I can never get my stitches that small if I hand quilt. Once my needle comes back up, the size of the stitches increase.
Thanks for this short demo, though I had no sound.

poppa2006
I had that problem too until I figured out two things:

First, don’t place the quilt too tight in the hoop. You need some “room” to be able to push up from under the quilt and to push down again. Actually, when you use the rocking motion to quilt, you are “pleating” the fabric onto the needle rather than pushing the needle through. And to pinch and pleat it on, it has to a bit loose.

More in next comment

Second: as the needle moves down from the top and through the layers of the quilt, it is straight up and down. As soon as you feel it through on your bottom finger, stop pushing down on the top of the needle.

Now you use the thimble finger to “lay” the needle down toward the quilt top. (the rocking back motion). And you STILL do not push the point of the needle through or forward any more. With the eye end of the needle on the quilt top, pinch, pleat and push the fabric onto the needle so that you begin to see the point come through from the back.

Part 1: continued in part 2:

Wow, thank you for your wonderful and quick explanation. The idea of ‘pleating’ the fabric makes sense of the process now and which is what I’ll try to do when I make my next attempt.

I was just watching the next demo video called ‘Hand quilting demo’. Her movements are very fast. I guess it all boils down to experience and practice.

Part 2:

Another question: Do you use a double or single strand of thread? I tend towards a double strand because I fear the stitches will not be durable.
Thanks again for your kind explanation.

Thank you for hand quilting. I just can’t seem to wrap my brain around all the machine sewn that are labeled hand sewn. I only unerstand hand made quilts with needle in hand, and you stitch

The pleating explanation is a terrific help! Thanks . . . also, I wonder if the grid I see is on the front or the backing? Is it temporary?

Hi. I thought that I had responded last week to your question but obviously something was not right. The grid that you see is drawn on the front of a “practice” piece of quilting. I use the practice piece to teach and to also help me warm up if I’ve not been quilting in a while. On a real quilt, the marks would be temporary. The pencil used here is permanent.

Thank you so much for sharing your skills and knowledge it has helped me so much. I’m a novice and have learned so much from the video and your explanation ie keeping the quilt loose in the hoop and ‘pleating’. What size hoop do you use? I feel that my underneath the hoop hand isn’t big enough to hold the hoop and feel for the needle tip on the bottom of the quilt, or am I doing something wrong. Best Wishes and thanks