Tuesday 7 August 2012

For the Love of Perle

Hello and welcome, if you are here visiting from the Let's Get Aquainted Blog Hop that Beth of Plum and June has organised then I do hope you enjoy my blog and have a look around. My name is Susan, and I am - as the blog name implies - a Canadian living abroad. I live in the UK, right in the middle, as far as you can get from the sea in any direction. I am a SAHM with two girls and my husband. I cook. I sew. I practice sarcasm on the girls. I dither a lot. I eat chocolate whenever life becomes too much. Or if I am bored. Or if the need strikes and the chocolate is available. I have been blogging since February 2011 and it has changed the way I quilt, opened up a whole new world to me and introduced me to some of the best friends I could wish for.

Since the blog hop began there have been some brilliant tutorials and I struggled to think what I should talk about today. So I fell back on my love for quilting with perle cotton.

If you have never done any hand quilting, or used perle cotton, I am going to try and talk you into it today.


I learned to hand quilt in a class, the traditional way. I was fascinated and didn't hate it. But I did hate how long it took me to make any progress, and how you had to look closely to see my stitches and the effect. I knew nothing about perle cotton until I started reading blogs, but when I saw it used I knew it was for me. I loved the impact, the bigger stitches, the bright colours. I loved how much it could transform the look of what you were working on. Take something simple and make it so different.


Though if I reflect on those traditional classes I did, I know that they were of use to me. The best bit of advice that my teacher gave me that day was that it was not the individual stitches that counted but the over all effect. Don't stand there with a ruler, she said, measuring the length of each stitch and ripping out if you feel that they aren't perfect enough. Stand back, look at the piece you are working on. See if the stitches are creating the pattern you are after.

I have applied this advice to my work ever since. Very few of us achieve perfection, but if I can create things that make me smile and make me proud then I have achieved what I set out to do.


Modern quilting lends itself very well to perle cotton, with the bright farbic colours and bold designs. And perle cotton is an embroidery thread and what I use when I do hoops. I prefer it to floss in that it doesn't tangle so much on me, and I don't have to separate strands. Of course if you need finer detail then embroidery floss is necessary, but for the most part I tick along happily with the perle.


Here is how I stitch with my perle cotton. It is my way, not the only way or even maybe the preferred way for some. But it works for me.

When you wish to hand quilt and you know the design you wish to work with you will need to mark it on the quilt, unless you are following seams or applique and the quilting line is very obvious and easy to do by eye. I use one of three methods to mark a line for quilting. Chalk  water soluble pen, air disappearing pen, or hera marker. They each have their attributes. Chalk water soluble is good when you want the mark to be visible for a while and is easily dispersed by washing the quilt when you are done, or - if it is a small mark - dabbing at it with a cotton pad dipped in some water. Air disappearing pens are very handy if you are going to stitch over the marked line soon after marking it. The lines do not last long so this is not a method to use if you are going to be leaving the project. I use this method when I am doing the quilting section by section. Finally, the hera marker which is a tool used to leave a crease in the fabric that you use to follow your quilting line. Below you can see both the air disappearing pen used and the hera marker.



Once you know where you are stitching, you need to knot your thread. Just a simple, single knot. Pull it tight near the end of the thread and then place your needle a little distance from where you wish to begin your first stitch. Run the needle through the quilt layers without poking it out through the top or bottom, bringing the needle up right where you wish to begin your first stitch. Pull the thread through until the knot is stopping it from going any further. Holding the thread close to where it came out give it a short sharp tug (or two) and the knot should pop through into the layers and catch inside the quilt. You can just see in the third photo where the knot left a little hole in the fabric where it went through. That hole disappears very quickly as the fabric is handled.


You may choose to use a hoop when quilting, or not, whichever is your preference. If you do not use a hoop you need a well basted quilt so that the layers do not slip when stitching. To start stitching, point your needle straight down through the layers and feel the point come through on the other side. (I do not use a thimble but that is because I am completely useless with one - it is not because I think it is a better way.) Rock your needle through two or three stitches and then pull the thread through. Repeat until you have completed your stitching line. I have shown a ruler by my stitching below just to give you an idea the size of stitches I sew.


