How Do You Feel About Heirloom Style Quilted Baby Quilts?
 

A customer sent me a baby quilt and gave me free reign to do whatever I want with it. She is super laid back and has been happy with everything I've quilted for her, though to date the quilting has been pretty run of the mill - a pantograph one one quilt, echoing on another, and a simple free hand edge to edge on yet another. When she sent this quilt I gave her an idea of what I'd like to do with it, but now that it sits with me I'd like to go a little crazy and do some heirloom style quilting. She said to have fun with it ... which is freeing yet scary at the same time! I'd like to use lots of feathers, scallops, and I was thinking of including the new baby's name in the quilting. Now this is a risk because it's pretty intense quilting, and I will be sure to keep it from getting stiff. I'm not going to charge her any extra, I wanted to do this to surprise her and make the quilt special for her Grandson - but also to get some practice with a design idea I've been itching to try. The quilt is two colors - lots and lots of negative space....and in my mind it's BEGGING FOR FEATHERS! :) How would you feel if someone did this for you? Would you be pleased and excited or would you feel they over did it??? I want it to be very classic heirloom style quilting...but I wonder if some people wouldn't like that style for themselves?

I would be extremely excited!

pleased and excited. I'm sure she will be able to piece another baby quilt quickly if she would like something softer, and you can offer to quilt that one too if she is not delighted.

My first thought is just call the customer. You sound excited, and I'm sure your enthusiasm will carry through to her. Or send her an email with most of what you've just typed.

One hundred of us will give opinions, but the customer's opinion matters the most.

I think you need to find out her thoughts on it. And also how she thinks the mother would feel about it.
If she is intending it to be a "used and dragged around" quilt and the mother would be reluctant to let the toddler do that with your beautiful work, then that could create a problem.
So ask!

Actually this is good advice if you discussed a different scenario with her already. If she were a buddy, I don't think it would be a big deal, but a customer is another situation altogether. Having seen your work, PPQ, I'm sure she'll love whatever is done.

If I received a quilt like this, I'd be thrilled, because it will be beautiful; but I'd be disappointed, because I wouldn't want to use it. I'd end up mounting it on the wall, and I'd still be without a quilt for my baby.

Maybe, instead of doing this on a customer's quilt, which you will never see again, you could try doing a whole cloth quilt for yourself.

I might feel her out without telling her exactly what you're thinking of doing: "Now, would you be upset if I got a little more elaborate with the quilting?" And then make sure she understands that although the quilting is striking and lovely, it's also very durable.

Hmmm - you all have great thoughts on this!! Thank you for your feedback. I truly appreciate it. I think I'm going to do something in between. I'm going to quilt it a bit more elaborate than I had originally intended but try not to go so wild that she doesn't want to use it. She's already given me permission to do what I like so I'm going to take her for her word that she trusts me and feel very honored! Thanks for your input, you've brought up some great points that I didn't think of!