this one)
60 mm Rotary Cutter Replacement Blades
4.5″ Square Ruler for half square triangles
12.5″ Square Ruler for blocks
SAVE THIS PIN FOR LATER!
SAVE THIS PIN FOR LATER!
This post contains ads and affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. While the ads are annoying, it helps keep this blog going. See my full disclosure here.
ABOUT SEW NIKKI
If this is your first time stopping by, welcome! I’m Nikki, a maker obsessed with quilting, crochet, and all things fabric. Here, you’ll find easy-to-follow patterns, helpful tutorials, and plenty of inspiration for your next handmade project. Whether you’re stitching up a cozy quilt, crocheting a vintage-inspired blanket, or diving into upcycled sewing, I’m here to make the process fun and stress-free. Grab your fabric (or yarn), and let’s create something beautiful together!
Hand quilting can be a relaxing pastime if looks beautiful with small stitches, larger stitches or big stitches. I had a hard time getting my quilting stitches consistent but know that with just a little more practice could easily master this skill.
To my fellow quilters who hand stitch, my hat goes off to you. One fun way to improve this skill is to do smaller projects, machine quilt and then add hand quilting to parts of the quilt to accentuate it. I hope you try hand quilting on your next project and be sure to share what you thought down in the comments.
Follow me on social media (Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) so you get notifications when new patterns and tutorials are posted.
Want to learn how to crochet? Check out this post, How to Learn How to Crochet – Guide for Beginners.