When you come to the end of your stitching or need a new thread, place another simple knot close to the base of the thread. Using the tip of the needle to slide the knot down is very useful. Make your final stitch and rather than going through the layers slide your needle back through the inner layers, pulling it up a little distance away and tug your knot through like you did when starting your thread.


I will show you some photos of my stitching on the back of the quilt so you can see that it is not as even or as well spaced as on the front, but it still gives the desired effect - I think.


I hope that if you have never used perle cotton or done any hand quilting before you have now been tempting. If this was your first visit to my blog, thank you for stopping by and I do hope you return.

I leave you with photos of other hand quilted projects that I hope inspire you to try this method.


Susan

66 comments:

  1. omgosh - gorgeous, that hexagon stitching is adorable!

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  2. Stunning pieces, great to meet you on the blog hop :)

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  3. Your quilting is beautiful! Nice to meet you!

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  4. You do some of the best hand work I have ever seen.

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  5. That is a lovely tutorial for hand sewing, thank you.

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  6. Wonderful post Susan - you have definitely inspired me to try more handstitching in the future.

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  7. What a great tutorial---thank you.
    I shall be brave and try it one day.
    What no. Perle do you recommend? 5, 8 or 12? (I am not sure which is the thickest/thinnest)

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  8. Thanks for the tutorial - I just love your projects! And your quilting! ;-)))

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  9. Yay! I've been meaning to ask you some questions about this for ages and this wee tute has answered them all for me. If I ever get my hexie quilt top finished I may try this, though that could take another 2 years to finish! Maybe something smaller would be a better bet.

    Thank you S, very nicely explained.

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  10. I love quilting with perle - it's so colourful and (relatively) quick. Thanks for sharing your tips!

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  11. Thank you for the great post! I've recently started hand quilting with perlé 8 which I really like the look of :) I'm wondering though, what needle do you use? I'm trying to find one that works for me and would love to hear your thoughts :) thanks!

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  12. Great post Susan! And I have a lovely example your fine stitching skills too!

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  13. Fantastic post Susan. Love your blog and everything you make and I will be using that tute as I attempt to hand quilt my BQS mini xx

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  14. Loved the post Susan, thanks for sharing how you do your hand stitching/quilting.

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  15. Thanks for the perle tips - it's such a lovely effect!

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  16. LOVE IT ALL Susan! Thanks for that tute - I am going to try out the ending yu use as I have dome it differently till now!

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  17. Perfect timing for me as I am planning on trying this out this week. I hope mine turns out as well as yours!

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  18. Hello from a fellow Canadian! Nice to meet you. I love hand stitching! I've only tried perle cotton once before and i love the look it gives! Thanks for your tips and pics of your lovely work.

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  19. Brilliant tutorial, your hand stitching is always beautiful.

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  20. Quilting with perle cotton - brilliant idea! Great tutorial - thanks!

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  21. Stopping by from the blog hop. Great tutorial with really nice photos! I will have to try perle cotton next time I hand quilt. What number perle cotton do you use and what needle do you sew with?

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  22. Ho, visiting from Plum and June. Beautiful hand stitching and lovely projects too!

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  23. What an awesome post Susan!!! So glad to know that I am doing my hand quilting the right way too from a great teacher such as you! I learnt via an online tutorial and it is the rocking method I do too. Love this post and all you gorgeous hand stitching! xxxxx

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  24. I was really happy to see your topic - thanks so much for sharing! Your work is beautiful!!

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  25. What a great tutorial. I have always been afraid of hand quilting but have like the look of the larger stitches with the perle cotton. Stopping by from Plum and June and am now a new follower.

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  26. Great post! We could be friends based on love of chocolate alone - not to mention quilting! I especially love the contrasting hand-stitching in that very colorful pic!

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  27. Fantastic Master Class S! FQR13 here we come! Jxo

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  28. I am going to try this! I just love the look.

