I've got a couple of projects going and am getting ready to quilt them. My biggest problem is trying to decide HOW!! Should I just stitch in a ditch, should I meander, do I really want to cover up where my points are perfect and how do I cover up the ones that aren't :roll: ?

How do you decide what will work with your quilts when you go to do them? I just clutch when I get ready to quilt my tops.

Thanks,

Lee

My first quilt I quilted an outline 1/4 inch away from the stitching line. The second I did a pattern neither detracted from the pattern. I hand quilted but am sure even if you machine quilt whatever you choose will just make your quilt prettier.

I have the same problem as you...have a really hard time deciding. Most of the time, I try to draw out some designs on thin tracing paper and pin that to the top so I can "see" what it will look like before I start. I usually change my mind about a zillion times :roll:

If you have a hard time visualizing what different quilting patterns will look like, take a picture of the top, and draw the quilting choices out. See which effect highlights the parts to want to emphacize, and compliments all your hard work. It's not always the design you would have first thought.

As usual, moonpi has the greatest solutions! Thank you..thats a terrific idea!

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I seem to always make complicated patterns for my quilt and then I don't want to cover it up with quilting (although I love the quilting part). I'm just afraid of the quilting being overwhelming, so I end up doing a meandering stitch or stitch in a ditch. But I always want to do something more complicated.

Lee--we are thinking EXACTLY alike. I wish..I wish...for a neighbor who hates to piece tops but loves to quilt. :D My, my how good a friends we would be. :wink:

I have a pile--well--10 pieces all 40 x 40 and smaller that need quilting and I just keep making more tops. I dread quilting them. I dread pondering patterns to follow. I dread the ever possible puckers.

AAAARRRGGGHHHHH :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

barnbum,

I feel your pain!! I've got a pile of tops just waiting for me. I can hear them calling me in my sleep.

But even worse is the dreaded pucker. :twisted: I think I rip out more thread trying to fix those puckers than I put in the entire quilt!!