Pain-Free Hand Quilting

Newman's own hand-quilting experience made her aware of problems quilters encounter with traditional methods. Here are some tips for faster hand stitching and controlled stitch length.

• Use thimbles with deeper dimples.

• Longer needles increase the number of stitches per inch (Newman sews 14 stitches per inch). The fabric density determines the stitches per inch.

• Keep the fabric loose in the quilting frame.

• Fold the fabric while stitching to determine the size of the stitch (figure A).