It seems as Long Arm Quilting becomes more and more accessible, the amount of quilting seen on laq quilts has exploded. I have to sometimes wonder if the quilting is trying to outdo the piecing/fabric/design. I am not a laq and I am not taking potshots at those of you who are, but I just wondered if anyone else ever thought about this. I am not convinced that having quilting on every piece of the fabric that is visible is necessarily the "best way"--I tend to feel like it becomes "one upmanship" between piecer and quilter.
Do you think as we get past the initial rapture of now being able to quilt as much as we want to/can, that there will be more balance? Perhaps I'm the only one who thinks it is often out of balance???

LAQ do what the customers want. So as to whether there will be more balance? Who is to say what the next trend will be. I have done both, little quilting and a lot of quilting. It really depends on the quilt for me.

Oh I agree completely. I feel the quilting is to enhance the quilt, not take over it. Personally I prefer to SID because it doesn't detract from the design and is easier for me to do.

I personally don't like a lot of quilting on MY quilts. I have seen some very beautiful quilts that are COVERED in quilting though! I wonder if they are more for show? I think the more dense the quilting is the stiffer the quilt becomes, I wouldn't want to lay under a "blanket" of thread. I might hang it on my wall though.

To each their own though right?

I have done both, and I prefer a moderate amount of quilting rather than lots. Let the fabrics and pattern show. We all have different tastes, which makes it interesting~

I like all kind of quilting. Minimal to maximum. I'm not picky!

I don't think it is good for the quilting to overpower the pieced design. Rather the quilting should enhance and compliment the pieced design. Wholecloth quilting on the other hand is a showcase for the quilting itself and the quilting IS the focal point.

I have seen some quilts at shows where I felt like the quilting would have been better suited to wholecloth rather than a pieced quilt.

On the other hand, especially on this board, I have seen some absolutely gorgeous quilts with exquisite quilting that enhanced the pieced quilt way beyond what it was initially.

So, yes, I do think the quilting can 'make or break' the quilt. And sometimes it can be too much of a good thing. But when the balance is there it is totally awesome.

I have seen some of the top quilts at the top shows and it is an investment in the thread company for sure. I enjoy looking at it and can understand it. When I start machine quilting I have to remember to space out the design or the quilt gets so stiff you loose the "cuddle factor"

I think a lot of that "perfect" stitching is done on the computerized machines....

but some to me look like the ones at Cracker Barrel - the quilting is the thing or something....

I like a little of this, a little of that, some fancy feathers, a little bit of curlicues, etc but not that overwhelming fill every spot stuff..

I do a reasonable amount of SID (because that is all I know how to do) and I love the "floppy" fee; of the finished quilt. Now I signed up for a quilting class series (8 classes) and I hope I won't go crazy. Not too crazy about the stiff feel of an over-stippled look.