nunnyJo

I too do not like the heavy quilting unless on solid fabs. Piecing is my objective

feline fanatic

I have yet to see a quilt that was so heavily quilted the piecing is lost. I am a huge fan of the likes of Judy Madsen of Green Fairy, Renae Haddadin, Sharon Schambers and Karen McTavish. All of them quilt pretty densely. The photos of heavily quilted quilts I have seen as well as quilts displayed in shows compliment the piecing and are gorgeous IMHO. As you are not allowed to touch show quilts I don't see how you can make a determination that it isn't soft and cozy. You definitely can't tell by a photo is something is soft and cozy. A friend of mine recently quilted a NYB quilt very densely and because she used wool batting it was very soft and drapable and there was not as much a 1" x 2" spot on that quilt that wasn't quilted.

Art quilts or thread painting are different, as they are just that, art quilts and not meant to be functional other than works of art to hang on a wall. However, I have attended a trunk show of an art quilter who did a lot of thread painting and heavy quilting and again, because she used wool batting, these quilts still had some amount of drape but they were not meant to drape, they were meant to hand on a wall like a painting.

Would it be possible for you to post links to pictures of quilts you have seen that the piecing is lost due to quilting? I am very curious to see what prompted this topic.

SherriB

I also prefer quilts that aren't heavily quilted. For me, the heavy quilting seems to take over the quilt, making it hard to see the beautiful piecing and fabric. I also prefer the older and simpler quilts of yesteryear and I am drawn to the beauty of hand quilting, even though I have never hand quilted anything.

dunster

Feline fanatic expressed my thoughts very well. I haven't seen any quilts (in person) where the custom quilting obscured the piecing, but I have seen plenty where the sparse, meandering, or allover quilting didn't complement the piecing.

I have seen photographs on the board recently that were taken at an angle and in lighting so that the quilting showed up beautifully, but the beautiful piecing pattern wasn't easily seen. That's neither a fault of the quilting nor the photography, since the photo was obviously taken to highlight the quilting and it did so beautifully. Another photo, taken straight on, would show the piecing, but probably not the quilting. If you were to see the quilt in person, you would see both. I wonder if it was these pictures that prompted the original comment.

SueSew

Nicely said, Dunster! Sometimes the all-over meander or computer-pattern gives a mattress-pad appearance to the quilt, not related to the design of the quilt, the fabric, colors, or theme. That said, my own skills are not up to feathers and such! I like to see each area of a quilt given justice and a special treatment to enhance the pattern.

Quilting the quilt is adding another layer of goodness to the finished product. Like the icing on the cake!

stillclock

i went to a "quilts of great britain" show this weekend and a number of things stood out about their gorgeous work.

they don't have the same inclination to send out quilts to long armers. there are long arm quilters in the uk for sure, but the whole industry that is blossoming here around contracting out that part of the craft is not taking hold there at all.

i would say more than 70% of the quilts were handquilted. that's something i am seeing less and less and less of here.

in talking to one of the visiting quilters, she spoke about the long and rich tradition of quilting as cultivated through the guild system. the emphasis on handwork is still huge, and she said they can't offer enough classes to meet the demand from young people. and that's true across traditional skill guilds. the resurgence in a genuine desire to learn hand craft is massive there, and shows no sign of slowing down.

the quilts in the show were of all different styles and types, but i am hard pressed to think of one example of an "over quilted" piece. that is surely partially based on who chose the quilts to travel, but it was really different than a lot of what i am seeing in local shows.

handquilting by its very nature is disinclined towards overquilting. it takes so long to complete, and most quilters spend a lot of time carefully thinking through their designs. i feel like with long arming - especially contracted - they are working from a totally different perspective. they didn't piece the quilt and aren't attached to it that way. the quilt becomes a canvas for their art on top of the piecing. this isn't to detract from the amazing skill and creativity of people doing the work; i think some of the stuff i see is absolutely breathtaking. but i do think sometimes the quilting is disconnected because the quilter has no attachment to the top in front of them. it's a paid job and while some of them might pay more attention to the details than others, i know my tops inside and out because i made them. the quilting part of the craft is just a continuation of the same creation, not a separate work. does that makes sense? it does to me

aileen

Pagzz

I also would like to see the photos of quilts where people feel the piecing is lost due to heavy quilting. Most dense quilting is background fills to make other areas like applique pop up like trapunto. There have been more quilts lately where the quilting is sometimes in different color threads to make one section different from another.

I love to look at quilts at shows. To be struck by the visual image and walk closer and see more and more. As I get closer I might realize the piecer used a larger variety of prints, or put a rabbit in amongst the scene either with fabric or quilting etc.

I am not trying to be argumentative but are some people feeling the quilting overwhelms the quilt because the quilting is strong and visible? Do you feel it is competing with the design - that the quilting demands to be looked at and doesn't just disappear like stitch in the ditch?

ManiacQuilter2

Judy I agree with you you but we do have freedom of choice and we embrace all quilters from beginners to the advance. I prefer my machine quilting to have the look of hand quilting. It is just my preference and have won many awards using that technique. In my opinion, when a quilt is over quilted, it will not lay flat. REJOICE that we don't walk into a fabric store with only 20 plaids to choose from!! Women have bought a wide variety of fabrics, patterns and notions to this industry we support and treasure.

Sewnoma

I like it all. Heavily pieced, sparsely pieced; heavily quilted, sparsely quilted; machine sewn, hand sewn....

Each has pluses and minuses, each can be done well or done poorly, each can be experimental or traditional; bold or subtle....

I don't draw lines in the sand when it comes to art. Or music for that matter. Each piece is its own entity and I judge each on their own merits. Two quilts that have the same "vital signs" might touch me in very different ways - I might be inspired and awed by one and completely bored by the next! I don't ever know until I go look, and sometimes have to look twice before I really decide if I like something or not.

Peckish

Feline Fanatic and Dunster both expressed very well what my reactions are to this topic. And I must say I enjoy it all. I can admire a thread-painted quilt and not be concerned about its softness. And I can adore a soft, cozy quilt that was simply stitched with an all-over panto. They are all good in my opinion. Variety is the spice of life!