I guess it will depend on what it is used for.

I agree with you and it also depends on the batting you use. If you used Warm and Natural and quilted it very close it would be too stiff.

LAQ is o.k. I guess, but I am an old traditionalist. I piece and quilt by hand. Machine piecing probably holds up better, but hand piecing is my therapy.

I think all those heavily quilted "quilts" are beautiful BUT I think all those qults should be in a category called "Fiber Arts" (including those that are heavily embellished with all kinds of beads, metal objects, doo-dads, painting, etc.)

We lose sight of what a quilts true purpose is. To keep us and our loved ones warm.

I send my quilts out for "The Minimum Quilting" possible.

I do not like stippling at all.

edited to add: I always take thread to the quilter. Brand new thread maybe not the color we chose for my quilt but she always likes it.

I agree. I did not like the quilt on the cover of one of the recent quilt catalogs (Keepsakes?) but when I saw the quilt displayed inside with much less quilting, I thought it was beautiful. I think right now LAQ are still in the "let's see what can be done" mode. I sincerely doubt that it will become the "norm" of LAQ --too time consuming, too expensive, etc. etc. Just my thoughts.

I agree with the opinions of too much quilting. It gets my goat to see such beautifully pieced quilts in the magazines just ruined with every inch covered with quilting! This is overkill totally and I see no beauty in it. The quilts look so stiff and unpleasant to the touch that I just wonder at what the quilter was thinking. I have even emailed the editors but that is not going to change anything. Like many good things, they just get out of hand and ruin an otherwise lovely quilt.

Here, Here.

I'd say it just depends on the quilt. Sometimes less is more.

yes you can over quilt a quilt. I personally do not like so much quilting it makes them stiff. okay for wall hangings & place mats or table runners but not quilts I would like them to be somewhat soft. okay if it is a show piece.

I don't care for stiff quilts, and I've made a few! Don't take them out and use them 'cause they're not comfy. Pretty though!! I like the free flowing curves and loops of FMQ done simply and just close enough to assure that batting doesn't shift.

For a quilt that is going to get used a lot I ask for light quilting to keep the quilt softer, but for a display quilt I don't mind heavy quilting.... it is so beautiful to look at...

My sentements exactly. I have found, if youquilt heavily it takes away from the insulating components of the batting. It is the same principle of insulating your house. When you compact the insulation fabric you lose your insulating factor you start with, in other words you are defeating the purpose of you quilt being warm!

Do you really think anyone sleeps with some of those heavily quilted quilts??? I think most are just to look at, to oooooo and ahhhhhh over. Kind of like a status symbol.

I kind of agree with this. I would love to do more shows but I'm new to long arming and very bad at it. I want to finish a bunch of tops that I have but I keep thinking that if I quilt it, I wouldn't show it. I can't do all that intricate work and that's what I see as winning in ANYTHING. How can I compete even with a very well pieced quilt if I can't quilt it to death?

I think I am the odd woman out here. I love generous quilting when done in good taste with reference to the piecework. These quilts will wear forever. I feel a lot of quilts today are all about the fabric and colors. I think that is just 50% of the formula. I live in a cold climate and most quilts are not that warm any ways. A wool batting would not be stiff and is still warm and cuddly with closer quilting.

Talking about thread useage - besides learning quilting, I am also getting into machine embroidery - Over the weekend I saw a site selling digitized patterns of quilting blocks. These were not just a simple open pattern look (many of those are pretty for "a block" - but the whole of each block was stitched as we would use fabric - - the first thing that came to mind was - (A) can you imagine how expensive in thread that would be to make? (scraps being much cheaper) - and (B) the stiffness it would cause? I am sure somebody out there will love them and I think probably would have to be a wall hanging. But to me, it didn't seem too practical.
Marysewfun

I too am in favor of soft, snuggly quilts. I hand quilt.

BUT -- I just had a baby quilt done by Charismah and she did what I liked -- soft and snuggly with just enough machine quilting to be creative as well as tighten up the edges so if the parents want they can use it as a wall hanging until he grows enough to drag it aroung. I always put a sleeve on my quilts that I give just in case they want to hang it.

So I have changed my opion -- hard to do -- but I admit that both sides have a purpose.

