Hand Piecing Techniques

by Patricia L. Cummings

While I have done a fair amount of machine piecing, especially in my early years of quilting, lately I have come to prefer hand piecing as a preferred method. Why? I like the connection of hand to cloth, I like the peacefulness of hand sewing, and I have found that it is the key to being able to control what I am doing, especially in trickier piecing. Mostly all of the reproduction quilts which I have made, are done in this manner, hand pieced, and hand quilted.

Charlotte Croft - hand quilting in Vermont

Charlotte Croft, hand quilting in her yard, in Vermont in August 2007.

Marking

To begin learning how to hand piece, the first thing you will have to do is to buy some template making plastic. There are various weights of Mylar sold, some of it heavy enough to make your own quilting stencils. You will want the lighter variety. As a substitute, use exposed X-ray film, usually available at your local health provider, just for the asking. They throw tons of it away, so you will be helping by recycling. Major chain stores, such as Jo-Ann Fabrics, sells quilter's plastic. Some folks re-use plastic tops of old coffee tins, but the see-through type of plastic is better.

Any pattern in a quilt book or magazine will usually be shown with seam allowances included. You can overlay your template plastic and trace the INNER line with a permanent marker (I like Sharpie's fine point marker). Cut out the shape, following the line which would have been closest to the plastic. In other words, you do not want to add more space by cutting on the outside line of where your marker marked.

Next, you must place the template on the wrong side of the fabric. This is always the less vibrant side of the fabric and that which will be inside the quilt when it is done. Using a fine point mechanical pencil, trace the shape onto the fabric.

Now, you will need to ADD a 1/4 inch seam allowance. If you are working with a straight line, just overlay a ruler and add the line in pencil. For curved lines, I like to use a little tool that is a round shape with a hole in the center. A pencil is placed in the center hole and if the edge of the disc is then run alongside the template, it will impart a line for a perfect 1/4".

When laying out templates, you can mark more than one at a time. Just be sure to leave enough space, at least 1/2" between templates.

Piecing

For piecing, you will need 100% cotton thread, a needle for piecing (I like John James #11 sharps or a Jeanna Kimball's straw needle for piecing).

First of all, I line up the two pieces of fabric that I am going to sew together, rights sides facing. I place a pin through the dot at the very end of the seam line, leaving the 1/4" seam allowance waving in the breeze. I put another pin at the end of the seam. At this point, the end of the pins is not secured. They are just holding the pieces together. I place another pin in the center, checking the back to see that the pin is hitting and lining up with the line on the back. THEN, place three pins, one heading toward both end points and one in the middle. Remove the anchor pins.

Thread a needle with a quilter's knot. Some prefer to backstitch a couple of times, but I like a small knot. To sew the pieces together, do a running stitch with small stitches and backstitch several times at the end of stitches, but don't go beyond your end point into the seam allowance.

Other Advantages

By hand piecing, you will have flexible seam allowances, which readily allow you to press in any direction.

The technique is portable and you are not riveted to a sewing machine to get something done.

While hand piecing is not for everyone, it is a good option, if you are not in a hurry. While the account here is in detail, it is not as difficult as it sounds. Try it, you'll like it.