Advice on how to quilt this
 

Hello everyone,

I completed this flimsy using a panel that my son loves (he loves birds), and I'm not sure how best to quilt it. I really don't want to obscure the picture on the panel in any way, if I can avoid it. (I was burnt once with a panel quilt which was quilted by someone else, and the choice of pattern and thread just completely wrecked the look of the panel...once bitten, twice shy!) I can't afford to send it out and I'm not good enough with FMQ to brave that with this piece - so I'm kind of stuck with walking foot quilting at this point. I know there are lots of ideas for that but I'm really struggling to picture what sort of quilting pattern would work well, and not wreck the panel picture. I don't want it high density, for sure, and I can picture it looking good with a large meander...but again, I'm stuck with walking foot quilting at the moment.

Any advice on what to do? I know my options are a bit limited, but "it is what it is" and I'm trying to work within them. :) I'm planning on it being a wall hanging, if that helps any.

Thanks so much for any words of wisdom!

Oops...hoping the picture attaches this time. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/hug.gif

Figuring out the quilting design is a big hurdle for me. I understand your concerns, a lot of time my review of my finished pieces is "another perfectly fine top ruined by inadequate quilting", my friends tell me a bit harsh but I'm really the only one that counts!

I'd probably be working with the vertical lines of the trunks in the panel, whether following them or echoing them. Do you have any fancy stitch options, like a serpentine or something vine-y? Just to hold that panel down and then do something related but a bit more complex/stabilizing in the rest of the top.

And the top is lovely! It is going to be good no matter what you do, it is made with love and will be received with love.

As another option, with my vision issues I have problems seeing/following markings so I will buy pantographs which I then copy onto parchment paper and sew through everything. It's still Free Motion quilting, but it gives me better results than either marking the top or by free handing. So if you wanted to try that, something like this would be a good all over option and pretty easy design.
https://www.urbanelementz.com/bird-on-the-wind.html

I would most likely do some straight line ruler work on it designing it like I would design a crazy quilt pattern. Small sections no more than 1" apart and changing direction from time to time to follow some of the direction in the panel. This is a beautiful and it is always the quilters choice. This one screams ruler work to me.

I agree with straight lines. If you use a silver or light beige thread it should not distract from the panel, but only add texture.

Straight vertical lines was also the first thing I thought of when I saw your picture. I like wesing's idea for thread color or you might consider a clear monofilament thread.

When I Quilt panels I try to just ( highlight) the features of the panel. Almost thread painting, add vines to leaves, feathers to birds, trace tree branches, add cloud lines in the sky etc.

Could you do straight line quilting that would make it look like a window pane - kind of like those attic window quilts divide the quilt into "sections"

you can do some gentle curves with your walking foot. I would make them int he general vertical direction. it would coordinate with the flow of the trees in the background.

Nice quilt! I haven't been brave enough to make something out of a panel, even though I collect them!
I only knew how to SID before discovering this wonderful board featuring a wealth of knowledge and encouragement. Now, painter's tape is my straight line guide. (don't sew over it---ask how I know!) I made a giraffe quilt for a recovery quilt for my cousin in the hospital. I used the 2 inch wide tape and just stitched vertically. here's a pic.

I would do, as others have suggested, vertical lines - inside the panel. I have no experience with doing 1/2" to 1" strips. I would do two inches or so, if you are using a batting that allows wide quilting space such as warm and natural. If I was brave, I would attempt to follow the lines of the tree trunks. I would use a disappearing thread on top and a thread that blends with the backing in the bobbin. I would sew on the line around both sides of the "picture frame". I would outline the squares on the sides. I would do something different on the border area outside the bird squares - maybe a diagonal strip or something that undulates if your machine has that stitch (doing that well freehand is difficult).
Good luck and let us see your result.
bkay

Thanks so much for all the great advice! Of course, vertical lines through the panel makes so much sense. I prefer less dense quilting anyway so I like the idea of 2" spacing. And it's time for me to venture into invisible thread, I think.

Thanks again, ladies, you are a wealth of knowledge, ideas, and support!

Love this idea, gentle vertical curves like wood. It eliminates the burden of getting stitching lines exactly the same across the quilt.