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 Cloth - With 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 Stitching, Quilting is More Fun than Housework, Em's Scrapbag, Love Laugh Quilt, Show & Tell Monday, Katie Mae Quilts, Building Blocks Tuesday, Fiber Tuesday, Sew Some Love, Esther's Wednesday WOW!, Sew Fresh Quilts, My Quilt Infatuation, Finished Or Not Friday, Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict