How do I go about quilting this project? I made this for my granddaughter. It has taken about 4 years to do all the cross stitch. To say the least she is now ready for grandma to finish but I am not sure how to go about it. I have a dark purple piece of fabric to back it with. I would like to bring some of the dark around to the front. Please help me.

Beautiful work!!

I haven't quilted one...yet, so I'm no help. But, I'll be watching this so when it comes time (if ever!) I'll know what to do :lol: And, your quilt is Beeeaaauuutiful!

WOW

It is a work of art. I would only quilt in the sashing if it were mine.

Beautiful!!!

Hand quilt it!!!!

Wow - what incredible work!

What size are the cross-stitched pieces? I would be tempted to do some simple x's or zig-zags in the sashing and leave the rest alone.

It's a lovely quilt.
You may want to check over at
http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
Leah Day has over 200 quilting designs--many you can just use in the sashing if you take McQuilter's advice.

My suggestion is to do the back and the binding in the very dark purple. I would also audition some dark purple thread on the tops for the quilting. Tip to do that is to unroll a hand full of threads and just let them lay on the top of the quilt in various places and it you like the contrast and color then use that thread. That is how I audition threads for my longarming work. I hope this helps

do you want to hand quilt or machine quilt? and have you ever adding binding? you may want to find some help on the binding being brought forward from the back (backing).
if hand quilting, i'd do some echo quilting around your cross stitches and perhaps some X designs down the sashings.

Ellen Maurer-Stroh is my favorite cross stitch designer. Her work is amazing and you have done justice to her design. I once quilted a group project with cross stitch designs just like yours. If you quilt only the sashing, the cross stitch may pop out more than you wish. I did a medium size meandering allover with a neutral color, just going slightly over the cross stitched areas to tame then down. Cross stitch is beautiful but when used in a quilt it takes a life on it own and is up to you to keep it under control. You can also do some echo quilting around the animal babies, or while keeping it well held, maybe by basting spray you can do straight lines around it. Start with a stitch in the ditch and move in with lines about 1/2 inch apart. Do maybe two or three lines in. You can then quilt the sashing any way you want.

Carla Barrett has some swirly designs that would be perfect in the sashings and maybe you could use a batting that doesn't require close quilting so you don't have to do anything within the cross-stitched blocks. If not, maybe just a simple circle around the embroidery in each.
http://featheredfibers.files.wordpre...d-berries1.jpg
http://featheredfibers.files.wordpre...nd-sashing.jpg

Beautiful!!!

Oh my.. that is stunning. We have some talented and creative quilters in here and I would talk with those who have had similar experience.. but I must say.. that is a breathtaking piece.

I think it would look good framed with a narrow border of your light fabric and finish with a wider border of the dark from the back. Here's an example of what I mean (different colors of course, but you get the idea).

I also would quilt just in your sashing to highlight the beautifully embroidered squares.

What a treasure you've created.

What a gorgeous quilt!

The cross stitch pieces are 9" square. I put a 4 1/2" med purple sash and a 4 1/2" square in each corner. Would like to incorporte a heart pattern in the light squares sewn with dark purple thread? Being new to the process of quilting I am not sure it will look right or how to go about it. I have just done one other quilt and it was the one for my sister with breast cancer and all I did there was stitch in the ditch. When I said that I was NEW to quilting I really meant as in no experience whatsoever in quilting, I would appreciate any help at all. I really want to make this quilt special for Cheyanne.

Absolutely beautiful!!

I've seen some quilters showcase the detail (i.e., your embroidery) using small stippling in the white area. Then they'd do a vine pattern or some such in the sashing. Good luck!

Beautiful!

Because it is hand cross-stitch, I would want to hand quilt it. Would outline quilt around each cross-stitch picture about 1/4-inch away; also 1/4" away from each border. Maybe cross-hatch quilt the background in each square.

I am very ignorant on quilting. what is cross-hatch? What color thread would you use to hand quilt the cross stitch pieces? The backing fabric is a solid dark purple.

I know to the experienced quilter these are stupid questions. I'm sorry in advance.

!!!beautufull!!!

is the white fabric aida? or regular fabric?

do you know how to hand quilt??? it would look cute to machine stitch in the sashing and then hand quilt in the white.

dont worry about matching the thread to the backing, use what is best for the front and let the back be whatever it turns out to be ;)

It is white aida. I don't know how to do quilt at all (hand nor machine). I teaching myself and would like to learn how to do both. Would it be possible to quilt the white around the babies just to the batting? Using white warm and natural (I think that is what it's call) batting and then do the purple backing. (a dummy here)

Gorgeous!!!

I would quilt the sashing and borders not the blocks. You could echo around the embroidery but I would jus tleave them. I would not heavily quilt as it will take away from those beautiful blocks.

Absolutely gorgeous, I would only quilt ing the sashing. I know the amount of work you put into the crocheting, and I wouldn't attempt to put quilting in the squares. The crocheting is all it needs.

A masterpiece. What a beautiful quilt. It will be treasured, I'm sure. No wonder it took so long to do. You did a great job.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Beautiful

That is beautiful!

I would do some echo quilting around the cross stitch figures. Maybe some wonky hearts in the light corner stones with a varigated lavender/purple thread. And use your dark purple of the backing for the binding. Add some borders as per Jo M depending on what finished size you desire. Great work.

I WOULD STITCH IN DITCH IT IS BEAUTIFUL LUCKY GRANDDAUGHTER

Adorable quilt, you did such a nice job on it, she's going to love and cherish it!

Lovely!

I can't imagine all the work that went into this one. Absolutely beautiful!!!

I agree, love the quilt.......

I think I would do Echoing around the cross stitch pictures, and a crosshatch or a very simple swirl in the sashings. IMHO I think if you did the meandering over the whole quilt then it may take away from the cross stitching It is an absolutely beautiful quilt and I'm sure whatever you do will only enhance it.

Hand or machine quilting would be ok, but I definitely agree with the rest of this response. You won't be happy if you don't quilt within the block and the 1/4 inch outline stitch around the pictures and then cross hatch or stipple or meander in the rest of the white area. Don't forget first to stitch in the ditch all sides of the borders horizontally and vertically for stabilizing the quilt. This is a gorgeous quilt and I wish you luck finishing this heirloom quilt.

I made a similar quilt top with pieces that a friend had cross stitched for her daughter. When I quilted it - by hand - I did a line of stitches around the stitched block edges and then down the center of the sashing. Worked wonderfully and I did not disturb any of the cross stitching.

Beautiful work - I am sure that she will cherish it forever.

that is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EHCO quilting to accent the beautiful work.
That is fabulous.
Stippling is to common for such a beautiful work.

I forgot how to add a picture, but if this works, here is a picture of a machine embroidered wall hanging with embroidery outlined and then stippled around. Hope this works