Multiple Needles

Multiple Needles
Timepiece Border

"Timepiece's Border"

While I was quilting "Timepiece" I needed to figure out a way to finish the quilt in order to meet an entry deadline. Quilting around each individual berry seemed to take forever. I would take a few stitches, turn the hoop to a more comfortable position, then take a few more stitches and turn the hoop again. The quilt would become twisted and needed to be straightened often.

Thinking of how quilters using large frames thread several needles and quilt in one direction until they run out of room, I began experimenting with the same method in my hoop.

For example, I started with a needle threaded for each of four berries. I would begin at the 12 o'clock position quilting counterclockwise. This way I could take a few quilting stitches with each of my 4 needles before having to turn and adjust the hoop. After completing the circles I moved on to the leaf shapes. I found I could still keep 4 needles going on four different leaves as long as I was quilting in the same direction.

Background quilting also became much easier, especially in the area where there are zig-zag patterns. Quilting with up to 7 needles at a time I could quilt the lines 7 times in one direction, turn my hoop just once, and then quilt 7 times in the opposite direction.

By looking at the quilting design, I would try to determine which lines could be quilted in approximately the same direction at the same time. It became quite a game to see how much could be quilted before turning the hoop!

I felt the quilting went more quickly using multiple needles. There was also less "wear and tear" on unquilted areas and the marking didn't rub off as easily.

Although at first it might seem a little awkward having several threads laying on your quilt top, you can "park" finished needles in the fabric several inches away from your last quilt stitch and move the thread out of the way. When a hoopful of quilting is complete and it is time to move to a new section, simply remove the needles that cannot be used in the new area and leave the thread dangling until the hoop is moved again. Then just rethread and away you go!

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