The Quilting - A Big Decision

Deciding what quilting to put where and why, can be a daunting task. But it doesn't need to be. Looking at other quilts to see how other quilt makers decided how to quilt their quilts can be a great education. In my workshop A Fine Line we brainstorm how to quilt all the quilts in the room. You learn what things to think about BEFORE you start;

Questions        By Hand or Machine?

Time available?

Skill level?

Quilts use?

Answers to these all important questions will start you on the road to choosing designs that are fun to quilt, exciting to stitch and successful no matter your skill level!

What line and why is it important? Strong lines make a very noticeable contribution to the visual impact of a quilt. Lines have the power to direct attention toward or away from its various parts. The same kind of line, running in different directions, can add interest to the overall quilting pattern. Repeated lines of parallel stitching on traditional quilts often changed direction upon reaching the outside border, thus highlighting the center or the border – or both!

This design fill the space nicely,the straight

 lines complement the quilt.

What about shapes? Simple shapes might be circles or  diamonds or squares or rectangles. How can you combine these shapes? Complex shapes include all kinds of feather designs. What about shapes and fillers? How can these lines define your quilt?

This design is too small for the space.

Think about Proportion - The size of shape in relation to the space it will fill. Last but not least think about placement: remembering that traditional quilts usually have shapes centered and contemporary shapes may be placed asymmetrically. 

When planning the design, if you want to highlight the quilting remember that quilting shows well on light colored fabrics with very little pattern.  Quilting does not show well on busy, medium to dark fabrics with many different color.

Most important of all have fun with your stitching!

For a hands on experience, I'm teaching a workshop at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, called A Fine Line.