I haven't read through all the in-put .... so I hope this doesn't bog-down your process:
Just a suggestion: Don't start marking on the quilt top itself until you are sure of what you want.... I've been there, done that, and regretted all the confusing markings by the time I got what I wanted.... long message here, but stick with me ....
A few years ago, our storm-door got ripped out of shape by a terrible wind storm: husband replaced our storm door ... I kept the old door (for why???? Who knows!!) Two years later I finally found a use for it....
I recently was having your trouble plotting out a quilting idea for a veeeery special grandma-to-be's gift quilt .... and I didn't want to start marking up the top until I was SURE what I wanted ..... AHAAA! Plan B
I took apart that old storm door ...saved the two metal- trimmed glass parts ... threw the rest in the recycle bins .....
I cleaned them up and used them to place over my quilt top (laid out on the carpet) and then used dry-erase pens /crayons to plot out my hand quilting pattern ....
My first-plan try was a bust ... I tried at least three or more different configurations/combinations .... but I finally got exactly what I wanted ..... and it was nothing like my original thoughts -- Just playing around, many ideas evolved .... marking on the glass freed me up to NOT be afraid to experiment, to move from the expected to something more unique since everything was "temporary" anyway..... I found gaps where I needed to cross-hatch, and some spots that needed softened with arcs and swirls ..... some spots I traced around large cookie-cutters to make a certain inside-joke statement .....
'Twas better making mistakes on the glass panes than on the quilt top itself....
I found that using just one huge glass pane at one corner of the quilt gave me a good idea of what I was working with, but since I wanted different things in different quadrants I was able to move from section to section and work it out .....
Sorry I don't have digital camera capabilities, or I would show you what I mean..... The quilt turned out lovely; I was pleased; and grandma-to-be was impressed....
Now I look forward to that part of the process .... instead of saying "what was I thinking?" .... I just don't think to hard at that point any more .... I just doodle ...... and things flow ....
Have fun .... the total journey in quilting is fun all the way. The marking-for-quilting is just another fun step along the way.
Your quilt is already a beauty .... and it will only get better and better .... hang in there ... Play with it ...... and don't let it become a UFO ....
Originally Posted by QuiltnCowgirl
Originally Posted by klgreene
Originally Posted by QuiltnCowgirl
Please help me figure this out & decide what to do.
Assignment: Machine Quilt a Thinking Outside the Block wallhanging. (40" x 40")
Equipment: Singer 403.
Operator skill: SITD & straight stitching, maybe a wide curve here & there.
What would you do? How would you quilt this wallhanging?
I did one last fall. I just SITD, but I made my strips smaller. They are about 1" wide. I like the way it turned out. I'm a SITD'er and straight stitcher too. If you want you add some contrast with straight stitch you could do a large zigzag (not the machine stitch) but starting at one corner of the strip, stitch at an angle. Do that one every other strip. Or continue that with turning it into x's, which look like diamonds. But only on the every other strip. Then you could leave the other strips alone, or do something else in those strips. Does that make any sense. It is so much easier to just draw it than describe it.
Not to worry - I understand what you are saying. I like both ideas. Thanks for giving me something to play with & draw out to see how I like it.