Fine Pickle I Got Myself In
05-07-2019, 03:53 AM
#21
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Heart of Colorado's majestic mountains!
Posts: 6,026
I really like your quilt! The design is just great. I think the idea of straight line quilting is a great place for a 'beginner' to start. For one thing, your stitches will be regulated and even because the feed dogs are engaged.
There are lots of ways to determine your lines for stitching. You can use painters tape or tiger tape and move it from place to place. You can draw with Crayola Ultra clean markers and just wash it out. If you use red thread in the red, blue in the blue and white in the white areas, the stitching will show the quilting but will not be obvious enough to show any 'bobbles. Your quilt is really pretty and the piecing looks so nice that I am sure that you will do very well with the quilting. Please don't be fearful-just jump in and do it. Don't forget to show us again later.
There are lots of ways to determine your lines for stitching. You can use painters tape or tiger tape and move it from place to place. You can draw with Crayola Ultra clean markers and just wash it out. If you use red thread in the red, blue in the blue and white in the white areas, the stitching will show the quilting but will not be obvious enough to show any 'bobbles. Your quilt is really pretty and the piecing looks so nice that I am sure that you will do very well with the quilting. Please don't be fearful-just jump in and do it. Don't forget to show us again later.
05-07-2019, 04:15 AM
#22
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,816
I made my first quilt at 65 or so, so you're not alone. I've used invisible thread to quilt with a walking foot. I used Gutermann that I purchased at JoAnn's as the top thread and matched my backing with the bobbin thread. (I used regular polyester thread there. The quilt was an I spy quilt, so had lots of colors.) I had to adjust my top thread tension a little, but that was the only problem. It worked out fine. I would suggest that whatever you do, do it in long, long strips. By that I mean, don't do a lot of starts and stops where you have to tie and bury the thread ends. That thread is wiry and hard to tie. So, plan your pattern so that it goes from one side all the way to the other side if you can.
You'll have to do some quilting inside the block or it won't hold up to washing. I might go with your pattern of the two lines in the sashing, but go all the way across with no stops and starts. Then, depending on the space I had to cover, I'd do a set of two lines across the blocks or two sets of two lines.
If you use painters tape to mark your lines, don't sew over it. It's a bear to get off after you sew over it. Sew beside it.
I'm trying to make sense, here: I'd start in one corner and go all the way across the quilt. Then I'd come back going in the opposite direction. Make sure your pressure on the presser foot is reduced, too. You don't want it to "push" the quilt top. I use about 7 or 8 stitches per inch, so that's a pretty long stitch. Make a small quilt sandwich with anything you have, as long as it's cotton, to double check everything is correct before you start on the real thing.
Think of it this way: With invisible thread, the quilting won't stand out. Your blocks will be the "star of the show".
bkay
You'll have to do some quilting inside the block or it won't hold up to washing. I might go with your pattern of the two lines in the sashing, but go all the way across with no stops and starts. Then, depending on the space I had to cover, I'd do a set of two lines across the blocks or two sets of two lines.
If you use painters tape to mark your lines, don't sew over it. It's a bear to get off after you sew over it. Sew beside it.
I'm trying to make sense, here: I'd start in one corner and go all the way across the quilt. Then I'd come back going in the opposite direction. Make sure your pressure on the presser foot is reduced, too. You don't want it to "push" the quilt top. I use about 7 or 8 stitches per inch, so that's a pretty long stitch. Make a small quilt sandwich with anything you have, as long as it's cotton, to double check everything is correct before you start on the real thing.
Think of it this way: With invisible thread, the quilting won't stand out. Your blocks will be the "star of the show".
bkay
Last edited by bkay; 05-07-2019 at 04:31 AM.
05-07-2019, 05:29 AM
#23
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Join Date: May 2019
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 110
Originally Posted by ruby2shoes
I would stitch around the stars in the white sections with white thread and also around the white centre squares. White thread on white fabric......very, very forgiving and actually, swivelling your work ever so slightly to "follow" the star points is very doable....just take your time and check your backing for bunching each time you've swivelled...but if you've basted fastidiously (and that is an absolute must in your preparation for quilting) that shouldn't be a problem and as you get comfortable with the process it will become easier and easier. I agree, red stitching through the red and the blue...it'll provide a nice contrast when the eye rests on the red stitching across the blue. Walking foot quilting can be very versatile; check out Jacquie Gerings' books and you tubes...she's brilliant and very clear with her instructions. Good luck, you'll be fine and your quilt will look fabulous.
I might add at this point in time I am angsting over exactly the same problem. I have a quilt top of very contrasting colours and I have a gazillion different coloured threads laid out across it auditioning for me. It drives me nuts!!!!!
I might add at this point in time I am angsting over exactly the same problem. I have a quilt top of very contrasting colours and I have a gazillion different coloured threads laid out across it auditioning for me. It drives me nuts!!!!!
- Maybe it’s because I’m a newbie but things are always harder then I think they’re going to be
- Sometimes what I Know will look perfect in my mind doesn’t look as good in reality
Great advice. Thank you!
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 05-07-2019 at 05:37 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps
05-07-2019, 05:35 AM
#24
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Join Date: May 2019
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 110
Originally Posted by illinois
I like your idea of the stitching across the red sashing. My choice in the blocks would be stitch in the ditch around the stars and around that center white piece. And, yes, you can use transparent thread. Some don't like it but I've used it on several kid quilts and it has held up well. Is this the quilt that has satin in it?? (There was one recently.) Be careful of quilting on the satin as the needle pokes holes that may not be so desirable and I suppose could end up with those pieces fraying out. Good job on this one as it is very striking in color and pattern!
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 05-07-2019 at 05:45 AM. Reason: language
05-07-2019, 06:39 AM
#26
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,857
Since you are fairly new, why not do something fairly easy (save difficult for when you gain confidence). Using a walking foot you can easily do a wide wavy line down the red sashing. If you like that look, you could then do another wavy line down the center of the blocks. Doing this allows you to gently 'swerve' the top rather than make turns. Another idea would be the waves in the red and then do a square within the block. Make it just inside the blue seam so it is a bit less than half size of the block. I am not a fan of stitch in the ditch nor of heavy all over quilting. And I think this would be adequate to hold everything together and not make you crazy!!
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 05-07-2019 at 12:14 PM. Reason: shouting/all caps
05-07-2019, 07:05 AM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,184
Originally Posted by Libits
I don’t know how far I can quilt with this batting but I did get it at a reputable quilting store. I’ve done stitch in the ditch with much smaller projects. How is echo stitching different? From what I can tell it’s stitch out of the ditch…like a straight stitch beside a seam maybe ¼” away?
I prefer to stay away from a lot of quilting because I know that makes them stiff. My brother has a quilt an old high school friend made for him. It’s gorgeous but it takes 2 grown men to bend it around him. I want something to cuddle up and watch Netflix with.
How about something like this?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]612543[/ATTACH]
I prefer to stay away from a lot of quilting because I know that makes them stiff. My brother has a quilt an old high school friend made for him. It’s gorgeous but it takes 2 grown men to bend it around him. I want something to cuddle up and watch Netflix with.
How about something like this?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]612543[/ATTACH]
05-07-2019, 05:29 PM
#30
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 153
Originally Posted by Libits
Simple is the place where I'm at right now. If I do the lines through the red, obviously I would use red thread but do I have to do it all over again when I go through the blue with blue thread? How about transparent thread? I'm trying to avoid maneuvering this quilt too much because it's so cumbersome. (What person in their right mind decides to start quilting at age 65??)
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