Add visual and textural interest to your quilt with big stitch quilting! It’s a stunning form of hand quilting.

No longer do you need perfect small and even stitches that can hardly be seen. Stitching now can become an integral element in your finished piece! Whether you are an art quilter, modern quilter or traditional quilter, add some big quilting to your piece – it’s quick and easy!

What is Big Stitch Quilting

Big Stitch Quilting is a method of hand quilting that generally uses bigger threads like perle cotton in #8 size, which then becomes a visual design element to the quilt. Sometimes people refer to Big Stitch Quilting as Utility Quilting.

Typically stitches are 1/4 to 1/2-inch in length and become part of the design element of the quilt. Try different sizes of stitch lengths for the look you want.

Finishes a quilt

How to do Big Stitch Hand Quilting

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Learn the basics of big stitch quilting, a hand sewing method that is fast, easy and makes a visual and textural statement on your quilt.

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Use Perle cotton colors to blend with your quilt, or let the stitches take center stage with a contrasting color.

Materials

Your fabric project, ready for quilting
Perle Cotton in the colors you want for your quilting, I like #8 size.

Tools

Embroidery needles for perle cotton, I like to use Bohin Crewel needles, or a chenille size needle. You'll want a needle with a larger eye for the heavier thread.
Thimble
Embroidery scissors
OPTIONAL: Needle threader
OPTIONAL: Embroidery or quilting hoop

Instructions

Prepare your quilt top. I've used basting pins to hold my quilt sandwich together.

Thread your embroidery needle with about 25-30" of thread. If you go longer with your thread, sometimes it frays. I love my Bohin needle threader - makes threading needles super easy.
Knot your thread with the quilter's knot, with only two loops around the needle. See our article on how to do a quilter's knot.
If you start in the center of your quilt, you can smooth out both the top and bottom as you go. Bring your needle up from the back to the front. Here is the knot on the back of the quilt.
Gently tug the thread so that the knot 'pops' through the fabric back of the quilt. I like to hold the quilt and just pull the backing fabric gently so they knot 'snaps' through the back and gets layered between the backing and the batting.
It might leave a hole where the fibers are separated to allow the knot to pass through. Just rub gently and the fibers go right back in place.
Now you are ready to begin taking stitches. There are two methods of stitching. Use the one you want for the look you want. For a more precise stitch length, use the stab method. For a more improvisational look, you can use a mix of both the stab method and the running stitch method, which is what I did in this piece. I use the stab method when I need to stitch through extra layers in seam allowances, and the running method when the needle is gliding through the fabric and batting.

For the stabbing method, start by bringing your threaded needle straight up ("stabbing") through all layers from back to front.
Next, 'stab' the tip of the needle back down, making the stitch length you'd like.
I like to use the running stitch method on long, straight stretches without bulk that are easy to stitch. Rock your needle to load several stitches and pull your thread through gently. This is not as precise of a method of stitching.
Here is a close up of a section of this quilt that shows big stitches in colors that blend, as well as contrasting colors that make a statement.

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What type of thread and needle should I use to do big stitch hand quilting?

I like to use a thicker or heavier thread like a #8 Perle cotton thread or a wool thread and an embroidery needle. The thread weight will determine the look on your finished quilt. I’ve also used sashiko needles and sashiko thread for big-stitch quilting.

Test your stitching your thread with the right needle for the thread on your quilt top before getting started. If it is hard to stitch, you won’t enjoy the process. Select the right thread and needle for the project. TIP: Get a new needle for this project. Yes, needle points do dull over time. Sometimes just getting a new needle from the package makes all of the difference!

I like to use this Clover yarn needle threader when I’m working with thicker threads. It makes threading your needle so much easier!

How should I mark my stitching lines?

There are a lot of different marking tools that can be used to mark your stitching lines. No matter which you use, always test on a scrap of the fabric in your project first! Here are some I like to use:

Hera marker: A hera marker is a great tool to have in your creative space. It marks on fabrics with just a crease. They work great for marking your stitching lines without worrying about taking out the mark.
Chalk pencil: I love this one by Madam Sew. It is super easy to use and the chalk brushes off of your fabric.
Frixion pen: A Frixion pen is removed from your fabric with heat. ALWAYS test on a scrap of fabric. I have had a few fabrics where it leaves a white residue. It is one of my go-to tools, but I always test first!
On the quilt in this project, I didn’t mark it at all. I just stitched about 1/4-inch from the seam line. I eyeballed and did slow stitching through all of the layers of fabric from the front of the quilt.

How long should my stitches be for big-stitch hand quilting?

It’s simple. Whatever you want! It’s your personal preference!

You can go really long, medium, or as small as you’d like! Keep in mind that you are going through three layers with a thicker thread. Really small stitches might be hard to do. Test with an unknotted thread before committing on a thread.

How should I quilt with big stitches?

Whatever way you want! You can do straight lines or curvy lines. You can follow a design on the fabric, or mark a design on your quilt. Use a range of big stitches. Any quilting stitches or embroidery stitches work!

If you enjoy hand quilting, but want to complete the piece quicker, this is a perfect technique! This might not be the right finish for every project but it does add texture and a creative element to the right quilt. A perfect project in front of the TV.

As always, pick the right technique for the project and most of all enjoy the creative process!

Browse through more hand quilting inspiration and projects on Create Whimsy.