Originally Posted by
thepolyparrot
Thank you all - I was so sick of this thing that I had to put it away a couple of times for a few days, and it's a relief to have it done!
I did as much of the applique on the brown borders as I could do before I sewed it to the center, and that cut back on the cussin'.
I think I will outline all the applique for sure, and I like the ideas for some kind of star rays and a small filler stitch in the cream and natural areas.
The rays won't cross over any applique, so that would be a lot of starts and stops, but it could be interesting, especially where rays are crossing over each other. Maybe that would end up being the filler in the middle?
I'll keep cooking on it.
I’m not an expert, but I do have strong opinions on quilting. Definitely outline the appliqué design.
If you are not afraid of a lot of stops and starts, I would divide the quilt in fourths and have parallel straight lines in the background coming at a diagonal from the center towards each of the 4 corners without crossing that initial grid. This will give the feeling of radiating from the center, without the thread build up from too many lines starting in the same place. The diagonal parallel lines as background for the appliqué will give this a very traditional look.
Then, within the diamonds that make up each star: start at the center(ish — avoiding the center circles) and do a basic curved leaf shape with the point near the diamond point, then echo that shape inside to fill (starting each echo in a diamond at the same point as the first one). If you have Angela Waters’ Shape by Shape, this is her “Diamond 3”.
This gives you straight lines where you have curved appliqué and rounded lines where you have geometric stars.
If you add a light border, I would do a continuous design around the border that suggests your appliqué shapes.
Your top is beautiful and whatever you do to quilt it will be amazing.