Thursday, June 18, 2009

Quilting Help

I've been asked to help machine quilt a top that my husband's sisters pieced, so I thought I would ask all of you for some suggestions.

This was made for my niece, and everybody had written/decorated a square. A couple of squares have iron-on photos. As you can see, things aren't lined up directly in one way or another.

So, I was considering stippling, but wasn't sure what that would do to blocks with writing. I think there are too many to just not quilt on them. The back is a pink ballet slipper pattern, so whatever I do, it should just blend in there.

It is boxed and on the way here from Dayton (they are only about 30 minutes from The Fabric Shack!)

Any thoughts?

6 comments:

heather said...

Could you do straight line quilting on it and somewhat outline the squares??? I would check out Red Pepper Quilts. She does a lot of straight line quilting and it looks GREAT! Even with a pattern on the back it looks good!! Hope you can figure it out. It's very hard sometimes. Good luck. I'm sure she just appreciates the fact that you would do this. It's VERY nice of you!!:):)

Katy said...

I know it isn't very exciting, but I was thinking either straight line 1/4" off the seams, or even stitch-in-the-ditch method. That way the quilting doesn't take away from the written in squares, or the beauty of the pieces of the quilt. it's a great looking quilt thus far though!

Liz Jimenez said...

Yeah, maybe either in the ditch or about a quarter inch in on each block. That way you don't worry about them not all lining up, since you'd just outline each one. Kind of annoying to quilt that way, but I think it might help highlight the individual blocks in a nice way, which would be appropriate to the design of the quilt. Maybe if some blocks have more space, you could do two concentric squares if it needs more quilting?

Marianne Penner said...

Why not turn the quilt upside down and quilt around all the ballet slippers and dominant patterns on the backing fabric.

Isa said...

I think Marianne's idea is great!
Otherwise I think that handquilting around each square would be cool.

Mushyhed said...

I think I'd do straight line 1/4" off the seams. I like that look and it doesn't interfere with the written blocks although I've seen a quilt like that that was stippled and it looked great. Awesome of you to do the quilting. That's probably my least favorite part of quilting.