Originally Posted by SaraSewing
I am not a fan of big stitch either. It almost reminds me of those mass produced "hand made" quilts from mail order catalogs. (I can just imagine those poor women who do this for a living, getting pennies per day, and going blind early.). I did it on a baby quilt once, and it was ok, but didn't try it again. It an alternative I'd like to see more of.
I prefer handquilting and use a "big stitch" technique that resembles Japanese Sashiko. The thread is slightly thicker, the needle a bit larger (which helps me to hang onto the needle) and I use thread colors other than just white/ecru to add another dimension to the design of the quilt. These stitches are NOT toe-catchers; they are about 1/8" long. The look is quite attractive and I've had commission requests for the work and been in shows, so somebody must be loving it!
I've used #8 perle cotton - in the little balls, 10 wt. crochet thread, and, (my favorite) Premium Sulky Cotton 12 wt. thread which comes in lovely colors on a regular spool. The needle I use is a Richard Hemming Large Eye Between in size 3 or 5.
I knot the thread, wax the length of it with beeswax, make a tight knot, I insert the needle about an inch away from where I want the first stitch to start, and while giving a quick tug to the thread I run my opposite thumb nail over the knot and "pop" it into the fabric.
I quilt in a 16" hoop in my lap. I have never considered the stitch I do to be a "utility stitch," though it is perfect for those quilts made of Civil War reproduction fabrics. Quilts of that era were often done in a hurry to send with departing soldiers or done when there was a shortage of thread and goods, so the stitches were often larger.
I use a wool batt from Hobbs or Dream Cotton.
Wish I had close-up photos of a couple of mine to show you !
Jan in VA