Overdoing isn't good no mater what the siruation is

Mim

Some of the quilting I have seen is just stunning and some leaves me questioning the need to waste that much thread. I guess that beauty will always be in the eyes of the beholder

Some of the quilting I have seen is just stunning and some leaves me questioning the need to waste that much thread. I guess that beauty will always be in the eyes of the beholder

Like anything it's in the eye of the beholder. Personally I don't like a overdue of anything.

I agree :)

My thoughts exactly=-=-too much sometimes and that's all you see is the quilting and the quilt is lost in thread. To me it looses what a quilt is supposed to be unless it is show piece anyway.

I like you even more kwhite!

The last show I had something in that I was able to attend the professional long armer that did the quilts that took the highest honors. It's ok but not fair really. I suggested to the show they have a separate categories--they do for hand quilting.

I feel the excessive quilting takes the comfort out of it. I like the quilting to enhance, not hide the top. The competition quilts are overdone IMO.

Many of the older quilts were quilted closely together because I don't think they had batting that would be able to stay together like we do today. I also know what you mean about too much thread. These should be art quilts.

Personally, I don't like close machine quilting. As far as that goes, I'm not too keen of machine quilting anywhoo. When I fell into "modern" quilting, I was astonished that quilts were pieced on machines. Geesh, I'm old! "Everyone to their own taste" said the old lady as she kissed the cow. :lol:

The quilts in a Longarm competition are being judged on the QUILTING. It's a quilting competition, not a quilt competition. The ones that are shown are just for show. Do you think that someone who just won thousands of dollars for her quilt would put in on a bed? I don't think so.
Just remember which show you are at and enjoy the beauty of these items.
They are showing what can be done. It doesn't mean that you have to do it.
Just think where we would be in the quilting world if no one tried machine quilting in the first place. Hand quilting is not for me and never will be. That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the beauty of it.
We all have likes and dislikes. It doesn't make one thing or the other wrong, just not what we care for.
Enjoy the differences we all have, and create!

love the dogs!!!

Depends what it is used for as to how much thread, I think. if it is a wall piece it probably stands up better if it is stiffer and more sturdy.

Too much is too much. I like intricate quilting but not to the point that it overcomes the top itself. If you want to do that do a whole cloth quilt.

I agree with Qbee. It really depends on what the quilt will be used for. If you are entering it in a show to be judged, they seem to like more quilting, even if it makes it stiff. However, if it will be used as a comfy quilt on a bed or a lap quilt, etc., then less quilting is better, as it makes it soft and warm, but still hold the batt from shifting. I do agree with you that a LOT of close quilting makes the quilt stiff and I'm not a fan of that.

one of the quandaries of modern quilting world. new categories need to be created to give credit to both the seamtress & the LA quilter. equally, I think, if the quilting plays such a significant part to the overall effect. I think so many of them are works of art & not "quilts". there are some beautiful creations out there !

I do my own quilting. For myself I like a minium of quilting. But I am so glad that not everyone like the same things I do. I am glad that each of us can be unique in what we do and like. I do not plan to enter my quilts in a judging show bc I like to be me and not quilt to please a judge.

ditto I agree...........

Any quilt I make for the bedroom I quilt it heavily ( just meander or spirals or such. I do this because our dogs sleep on the bed and I have found if it is heavily quilted they don't seem to tear them up

I think the 'soft and bendy' result, is why I prefer to tie my quilts. I have been experimenting with machine quilting, and I am just not happy with my results. I shake too much.

I guess it's all a matter of taste. Check out the book "Quilting makes the Quilt". It's a good thing we don't all like the same thing.

BTW, I've had several textile experts tell me, and read in different sources, that the above statement is NOT true, that it is a self-perpetuating Old Wives Tale along the lines of "You can't go swimming while having your period" and "Cats will suffocate a newborn".

I know I have said this before. After I work for weeks on a quilt. I don't expect the LAQ to get the credit on my work. I am also a LAQ and I just do freehand and simple. I like for my quilting to disappear into the quilt and just give it the extra finish.

The object is the quilt and the quilting should only enhance the main subject. All you hard work is lost with all that heavy quilting.

I think most longarm quilting is too much. I guess if I could do that freemotion I would want to just keep on quilting. But too much does make the quilt stiff, even though the quilting is beautifully done. But sometimes I think the machine quilting takes away from the patchwork.