Call for help from long arm quilters
 

Hi all

I just finishe twelve placemats but I don't know how to quilt them. I don't like to turn as I like the look of binding. I have a long arm with the robot but I disengaged the robot so I can practice some stippling and ruler work. What would be the simplest way to quilt these. I am pressed in time as they are a Christmas gift and need time binding (besides a gazillion project I need to finish). I don't do free motion yet except for the stipple but I am not sure if this is ok to do on these.
The other thing is thread what do you match thread color with, backing or front. This is so confusing for me. I bought connecting thread essential pro to try so we,ll see but should I use red or the gold-ish color? It is actually called Tea Dyed
Thanks
Ps the red dotted fabric is the border and for the backing.

Your place-mats are great!!! I love your color choices. I kinda like the yellow thread...I think it would really pop, and I think stippling would look great on the place-mats.

Have a Wonderful day
Beckie

I like the red. Trees, bells, circles. Try metallic in the bobbin.

I would use the yellow/gold color thread and just do a simple meandor.....I use a Statler LA and those cpuld be done in less than 30 minutes from the time pinnine them on to unpinning them when finished ....

Stippling would be just fine for placemats! I always use exactly the same thread in the bobbin as in the needle, so I choose the thread color keeping in mind what it will look like on the reverse side, too. To save time, I think I'd pin many of these onto my leaders (if possible) and quilt them all at the same time. I did some placemats last year which had appliques on them, and I loaded a huge sandwich, quilted it with a pantograph, then cut it apart and put on my appliques by machine, through all layers. They were also bound at the end. Good luck to you!

When I am practicing new techniques I always use something that blends into the background as it hides the 'imperfections'. Usually my favorite clear poly. Also people will be looking at these from 2 feet away and they are already what my kids would have affectionately called 'eye bashers' so there is no need for anything more, is there?

The placemats are great! I Love that gold backing fabric you are using for the second one. I would probably match the thread to the backing, so the red with the red and the gold with the gold, and use the same colors in the top and bobbin. The reindeer fabric (which is also so cute!!!) is busy enough that either color will work.

I see Christmas lights in the fabric. How about a string in your quilting? I am really bad at drawing on Paint..but here is my try...


PS When I want to try a new quilting design, I practice on a dry erase board with my elbow UP. You are teaching your shoulder and arm the movement. I really quilt better than i draw! Good thing I'm a quilter and not an artist! lolol

If you can stipple, you can make leaves. Practice on paper first. they are like a wonky heart. This leaf vine goes faster than stippling for me anyway and would look great on your very pretty placemats.

Wow thank you all ladies. You sure put my mind on calm mode. I was over worrying about the stippling not looking good on these even though I got a table topper gift last year with appliqué and it was stipples and I love it and you never really notice the quilting because they are simply placemats.
I think I will use the gold thread and small stipple for now so I can finish fast and since I float all my quilts so I have a large backing material ready and I will add placemats as I roll and quilt them so it will go really fast.
Thanks again for your help. You are all amazing