Are Feathers Over Done?
09-12-2011, 06:46 AM
#131
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cashton WI
Posts: 1,125
Suebee I agree.
The batting choice is a big contibutor here. I love a dense quilted quilt with Cotton batting it is so soft.
When we use a poly batting (it is to hot I have to say first off) but it give a totally different feel.
The batting choice is a big contibutor here. I love a dense quilted quilt with Cotton batting it is so soft.
When we use a poly batting (it is to hot I have to say first off) but it give a totally different feel.
09-12-2011, 06:47 AM
#132
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Kenova,West Virginia
Posts: 1,033
I like soft and cuddly quilts, some that I see look like they are stiff from so much quilting. Some of the quilting on quilts here are amazing!! But all you see is the quilting.Some people like it that way.
Sooooo as Sadiemae said "Whatever floats your boat! Do what makes you happy!"
Sooooo as Sadiemae said "Whatever floats your boat! Do what makes you happy!"
09-12-2011, 06:54 AM
#133
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Battle Creek, MI
Posts: 694
I love feathers and don't think they are ever too many or to dense to suit me. I always tell my quilter, that I love them, but they can be the final decision, since they know more about the process than me. I tend to prefer close quilting.
09-12-2011, 06:55 AM
#134
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4,039
Originally Posted by be a quilter
Originally Posted by k3n
Originally Posted by be a quilter
Originally Posted by suebee
If one likes dense quilting, whether or not its a show quilt, then whats the big deal? If you dont like it, then dont do it or have it done. Pretty simple. Thats what makes us all unique. How boring would it be if all quilts were handquilted or all quilts were SID or all quilts had minimal quilting? By the way...feathers are a blast to do, oh..did I mention I love them? Do what you like or what makes you happy, but bashing others because you dont like it. well thats just silly. Have fun and Happy Quilting to all.
09-12-2011, 06:57 AM
#135
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Desert Hot Springs Ca
Posts: 2,633
I agree, sometimes the quilting is so dense that it takes away from the design of the top and all you really see is the quilting. I prefer just enough quilting to keep the batting from shifting, that way the quilt top design is what you see .
09-12-2011, 07:05 AM
#136
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Spring Green,WI
Posts: 14,637
I was just up covering a quilt with feathers and think I may have found the problem of why feathers can take over.
My feathers are blending in. I am using a fine thread and I am and usually use a thread that blends well. I normally pick the thread even on other people's quilts. But I choose a thread that blends so that anything I quilt on their wonderful tops will enhances their quilt but does not take over and is not the first thing you see. You have to get close to most of my quilts to see the quilting, even my own where I can go outrageous. It is like a secondary design not the main thing.
I have had people specify thread in bright contrasting colors and I warn them it is going to show. If you pay the extra money for feathers you want them to enhance but not take over usually.
The opposite problem I have encountered was a beautiful top in a quilt show, gorgeous colors, beautiful piecing, with the large background pieces meandered. I was so sadden that this gorgeous wonderfully done quilt did not have feathers that gave beauty and specialness to that area. But of course I wanted them to lurk in the background and only be seen when you were close to the quilt.
I hope you will look at the quilts where you do not like feathers and find out why they are taking over the patchwork. Then work with your longarmer to avoid that. It is as simple as telling her to make sure the quilting does not overpower the patchwork you have done.
My feathers are blending in. I am using a fine thread and I am and usually use a thread that blends well. I normally pick the thread even on other people's quilts. But I choose a thread that blends so that anything I quilt on their wonderful tops will enhances their quilt but does not take over and is not the first thing you see. You have to get close to most of my quilts to see the quilting, even my own where I can go outrageous. It is like a secondary design not the main thing.
I have had people specify thread in bright contrasting colors and I warn them it is going to show. If you pay the extra money for feathers you want them to enhance but not take over usually.
The opposite problem I have encountered was a beautiful top in a quilt show, gorgeous colors, beautiful piecing, with the large background pieces meandered. I was so sadden that this gorgeous wonderfully done quilt did not have feathers that gave beauty and specialness to that area. But of course I wanted them to lurk in the background and only be seen when you were close to the quilt.
