SoSewSue

Please let me rant for a moment...

What is with all the "quilt as desired" instructions? Patterns go to great lengths to tell you what fabric / colour/ size and method you should use to assemble the quilt top and then 38 instruction steps later say "quilt as desired". As if whatever you do from now on won't really make a difference. Magazine patterns often state (from my observations) "quilt was quilted with an overall stipple" when clearly (if you tilt the picture just so...) it wasn't. It's like half of the whole quilt making process is getting swept under the carpet. (yes I realise that fabric companies sponsor most patterns and once the top is made they are happy - but surely the quilting industry / art form is more advanced than that by now).

I realise it is very trendy right now to say there are no quilt police and you should do want you want - but this supposes that I understand all the options - and the resulting effect of each option. From my limited observations (being a very new quilter ) - it appears to me that quilt designs can make or break a quilt top. Sometimes the designs enhance and sometimes they overpower and sometimes they totally let down the quilt top - yet I struggle to find any kind of analysis of what works with which design - or better yet the impact or effect a quilt design has on a certain pattern.

Is there a source / book / guru / divine light that can help me with this ? I dream of a book which shows many different pieced patterns done with multiple quilt designs so one can see the impact of different quilting styles.

Or am I over-analysing /over-agonising and it really won't make that much of a difference ?