Sunday, March 5, 2017

Hand Quilting

The hand quilting on my churn dash quilt is moving along.

I've stenciled a father design on the white border.



I've added a double straight line to hold down the loose fabric. I'm pleased with the way she is looking. 

I finished quilting the white border section Saturday afternoon. I've rolled and will be working on the next blue square/square border.


I've had several people ask about the dishcloths I knit. I use Lily brand Sugar 'N Cream cotton yarn. In my corner of the world, yarn costs less at Michael's than JoAnn Fabrics. A variegated skein will knit 1 cloth with some yarn leftover, the solid colored skeins are slightly larger. I like to knit the leftover yarn then finish with a coordinating solid colored yarn, but that is my personal preference.

Here is a link to many different patterns for knitted dishcloths. There is also a pattern on the backside of the label on the skein of yarn but the pattern can be for any project, not necessarily dishcloths.

There are also free patterns on Ravelry. 

I like a very simple pattern so I can knit without thinking. I use a size #6 circular knitting needle, I like my dishcloths tightly knitted. I never knit a swatch to check the gauge for dishcloths.

This is the pattern I learned to knit with. It calls for a #10 circular needle. Cast on 4 stitches. *Knit(K) 2, Yarn over (YO), knit across. Repeat * until you have 45 stitches on the needles. **K1, K2 together, YO, K2 together, K on across. Repeat ** down to 4 stitches. Bind off.

I used that pattern for years until I was sick very tired of it. I also started using the smaller needles after the first few dish cloths.

I don't know where I found the pattern I am using now, I do know it was a free pattern from where ever I found it. Seed Stitch Dish ClothWith a size #6 circular needle cast on 40 stitches. Row 1 & 2 – knit. Row 3 & 4 – Knit 2 *K1 P1 repeat from * across to last 2 stitches k2. Repeat rows 1 – 4 for pattern until measures 9” (same as bottom edge), ending with Rows 1 & 2. Bind off. 

I never thought people would be asking me about knitting! I see so many beautiful project on line. If I wasn't so addicted to quilting, I think I could really get into knitting. 


I have another quilt to show you today. As I have told you before, every year the Maple Leaf Quilt Guild donates a hand quilted quilt to the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale. I had been helping to quilt this year's quilt, Sweet Surrender. She is finished and was displayed at the last guild meeting. I forgot to take my camera but Edith sent me some photos. I had planned to take some close up pictures of the quilting but that's the way it goes. 


The members all helped make the blocks, either by appliqueing or piecing, something for every preference. There were extra pieced blocks not needed for the front so Edith sewed them into the backing. It was not easy to quilt with them on the bottom, but it looks lovely when finished. She also made the special block in the top left corner to be used as the quilt label.

I have to confess, when she said this was going to be a scrappy quilt, I was concerned how it was going to look but it has turned out beautiful. We were provided the red fabric that is the red triangles in the bottom of the pieced blocks. All the other fabrics, including the backing for the applique blocks, came from the individual members stash. Edith sewed the triangles together, pieced and appliqued the border. She has done our guild proud!

Linking to - Kathy's Slow Sunday StitchingQuilting is More Fun than Housework, Em's ScrapbagLove Laugh Quilt, Show & Tell Monday, Katie Mae Quilts, Building Blocks Tuesday, Fiber TuesdaySew Some LoveEsther's Wednesday WOW!, Sew Fresh QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation, Finished Or Not FridayCrazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict

46 comments:

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

Your hand quilting on the Churn Dash is absolutely stunning! :)

CathieJ said...

Your quilting is beautiful. Do you lay out all of the stenciling prior to stitching? What do you use to transfer the stencil onto the fabric and how do you keep it from fading or rubbing off? I have hand quilted a couple of my quilts and always have to stop and retrace the stencil. This is problematic when I have had to alter the dimensions to get it to fit the border correctly. The donated quilt is gorgeous. I really like the idea of using the extra squares in the backing.

The Cozy Quilter said...

Your guild did a wonderful job on their donation quilt! We had two speakers from our local Mennonite relief quilt auction committee speak to our guild a couple of years ago. It was very interesting to learn more about the sale and how they use the money raised. Your hand quilting is lovely.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Years ago, my mother gave me a box of pale silver pencils. I've used those pencils for 35 years and they are nubs now. Last year I purchased another box at an Amish store. The feather design is lightly marked with the silver pencils. You don't really see it after she is quilted. If you examine her closely, you will see the markings. Some people really get upset about markings showing on quilts but, to me anyway, that's is the traditional way.

I'm marking the straight lines using a narrow blue marker. Don't mark heavily, a light line is enough. I mark as much as I think I will quilt, then thoroughly wet it so they disappear. If I don't quilt it all, I cover with a cloth so sunlight does not set it. I don't know if it really will but that is what some people say. I don't know if it really will or not, just playing it safe.

I also cover the whole quilting frame with a cloth cover when I'm not quilting for protection.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you. I am so glad my quilt is stitching easier than the relief sale quilt did. Some of those batiks were really hard to stitch through.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you, I'm enjoying myself.

