Pearl Cotton Quilting
 

Have any of you been checking on this pearl cotton quilting on the Internet? I have and think it is very pretty and the needles sizes r different then quilting needles and what I like most about it is how it stands out from regular quitting the stitches r so much larger it makes the block jump out at u. I think I am going to try it. Do any of u do this pearl cotton quilting and have anything we could c. Any info anyone has would be interesting.

i have not tried this but it would certainly make a nice alternative for some quilts. if i ever hand quilt i will have to try this.

i did recently see a video where the quilter was using #12 thread for machine quilting. i am going to try that someday.

Isn't that the same as big stitch quilting?

I think what you are describing is what is called Big Stitch. There was a segment on Simply Quilts years ago wherein Billie Lauder describes Big Stitch and gives you all the information you need to do this kind of quilting. I don't know if you can google the old Simply Quilt shows or not, but if you can't, I have the show on tape. If you have a VCR, I would be happy to send you the tape if you promise to return it. Since seeing this show 6 or 7 years ago, I have done nothing but Big Stitch. It is so much quicker than regular hand quilting and looks great, particularly on baby quilts. PM me if you want to see the tape.

Tks. Bookish I only have a blu-ray/dvd player but will do some research on GOOGLE. I know if I type in Perle cotton quilting or pearl cotton I get a lot of how to do this, thinking about trying it on grandson quilt I just made for him, have to go to Jo-Ann's this Thursday & will pick up some perle cotton no#8 what all the websites tell u to use & sharp needles 5-10 or chenille needles will check those out when I go into town. Tks. anyway.

Good luck! You'll be amazed at how fast it goes and I think you'll be very happy with the results.

Oops! Just reread your post. Billie Lauder recommends between needles 5-10. Don't know if the sharps work as well.

A friend did it on a bright orange modern quilt. She used the new Sulky 12 weight thread which is just like the smaller perle cotton but stonger and without separate strands. Was lovely and she said it was easy to do the Big Stitch with it.

I've been "collecting" perle cotton in various colors for a while now with the intention to quilt with it, but it has not happened yet. No, I take that back. I did use some perle cotton on a T-shirt quilt for outlining some of the blocks since using regular quilting thread and needle was just too difficult. I would, however, love to do a whole quilt with it someday soon.

I'm currently working on a project with perle cotton #8 which I was able to find on a spool. Haven't found a source for the #12.

An excellent source for perle cotton...and lots more.
http://www.abcstitch.com/threads/fib...81012&name=DMC Pearl Cotton Balls - Size 12

I've done big stitch with sizes 5 and 8 perle cotton by hand and often use sizes 8 and 12 for machine quilting.

Thank you, ghostrider. What do you use in the bobbin when using the 8 and 12 for machine quilting?

Here is the link to Simply Quilts videos. Hope it helps!

http://www.hgtv.com/simply-quilts/video/index.html

If you go to Youtube and search for ' quilting with perle cotton ' you'll see some great video's, amongst others by Sarah Fielke. I did some lessons on Craftsy by her and I love the way she explains what she's doing.
A search fot ' big stitch quilting' givessome other results as well.

I use a matching color, regular cotton thread (30wt or 40wt) in the bobbin. The size 12 perle cotton can be used in the bobbin, but since I mostly make wall pieces and the back isn't seen, it seems like a waste for me to do that.

I normally avoid any handwork but took a class in Big Stitch/perle cotton/utility quilting and really enjoy it...don't tell my mom, she'll roll over in her grave! It is the same as what they used to call utility quilting.

She called Sulky and asked if they would send her a spool or two of the 12 to try out (she bought them) and they did. Pays to ask.

I made a Bonnie Hunter scrappy quilt and hand quilted it using the utility stitch (large). I used perle cotton #8. It is perfect for my scrappy look. My stitches are too large, but it works for me. I probably will not hand quilt one again because it took forever, but I love my scrappy quilt. I wanted a quilt the kids could take out in the yard or on the boat, so this one is perfect.

I've been doing big stitch quilting with #8 perle cotton for years.
I've also used Sulky 12 wt. threads, old candle wicking threads, Sashiko threads, and #10 crochet thread, often in contrasting color to show off the stitches.

I prefer John James #3 -5 between needles (I have some nerve issues in my hands and have trouble with feeling a needle with my fingers.)
I quilt with wool batting or Quilter's Dream Cotton Select. My stitches are about 6 inches to the inch (counting top of quilt only).

Love, love, love this method!!

Jan in VA

I took a class in big stitch last year at the Gathering in Nashua, NH. I love sulky 12 weight for hand embroidery, too.

I have not used red or navy perle cotton to hand quilt, but might have some worry about the excess dye in those colors. My last one was done in a medium rose thread, not perle, and there was no problem whatsoever.

Jan in VA

Oh my, this brings it all back to me! I still miss waking up in the morning to Simply quilts. I did quilt one quilt with petrel cotton and the big stitch, but never finished. This should be incentive!

I think it is called "Utility stitching." A lot of antique quilts have this type of quilting. I suppose the available thread was course and the needles were larger.

Few years ago I bought a pink and brown kit at the local Tuesday Morning Store. Simple pattern for a large throw size. Heard of this large stitching so decided that was the time to try it. Looked for balls of thread but found perle cotton in hanks in variegated colors and I really liked the end result but haven't done any since then. Believe I sent a photo to this forum but that was before the last change.

It's still here, Mornigstar. :) Very nice!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t108743.html

I find it very similar to Sashiko. Check out Sylvia Pippen's work (patterns and books) for some ideas. Real eye candy!


http://www.sylvia-pippen.com/order/patterns/

Had to laugh at this, my mom would too. When she was showing me how to quilt.her stitches were so tiny I just gave up the idea
!! Took me years to try again, after she was dead!!LOL

Also check for utility quilting. Years ago quilters used the string ot twine which was used to sew feed or sugar sacks to quilt

This type of quilting is not so new. I grew up in NE PA and that is how we (family) quilted (about 50 yrs ago). It took a while for me to adjust to the smaller thread and needles like what is more popular now. I used a between 5 needle. The eye has to be bigger for the thread. I have a whole box of pearl cotton 100. Inside each spool is an instruction page for crocheting doilies.

Back again after reading all the previous posts. We used colored thread all the time and never had a bleeding problem back then. Don't know if it would be now. I have several quilts from then that are used and washed all the time. One I have to requilt as the thread is wearing out but the quilt is not. On my bucket list.

I'm using a dark red perle to do a big hand stitch on a blue and white quilt I made with dark red binding. I read a post once that said just have fun with it and don't worry about doing perfect stitches. A little imperfection just gives it more charm. Well so farm my stitching is very charming, LOL! I'll post a picture of it when it's completed.

I hope I send you a picture of the Big Stitch. This is a Log Cabin pattern that forms a heart.

A close shot.

I have shown this before. A few months after my husband and I married (32 yrs ago) his grandma died. SAhe left alot of quilts and quilting stuff, and no one else in the family cared, so they came to me.
One was a maple leaf quilt, unfinished, all hand sewn blocks, with a graph paper showing her plans.
I put it together, by machine, but felt it deserved some hand quilting, which I did 'big stitch.'
I outlined the leaves in whatever color that particular leaf was in, picked some fall leaf print, and said "It's done - to go to the next generation."

I like it. Great job. Thats what you calla successful experiment!

Sounds like fun! Anybody got pictures?

Mine, shown here before. This has a thread called Cotty, from Sulky, no longer available like this. I called Sulky and the sweet lady sent me the "last spool available anywhere, as far as we know!" from her own collection. :) Closest to it she told me is the Sulky 12 wt. cotton which also comes in 'blendables'. Quilt made in mid 1980s, I think; quilted in mid 2000.

Jan in VA

That's a quarter, not a penny.