I hope you will look at the quilts where you do not like feathers and find out why they are taking over the patchwork. Then work with your longarmer to avoid that. It is as simple as telling her to make sure the quilting does not overpower the patchwork you have done.
09-12-2011, 07:23 AM
#138
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: West Columbia, S.C.
Posts: 739
I have not read this entire thread, so if I add more of the same, I apologize up front.
I am so conflicted when it comes to this quilting issue. I love the look of professionally done quilts, but I agree that way too many of them are over done with the feathers (square, round, borders etc) and I think they detract from the beauty of the quilt which they should have enhanced.
On the other hand, I also think that the overdone quilting can make a less than professionally pieced quilt look spectacular and the novice looking at the quilt will not see the piecing but the quilting.
Most times I think that the quilter is outshining the piecer and that shouldn't be the case unless you are both and that is the way you want it.
I am so conflicted when it comes to this quilting issue. I love the look of professionally done quilts, but I agree that way too many of them are over done with the feathers (square, round, borders etc) and I think they detract from the beauty of the quilt which they should have enhanced.
On the other hand, I also think that the overdone quilting can make a less than professionally pieced quilt look spectacular and the novice looking at the quilt will not see the piecing but the quilting.
Most times I think that the quilter is outshining the piecer and that shouldn't be the case unless you are both and that is the way you want it.
09-12-2011, 07:23 AM
#139
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 962
Originally Posted by tealfalcon
Originally Posted by Shadow
I agree..too much of a good thing. There was a quilt pic posted the other day and all I could was the quilting! Even on a close-up, I couldn't make out the quilt pattern. I wonder if any of these quilts drape as I think they should
I happen to to love feathers and I love heavily quilted and don't have a problem with them being any less soft. I haven to agree with some people that there seems to be some bashing.....such as calling out a bargello recently posted with feathers. .....I think there are plenty of la's that everyone can be happy.....if you don't like someones style don't use her....I choose to appreciate the craft of quilting as art and find beauty in every quilt.....just like a painter is a artist they also have a wide range of styles.
09-12-2011, 07:29 AM
#140
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nawth o' Boston
Posts: 1,879
We are designing with machines which can quilt the life out of a quilt top or make it more beautiful. Gaudinski and Hargraves have done stunningly beautiful machine quilting which enhance bedding as well as art.
I think that most people in this posting have remarked on heavy quilting rather than the feather pattern in particular. What technical choices can we make in quilting which increase the enhancement?
I saw a couple posts about choice of batting and threads. How about more thought on how to choose an appropriate design? We can't just stop this discussion at 'personal choice'. There must be some design principle informing the choices. When an LAQ posts a completed quilt it is always interesting to learn what choices were made and why. Maybe someone can round this up into a sensible guidepost.
My own thought is that when you have to fill a border, feathers are probably an easy way to fill in all the space as you cruise down the fabric lane, resulting in a soft and gentle looking pattern which conforms to the border shape so defines it. Same for filling triangles. Since I never filled anything with a curved shape in my quilting life I have no clue and that is a wild guess. What do you quilting pros think?
I think that most people in this posting have remarked on heavy quilting rather than the feather pattern in particular. What technical choices can we make in quilting which increase the enhancement?
I saw a couple posts about choice of batting and threads. How about more thought on how to choose an appropriate design? We can't just stop this discussion at 'personal choice'. There must be some design principle informing the choices. When an LAQ posts a completed quilt it is always interesting to learn what choices were made and why. Maybe someone can round this up into a sensible guidepost.
My own thought is that when you have to fill a border, feathers are probably an easy way to fill in all the space as you cruise down the fabric lane, resulting in a soft and gentle looking pattern which conforms to the border shape so defines it. Same for filling triangles. Since I never filled anything with a curved shape in my quilting life I have no clue and that is a wild guess. What do you quilting pros think?
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