Thursday 11 February 2016

Utility Stitching aka Big Stitch.

I was introduced to Utility Stitching by my friend Ethel Snow.  She taught me to use Perle 8 cotton and a large Tapestry needle to do the stitching.  In 2000 I had surgery on my ankle and was non weight bearing for 12 weeks, so I line up various projects such as English Paper Piecing, needlework and Utility Quilting this friendship block exchange quilt.  5 friends got together and we each made the equivalent of on 12 inch block, which could be subdivided or whole and four 4 inch blocks.  Settings were determined by the maker.  I made several extra blocks and decided to do no sashing on mine.  I've seen a bit of a discussion of this style of quilting on a couple of blogs and my Instagram feed so I thought I'd share my process.
 Shona personalized a scarecrow block for each of us.  I used a variegated yellow Perle cotton and made a continuous circle design that was not marked on the sun.
 Here is a bit closer look at the block.  I would often load 2-4 stitches on my needle.  Pretty even wouldn't you say?  A bit wonky, but it is Utility Stitching not Blue Ribbon quality.
 I drafted this block from a picture I saw on a magazine of a crow with three sunflowers and a larger scale.  I tried to match threads to whatever I was stitching.
 I used a flannel for backing and you can see the crow stitched in black with the ecru thread for the background.
 This gourd was my design and I stitched it similar to the sun.
 A closer look.
 And the back.
 For the four inch blocks I didn't always quilt them as heavily.  The moon was part of my fractured 12 inch block.
 For the 12 inch block I made one turkey...
 Two corn blocks that I designed, notice the silk tassels made with ecru Perle cotton and the crescent moon.
 One of Debbie's four patches with a star, this was free hand, no marking.
 I used a stencil for the acorns and then filled them in a bit.
 One of Tricia's trees.
 For the border I used a large oak leaf and acorn stencil.  I used corn starch to make that marks that just brushed away later.
What do you call it?  Utility Stitching or Big stitch?

7 comments:

paulette said...

OMGosh...your quilting makes this quilt sing!! Wonderful job!!!

WoolenSails said...

I really love how the stitching looks on your quilt, really gives it a nice look.

Debbie

Heartsdesire said...

I would call it big stitch, and I also took a course with Ethel at the Cloth Shop many years ago. I've not done much of the stitching, I never seem to get any quilts to the point of stitching them. I mostly send them out to be quilted. After seeing your wonderful stitching, I'm inspired to try it again as I have many mini quilts to finish and this would be good way to get them done.

Karen in Breezy Point said...

I love big stitch quilting and the texture it creates! Fun quilt!

Susan said...

I've never called it anything in particular. Folk art quilting maybe. I really like yours and would love to see the ones the other ladies made, too.

Sheila said...

Wow that is a lot of quilting , very dense quilting and looks wonderful , adds such texture . I do call it big stitch but your stitchest are not what I would call big . Great job on a very creative piece .

Rachaeldaisy said...

I hadn't heard it called utility stitching before but I like that phrase. Big Stiching is good because it tells people that it's meant to be big. It's lovely to see this beautiful quilt with its wonderful blocks and quilting.