Kathy S. said...

Your stitching is GORGEOUS, Gretchen!

Jill said...

Oh my. Such lovely hand stitches. May I ask what you use to mark the lines specifically on white fabric? From the thumbnail, It looks like perfect machine quilting. Sweet Surrender is a wonderful quilt donation. I like how the extra blocks were incorporated on the back.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I'm using a light colored silver pencil. I've lightly marked the design on the white. The straight lines are being marked as I quilt with a thin blue marker then sprayed with water after quilting to remove them.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you. I find hand quilting very relaxing.

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Beautiful hand quilting, on both quilts. I can see the outlines on the community quilt on the picture of the back. Your feathers look amazing.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

love your hand quilting and that donation quilt is something - lots of work for sure and turned out beautifully

Karen said...

Sweet Surrender is beautiful. I like how the extra blocks appear on the backing. Quite an endeavor for a donation quilt. I have been in charge of a donation quilt a couple times and know how hard it is to get blocks that are the same size and to get people to applique.

Quilter Kathy said...

The group quilt is amazing! It would be challenging to make this kind of detailed quilt with a group, so kudos to your organizer! I hope it raises lots of money for a good cause!
I'd like to learn how to knit dishclothes... I think it would be a great take-along kind of project.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Sweet Surrender is SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!!! I would certainly be pleased to win it.

Jean said...

Thank you for the dish cloth pattern. I've been making the ones you have started with. They go to our church's bazaar.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I enjoyed your post today, Gretchen! Your hand quilting is so beautiful. You reminded me of some dishcloths I was knitting awhile back. I think I'll go dig that bag out and see if I can try your pattern. It's always fun to try something new!

Gretchen Weaver said...

Dish cloths are very hand to take along. I knitted them all the time when taking my parents to doctor apts or where ever they needed to go.

Gretchen Weaver said...

This quilt can be yours if you are the last bidder at the quilt auction at the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale on September 23, 2017. The auction is held at the Elkhart County fairgrounds Goshen, Indiana.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I just got so tired of that pattern and decided I needed to find a new pattern. I've tried several of the other patterns but I had to pay too much attention. The seed pattern seems to work fine. Sometimes I forget to add the garter stitch row between the weed rows, but hey, it's a dishcloth. I just leave it the way it is.

Gretchen Weaver said...

The dish cloths are a nice change from the other needle work.

Pam said...

Your quilting is just so great! Very nice.

Jayne Honnold said...

Your quilting looks fantastic! My goodness, what a beautiful quilt!

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

Your guild did a beautiful job on that scrappy quilt. It is lovely! Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Sweet Surrender is absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!!!!! I bet it goes for a pretty penny (as they used to say) Thx for the knitting pattern I agree with you, knitting is a nice break from the had work. Churn dash quilt is really going to beautiful - love the feathers! Your hand quilting is something to be admired.

Mary said...

Thank you for posting the knitting information!

Rebecca Grace said...

Sweet Surrender is just gorgeous. And your hand quilted feathers are stunning!

Every Stitch said...

Your hand quilting is lovely! It caught my eye at once as it is SO very much nicer than machine quilting - a soft vintage look :)

em's scrapbag said...

Your hand quilting is gorgeous! And Sweet Surrender is wonderful. I love it's scrappiness. Great group effort!

Susan said...

Your hand quilting is gorgeous! And Sweet Surrender is a great group quilt, even the back!

evaj said...

Thank you for your inspiration and link Show and Tell Monday !! Bambi Hug

Gretchen Weaver said...

Have fun with a new pattern!

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you. I forget how much I enjoy hand quilting until I have a quilt in the frame. I just want to sit and quilt and forget all the other work.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you for your kind comments. Sweet Surrender did turn out nicely.

Glenda said...

Oh wonderful blog today Gretchen so much to see and learn from but OHHHH my goodness your quilting is beautiful that border stopped me in my tacks just beautiful, I love how you added the straight quilting to anchor the batting just beautiful Hugs Glenda

BizarreQuilter said...

Oh my goodness! Your handquilting is divine.

Kat said...

Thanks for linking up!

Kat said...

Thanks for linking up!

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you Glenda. You're no slouch when it comes to hand quilting either. I'm going to try the Sashiko quilting sometime.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you. I've been hand quilting for over 40 years. It's true what they say, practice, practice and more practice.

Jayne said...

I am in awe of your hand quilting! It is amazing and stunning...beautiful work!

Kerry said...

Wow! Lovely quilting.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you. I have been hand quilting for many, many years.

Kim said...

Wow! Your hand quilting is gorgeous!

Carie @ Space for the Butterflies said...

They are both spectacular quilts - your hand quilting is stunning and the scrappy quilt is just gorgeous :)

Unknown said...

Gretchen ~ Such beautiful work, I just started back Quilting this year after being away from it for years... Getting to know the sewing machine and all the new ways of doing things, quite a learning curve.. What town in Indiana do you live?
Gail