DITTO!!!!!!!

;)

I just strive to make the stitches even. That is more attractive to me than teeny, tiny stitches.

I think there isn't anything cuter than a well-done big stitch quilt.

I have been handquilting for 40 years. I was involved in a quilt documentation project in the 80s where we hired curators from the DAR musuem in Washington DC to look at the quilts. The first thing I learned from them is to count the stitches on the top and the back. At that rate I average between ten and twelve per inch. Even if your stitches are bigger being even and consistant is the most important part. A lot depends on the density of the fabric and the thickness and density of the batting.

For me, I'd strive for consistency rather than a certain number of stitches per inch. I've only been handquilting a little while, and I get about 5-8 per inch on a great day.

That being said, I'm really starting to love the look of the "big stitch" quilt.

To clarify industrial stitches, my quilting instructor said that "working" quilts were sometimes quilted with industrial stitches -- stitches larger than those stitches on "fancy" quilts.

She said industrial stitches were just longer stitches.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for all the replies. We won't worry with stitch count now! :)

That is WEIRD--to use the term "industrial" for that--usually called primitive or country stitching! :>)
In MO., the old quilters(yep,the dreaded QUILT POLICE!) derided those big stitches as "toenail catchers"

I agree with all fine Quilters on the board, the more you practic the smaller the stich. 12 to the inch takes time, the needle has a lot to do with it also.

The most important thing for me is top enjoy what I'm doing. My stitches differ from the first needle stitch to the last and am I going to worry about it absolutely not! I'll sometimes even do a practice sandwich to try to get in the rythym.

I'm enjoying what I'm doing and that's what counts.

If you say that you must do 12 stitches per inch then he will give up. I have seen few hand quilters that could achieve that. And.....as been said above it depends on how you count - what you see or top and back.
Strive for evenness first then work to smaller titches.
A good pracetice piece is 1/8 or 1/6th inch gingham check. Gives a good guide for even stitches.

Also appears to be mixing apples and oranges.....Is the post about hand or machine quilting.

the word "industrial" is confusing since it is followed by "hand quilting"