Hand piecing is relaxing for me, too!

If I am going to hand piece, the reason is usualy for accuracy. I go back to TEMPLATES. (no a bad word) I mark all the way around the template with a fine point Sharpie in a color close to the fabric color. I pin thru the line the length of the seam and then sew one thread inside the drawn line. Betty Ann

I also follow a pencil drawn line when I hand piece. This is how I was taught and besides I don't have the guts to try it freehand. I find hand piecing very relaxing.
Sylvia

Jinny Beyer is amazing! She does all her quilts by hand! I have always hand pieced by using a drawn line. Jinny eyeballs it and is perfect every time. I'm afraid if I did that, my blocks wouldn't be accurate. The drawn line is just easier for me. I use a drawn line on all my pieces and use pins to keep the drawn lines perfectly aligned for the piecing stitch.

gloucestershirelady,
I think your stitches will be much improved if you will draw a quarter inch light pencil line on the piece facing you before you start stitching. I love the Jinny Beyer handpiecing method. Good luck! : MJ

Linda also has a 15 minute video from her personal site - http://www.lindafranz.com

Dana in Olive Branch, MS

Linda Franz has a free 30 min video to view on some web page I can't remember. I think maybe it's QNN? Anyone else know. It's Quilted Diamonds and very good to watch!

Thanks everyone for the tips - I will look at some of the links - Jackyx

Jacky,

Linda Franz has great hand piecing techniques also. You can visit her website at http://www.lindafranz.com. Her instructions and illustrations are very easy to understand.

Dana in Olive Branch, MS

I have that book - it is so lovely. I think it is a three in one book, history, instruction and lovely to look at!

I use something like her method to hand piece. I can't handpiece as fast as she does but I can certainly hand piece quite fast. I think the key is practice. Also find something that suits u and go that way. WHo knows you might 'invent' a whole new way of handpiecing that we will all follow



I also hand quilt using the luixin ( thimble lady) method and the principles are similar.

gloucestershirelady, I have Jinny's DVD and I think you'll really enjoy it. She shows closeups of her stitching and explains as she's stitching. I haven't mastered her technique yet, mainly because I haven't wanted to do handstitching in a while. Let us know what you think.

Sharon in TN

I have got a copy of Jinny Beyer's Handpiecing book and am trying to follow her guide to running stitch - has anybody else mastered her way of stitching? I have just ordered a copy of the dvd to get the moving pictures of her stitching technique as although the book is very good I am still struggling a bit. I am trying to find a way of getting neat and regular running stitches and am probably being far too fussy!