If you think there is even a remote possibility that you might enter your quilt in a judged contest, are there penalities for the fact that your design in FMQ has the stitching crossing over itself? As in loops and in leaves and flowers, not in cross-hatching.

Your quilts are being judged and compared to others in the category. If others quilts do not have errors present and the FMQ technique is carried out better, then it goes to figure that their quilt would receive better scoring.

I think the only FMQ that is not supposed to cross is meander/stipple. Loops, leaves, flowers etc, all can cross. it's my understanding that they are looking for consistency, and how the quilting enhances the quilt.

Right ... but if the crossing over was done consistently across the pattern, it would probably look like it was designed that way.

Like I said, it depends on the "technique".

Depends on the judge too!

Cross hatching wouldn't be considered FMQ!!!

Judging has a lot of variables ... and you need to know what is being judged. Some classes may not be judging the actual quilting, and only the piecing, design and fabric choices. Some will include the quilting in the judging.

the only time your stitches should not touch/cross in machine quilting is when you are stippling- a stipple never touches, crosses- free motion meandering crosses, does loop-de-loops, hearts, stars, flowers, leaves, feathers....what ever
in hand quilting it was always a *rule* that stitches not cross- had to do with them wearing away each other...that is no longer the case- with machine quilting- unless you are stippling- then they should not---that's the pattern- if the pattern causes cross overs it is expected.

Thank you all for this information.