As Esther says, "Quilting connects much more than just three layers of fabric." Join the growing online quilting community as Esther Miller teaches you her Amish-learned and (70+ years') experience-developed techniques in HAND QUILTING. Subscribe and click the bell button to receive notifications whenever Esther adds a new instructional video (ca. every 2 weeks). Find out more about the hand quilting tools and products she recommends, including the beautiful, high-quality JEMS quilting frames she and her son, Angelo, design and make in our little German wood workshop. You can also connect with Esther and our small family business here:
Now do that 50 times... next step, now do that 50 times. This is an amazing concept for habit forming. You made this video three years ago, I don't know why it came on my feed but I am so glad it did. Thank you.
Thank you so much for these videos. I am surprised at how many things I figured out on my own (because nobody in my area was hand-quilting or had ever done so), but I have learned several new techniques in these videos and will be applying them. I am also sharing them with a friend in France who hand-quilts! I enjoy hand-quilting because of the meditative quality. I own 2 quilting frames and I am currently working on a quilt that will be a wedding gift for my husband's niece (and yes, she is quilt-worthy).
Thank you so much! I have tried and tried to Quilt and have been doing it wrong all this time, and my stitches have never been as beautiful as the ones I admire in the middle night and Amish communities. I will do as you say, and I am so grateful to you for being willing to teach.
@@millersquilting So glad to hear that; however, I live in upstate NY so I can't *sit with you and learn :/ But I will continue to watch your wonderful videos -- thank you!
I realize it’s been a while since you made these videos, but I would like to thank you. I have watched (and continue to do so) them multiple times. A few things I knew but nobody taught me how to quilt so I have had to learn many things the hard way 😍
About 40 years ago I had a quilt in a frame and allowed anyone who wanted to try it to stitch for awhile. My niece was about 7 or 8 and she loved it. I left her stitches in. When I see them it brings back so many sweet memories.
I search and rejected five videos on hand quilting for beginners before finding yours. Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to watch more of your instruction.❤
It’s very strange as a calligrapher, artist, hand sewing, I’ve never seen anyone except Americans use their hand for eating, writing, painting etc in the way you first showed. I simply can’t think how you do it. So I’m glad you’re showing this methods, as it gives so much better dexterity.
Esther learned it as a 4 year old Amish girl, when she first learned how to quilt. Only in her fifties, when developing her courses, did she realize that it's something most people need to be taught.
I hope it helps you. It's actually something my mother had to reverse-engineer. She learned it this way without thinking about it. So to teach, she had to deconstruct what she was doing in order to help others.
We would have recommended the sterling silver thimble by Roxanne. The sterling version adapts better the daily size changes of your fingers. Esther would always wear through the leather thimbles within weeks.
@@millersquilting I was able to find an adjustable metal thimble, and a needle puller like hers. I bought the same for my husband as we plan on working on a quilt together soon.
You’re right about the stitches not being worn out, but the fabric. That’s what happened with the quilt my grandmother made me. She had the tiniest stitches!
My grandmother on my dad’s side made so many quilts! Thankfully I inherited her squares, and toppers when she passed. I look forward to finishing her quilts. The prettiest one she made, or that I saw was the one she gave me as a wedding gift. I was very poor back then so I used it on my bed for years. Today it is very tattered, and not able to be repaired. My husband suggested I pick out 1-2 of the nicest sections, and frame them. I think that’s a great idea!
I had to re-teach myself how to hand sew with a thimble recently, having started embroidering years ago not knowing any better. It took a bit to get used to, but as soon as I picked up the needle with my ring finger, my middle finger automatically went where it was supposed to go before you got to the part with the thimble. Thank you so much for a fantastic demonstration. It's amazing how natural my hand felt!
Esther only loosened the quilt when she took longer breaks the tension is not high on the rail frames. On the hoops it's a different issue because they are being squished between the outer and inner rings.
What a wonderful thing the internet is - it’s a privilege to be able to learn these kind of heritage skills from a lady who’s done this her entire life! Thank you, I can’t wait to watch the rest of the series!
This seems like a question best answered in person, after seeing how well you can use your hand. From a distance I would recommend quilting with your non dominant hand and using your good index finger with the needle slide under the quilt.
I’m so happy I found this. Due to my EDS I apperebtly already know how to hold the needle correctly on my own. I’m working on my first quilt and I’m enjoying every minute of it. techniques shown here will certainly help me be more efficinet 😅
Hi. We use and sell Roxanne's thimbles. We also use the needle slide under the quilt to keep from picking our fingers. These are also available in our webshop. Www.mqlt.de
Just found your channel & I am loving it. Lifetime seamstress, but only have been quilting for six years. Now I am only quilting. And I have been thinking about wanting to try quilting by hand my own quilts, instead of long arm quilting. So I am really enjoying your tutorials.
I live in the United States, this is definitely something I would like to learn. I am 70 years young. I truly think this is something I would love, but I would like to learn it the right way. Do you know of anyone in the United States that gives classes, or has online classes. I live in California.
I would recommend you search for the following book at a library.. The quilting makes the quilt. It is a really good tool for planning your quilting. Esther used to use that in her quilt design courses.
