I never had an intention to hand quilt. I never wanted to learn. It didn’t catch my eye. I did see big stitch quilting EVERYWHERE and loved the look and bold modern statement. Eventually I even did some big-stitch hand quilting on a few quilts. It gave a lovely touch but also a definite modern vibe. The longer I quilt, the more I realize I tend more toward traditional quilting.
As my interest in quilting grew, I did what I always do. I wanted to learn everything. I bought books, checked out books at the library and visited quilt exhibits all over the US wherever we happened to be traveling. I also live in the in the mid-west with an abundance of amazing antique stores. I began to notice all of the antique quilts that were usually hand quilted and many even hand pieced. I even decided to take the plunge on a frame and picked up an original Grace Quilting Co frame on Facebook Marketplace.
My search to learn led me to a newer YouTube channel by Esther Miller. She is a Master handquilter and is teaching at the beginning. After ONE video I was hooked. I could not wait to get more information from her and immediately bought her recommended tools for hand quilting. It made a huge difference! I mean who have thought I could do the stitches below. I am over the moon. I think I just found another area of quilting I love!!
An Interview with Esther Miller
Of course the next step was to reach out and see if I could somehow submit questions and interview Esther. I was like a school girl all giddy and squealing when they said yes!
Esther and her son Angelo and wife Cara graciously decided to put together a whole video answering my questions! Guys-this stuff is gold!!! Enjoy and dont forget to subscribe to their channel because I am routinely checking me email for that new video 🙂 It is that good. I want to learn it all!
Thank you so much Esther and team for taking the time to help this quilter halfway around the world learn more about hand quilting.
I’m at work so I’ll comeback and finish my comment later but I wanted to thank you so very much for bringing Ms. Miller onto YouTube so the quilting community can learn from her!!! In case I forget to come back here is my email Quilterbee70@gmail.com
Your welcome for sharing this. As it happens though, she started her YouTUbe channel just a few weeks before I decided I was going to hand quilt. What are the odds? I am so glad to have found her.
Hey! I found and bought that Ted’s thumb thimble from a quilt shop in Livingston Montana and it will be here Friday! It was going to cost too much if I bought it in Germany. I’ve had her porcelain bottom thimble for a long time.
Oh so cool! Do you have the name of the quilt shop by any chance? I would love to get one. I also have thought about ordering her porcelin thimble. It looks amazing.
I love these posts because I found all my mother’s hand made quilts, and am repairing them and working on the unfinished ones. As a young girl, I always knew my grandmother and mother would show me how to quilt. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, so I’m relying on quilt shows, books, magazines and posts like this, so please continue!!
Oh Thank you Sharon! I am sorry for the delayed response. I feel like we are finally getting settled and I will be posting more regularly.