GULCquilter

I have made a quilt top using the French Roses pattern from Heather French. It's going to be a baby gift for friends of ours who are having a baby girl, to be named Rose. I have the top done, back done, and the whole thing basted, but I am struggling with how to quilt it. I have never FMQ'd (and don't want to try for the first time on a gift for someone!), but I can't figure out how to effectively quilt this quilt with straight lines. I'll try to upload a photo of the actual quilt later, but it basically looks like this, but smaller (4 squares x 4 squares):

http://www.sewrightfabrics.com/2011/...een-up-to.html

The roses go too close to the edge of the square to quilt 1/4 inch from the edge of each square without sewing lines over some of the leaves. Stitch in the ditch won't provide enough coverage because the squares are 9 inches, so the quilting would be quite far apart. I've thought about going over the stitches that I did to sew down the petals, but that wouldn't make for a very attractive back.

Any thoughts? I don't have the time to send it to a professional quilter since the shower is next Saturday (unless someone reading this is in the DC metro area and could do it during the first half of this week!!!)

Tartan

​If you want to quilt only using straight ​lines, how about stitching across the quilt in several directions dividing the roses kind of like pizza slices? If you did decide to try FMQ, I would do a spiral in each rose.

Handcraftsbyjen

Since the soft edge appliqué adds so much to the designs, I wouldn't quilt over the edges of the flowers. I'd probably do a spiral or circle in the centers on the flowers and then stitch vertical and horizontal rows between then flowers and do something simple in the borders....sitd even.

sandyl

GULC; I just finished my French Roses quilt. I hand quilted around several of the rose pieces. I echo quilted a couple (not always the same one) of the sizes on each rose pattern. So I didn't stitch outside the larger rose but rather several of the smaller ones. Then I did a leaf pattern on the borders. Hope this helps. I love this pattern, btw.
Sandy

PenniF

I cannot think of the name of the batting - but it's one of the ones they sell at JoAnns - allows quilting up to 10" apart....if you SID around the squares - then knotted in the center of the roses just to be "safe".....?????

mary quilting

warm and natural or warm and white