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  29. Hi Susan nice to meet you. This is a great tutorial. I love hand quilting and all of your projects are absolutely beautiful

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  30. I really love your stitching x Going to do more myself for sure :-)

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  31. Absolutely lovely! I've always wanted to try, but had no idea where to start or what materials I would need, so thank you for posting this! It's great! :)

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  32. Thanks for the great lesson! I've been wanting to try this and you make it look easy. Your stitching looks wonderful. I heard that size 8 works good, would love to hear what size perle you use.

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  33. Oh you enabler you, the shops will be all out of perle now ;o)

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  34. Excellent tutorial! And truly lovely work!

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  35. Great post. I can see why you love quilting with perle. Your examples are beautiful. I like to use Perle over regular thread for hand quilting because it seems to look more forgiving when I do it!

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  36. Great post Susan, the hand stitching on your work is always lovely.

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  37. Hi Susan, you are preaching to the converted, I just love perle cotton too! It gives such a beautiful finish doesn't it. Like you, I did a traditional hand quilting day course so I learnt the basics there, with a great teacher. It was only much later that I discovred perle. I too don't use a thimble, it just seems to get in the way. I do use a hoop though. My tutorial is up next week, and you guessed it, I have used perle cotton in my project. I hope you get to see it. Nice to meet a fellow hand quilter!

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  38. Great choice of subject as I do love your hand stitching! So great to see your solids DP quilt again!

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  39. Your hand stitching is gorgeous and I'm so glad you showed the back of your quilt. I thought I was doing something wrong!

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  40. your stitching is beautiful!

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  41. Love it! You've inspired me to try hand quilting with perle cotton!

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  42. WOW! Your quilting is just amazing! Thank you for the tutorial!!!!

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  43. Love your hand stitching! I'm wanting to hand stitch my Stitch Tease Quilt. :)

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  44. what a great tutorial Susan, and I love your hand stitching, very neat

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  45. So nice to "meet" you Susan. I absolutely LOVE your hand quilting and the perle cotton. Thanks so much for the tutorial.
    Amanda

    amanda@materialgirlquilts.com

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  46. Stopping by from Plum and June, chocolate makes everything better doesn't it :)
    Love your tutorial, I too learned the traditional hand quilting and the time it took...You have inspired me to try again with Perle, your projects look wonderful!

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  47. Hi Susan, You've certainly tempted me to try perle. I love the effect on your quilts and I your description of how you hand quilt :)

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  48. Thanks for the instructions...I've never hand quilted (and am a bit scared of it) but you make it look so easy!

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  49. Just stopping by on the blog hop- hurray for hand quilting! Thank you so much for the perle primer - this reminds me very much of sashiko.

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  50. Nice to meet you! I am hooked on hand quilting, too. I've found it hard to get those beautiful colors you have, though! I will have to start searching online I suppose!

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  51. Nice to meet you! Great looking hand work! The hand quilting looks great on the modern quilts.

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  52. Nice to meet you. Your post on hand quilting is very timely for me as I just finished a top that I think I might motivate to hand quilt a portion of. I've already done machine quilting but the fabric just calls for some hand work as well.

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  53. What a pleasure to meet you and see your gorgeous work! I'll definitely be back again to visit!!

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  54. Hi, I've come to your blog via the hop :) You certainly have tempted me to try hand quilting and I will be back. Nice to meet you x

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  55. Your hand quilting is just beautiful! It's something I definitely admire, but not something I like to do!

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  56. Would love to use your 'quilt so I won't kill people" image on my blog to talk about sanity. I would, of course, link back you to your blog. Thanks for your consideration.
    Jaye

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  57. I googled hand quilting with pearl cotton and you popped up. Great post, and I think I am going to give it a try. :)

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  58. Pinning this post for all the beautiful ideas! I am pretty new to quilting, but one of those who stumbled onto pearl cotton and all the pieces fell into place and absolutely fell in love! I am currently hand quilting a quilt for my husband (just a simple patchwork with a double criss-cross stitching), but I love it!

    Thanks for sharing so many beautiful ideas and photos!!

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  59. You convinced me so I will give it a try.

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  60. I have to let my hand quilting people know about your great blogs Thanks LOTS

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  61. Beautiful work... And thank you for the reminder that I make the 'rules' for MY projects :)

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