Eye Spy Quilt - need help deciding how to quilt
 

I just finished this Eye Spy Quilt top for my grandson's first birthday (it's not until October) and I have purchased the Minkee backing, but am not sure how to quilt it, what thread to use, etc. Do I FMQ each individual octagon? Do I have it LAQ'd? Do I do SID around the octagons? What colours of thread should I use? HELP!! BTW, the dots on the backing are 1 1/4" across.

I dont know the answers but I love your quilt! I am just getting ready to start an I spy myself, so just loving this. I have been collecting prints- looks like you found some gooders! In fact I think I have a few matches LOL

I'm a boring stitch in the ditch- er, so I can't help with the quilting. I Love I-Spy's and Love your quilt!

I think with busy quilts, especially one like this (SO CUTE by the way!), I tend to do a meander or something that won't take center stage. You want the fabrics to SHINE! I think I would use a tan or grey thread. You will be surprised at how it kind of 'disappears' and you get to see a nice texture. VERY cute! (my fav tip for machine quilting? practice on a white board till you like what you see. You should have SEEN my 1st feathers ACK! What you don't like, you get to ERASE! Don't put your elbow down, you are teaching your shoulder and arm the motion.) don't forget to post finished pictures too!

I have 2 grandsons who would LOVE the quilt. it isn't going to matter, except to you, how you quilt it, this one will be well loved.

Ok, I think that being a newbie and not knowing what the heck I am doing, I too am doing an I spy quilt. I didn't realize that it was more organized then it should be. I just pieced what ever pictures I had together in very odd shapes so it is very hodge podge. I got almost done and realized that I wasn't sure how to straighten it up. So I went and bought material 1 1/2 yard and I sewed my hodge podge on it. I am now going to piece it together and get it done so I can take it with me to Australia on mid-March. I will post a picture when I am finished.
I love what you did on yours and if I ever do another one I am going to be more organized and make blocks instead.

i would do a large meandering across it- remember with minkee to lengthen your stitch length- and baste very very well- it is stretchy- you need to smooth-without stretching.
an all over edge to edge meandering would work well- as for color----the thread will pretty much disappear in the minkee (sink in) i would use a medium gray or cream which tends to blend in well with most fabrics instead of standing out.

I would sandwhich a sample and see whats easier. I recently worked with minky for stockings and found that no matter how much I pinned it still took some time because it liked to slip. I would think the small your quilting is the more difficult it may be cause minky doesn't stay still. That being said I'm interested how your doing the binding? I also just did a quilt with minky and I had to do almost 1/2 seams because again it liked to slip no matter how many pins. Turned out great in the end. Please dont think I'm trying to discourge you at all just curious if your handing it different and I can learn from it. My daughter loves minky and so I'm not done dealing with it lol!! Thanks!

LOVE your quilt - I am no help on how to do it - I usually take mine to a quilter here and she decides lol Just looking at it though I think I would just go around enach shape-otherwise I think you may lose some of the definition of the pictures-Also if you do too much quilting in the word section you wont be able to read that either. Just my opinion - I have never worked with minky before though - let us know what you decide - I am very curious - thanks for sharing

if it's for a young child who will love it love it, to death, like the Velveteen Rabbit, simply do an allover pattern to hold it together well. That way it can handle all that love.