I have the Grace HOop 2 also. It really has worked out well for me.
I do have an oval carry around hoop that is about 14" oval that is
really handy. I had to buy one of the smaller hoops for my floor stand
too. I really think the large one that came originally with mine was
too cumbersome to work well for me. The day the hoop came in the mail
DH made the comment that it must have cost $100. I said at least and
he was sure he didn't want to know any more.
I have a favorite sterling thimble that I found in an old sewing
machine drawer years ago. The whole sewing machine was worth the cost
of that wonderful thimble. I'd try the Thimble Lady stuff if I wasn't
so cheap.
Taria
Valerie in FL wrote:
I have handquilted both with and without a stand, and I think the stand is
better. I find it almost impossible to hold a hoop steady without a stand. I
use a Grace Hoop 2 floor stand with a 14" square hoop. I have a 24" hoop
that came with the stand, but I found that 24" was too big to be able to
quilt in just one direction, as I prefer to do, so I use the smaller hoop
(which came with the Grace lap stand). Both the floor and the lap stand
allow me to rotate the hoop as needed. Both were a bit pricey, but they will
last forever, so that actually makes them a bargain, right? There are
cheaper hoops and stands out there that I'm sure work just fine. I know
there are people out there who handquilt without a stand, and even without a
hoop, but I can't imagine doing that myself.
My first thimble was the Nimble Thimble. I liked using it for handquilting,
because it was comfortable, and I found it held the needle just fine, but it
didn't last long at all, and I never found another one that fit right. I
prefer to manipulate the needle with the side of my middle finger rather
than from the end, so I am currently using a ring-type silver thimble I
bought from TJ Lane. I am considering trying the less-expensive plastic
thimble that the Thimble Lady is now selling. She uses a technique you may
want to try; she has a video clip on her website,
www.thimblelady.com/demo-video.html, if you want to take a look. NAYY.
Valerie in FL
My quilts: http://community.webshots.com/user/vjkahler