This is my life

Well, once I had my needle threaded with pearl cotton, I just couldn't resist running a couple of rows of embroidery across, above and below the lettering. I love to feather stitch and herringbone stitch. And then, that utility quilting that I talked about in previous posts, just worked out great here. I added a binding, and a hanging sleeve. I aways put a hanging sleeve on my hangings, but I don't use them. I hang them up on a pants hanger. That's life!

Utility Quilting

Because of all the interest, I have made a quick sampler of utility stitches. I learned these stitches from the book "Rotary Riot" by Judy Hopkins and Nancy J. Martin.
The stitches are from left to right: Crow footing (I call it fly stitch), Cross stitch, Buttonhole stitch, Mennonite Tack, and Methodist Knot. The principle of these stitches is that a small stitch of about 1/4 inch long is taken through all layers. The next step is to slide the needle through the batting to the position for the next stitch. I used a darning needle. I made the stitches in the sample with quilting thread. However, pearl cotton or crochet cotton can be used. The thread can be any color. Please pardon my messy stitches--except for the fly stitch, they're new to me.
1. Crow footing or fly stitch: Slide the needle into the first position, go through all layers from the other corner to the point. Tack in place by sliding the needle into position and through to the spot for the next stitch.
2. Cross stitch: The needle goes through all layers to form the top of the "X", then crosses and slides through and goes to the next spot.
3. Buttonhole stitch is just like the crow footing, only the thread is at right angles.
4. Mennonite tack: Take a back stitch through all layers, about 1/4 inch long. Slide the needle to just before the starting point, and take a tiny stitch, over the end of the back stitch. It forms a little "t," sliding the needle forward to the next spot.
5. Methodist Knot: Start with a back stitch through all layers, and follow by a smaller back stitch in the front, through the top layer only. Slide the needle through the batt to the next spot.
I have only tried the last two stitches just now, and I found them to be additive.

Utility-quilted liberated baby quilt

Here are the pictures of the completed quilt. I tried the utility quilting method. I used bedspread type crochet cotton for the stitches. I spread the quilt on the table and stitched it, using a darning needle. The backing is flannel, so the stitching was quite easy to do. As you can see in the photo, the method gives the quilt an embroidered appearance. And it looks puffy. The only change I would make is to use a regular weight batt, instead of the thin acrylic one I used. I think that regular weight batting would have given a more puffed effect. And I would recommend this method over the usual tying, especially for a baby quilt. So I've learned how to do something really old-fashioned, and a nearly forgotten method.