Utility Quilting
 

I've just recently learned of utility quilting, and am intrigued by it. Have any of you done it, and if so, what did you use in the way of threads and needles?

Never heard that term. I will be watching this thread. I am sure someone will have good advice.

Ive never heard that term before. Can you explain it?

The only thing I know is that it is the way some women quilted years ago when they were making a true utility quilt. They hand quilted it, but not in the teeny stitches we like to achieve. Apparently, the stitches were about 1/4" apart, and they were not quilted with a fine thread, but something larger. There is a book called Utility Stitching, and it apparently has been out of print for quite some time. You can find them, but they are $$$$expensive$$$$! So, I'm trying to find out more. Guess this will be educational for several of us!

Kerry, I love your signature statement. Amen!

That sounds the same as "Big Stitch" quilting. Basically all it means is using a larger needle, larger thread (such as a fine crochet thread), and making the stitches larger -- about 1/4" long and that distance apart.

Is this the book you mean?
http://www.amazon.com/Utility-Quilti...dp/1935726145/

I'm doing some quilting with DMC Perle cotton #8. Tried #5. it looked good but was too hard to pull through the fabric.

I've heard the big, heavier stitches called something else. But my CRS is acting up. I think it was as simple as "long stitches"

Yep, "big stitch", not long stitch

I wonder if this comes from the original Chinese/Japanese type of work where the old "work" clothing was stitched to other old cloth rather roughly to keep warm in the winter.