'quilt every 2-4 inches", does that mean in both directions? Should the smallest unquilted area in any direction be less than 4 inches?

I made a jelly roll quilt. I would like to just run a line of stitching down the middle of every other row, so in one direction it would be quilted every four inches. Do I have to add some stitching in the other direction?

This seems like a really silly question, but I can't seem to wrap my brain around it.

Thanks!

I always understood that it was in both directions. so 2 to 4 inches basically means a 4" square. Can you run a line of stitches perpendicular to your first set to quilt squares?
I'm curious to see what others say...

make a fist, now put your fist in the center of what you wanting to quilt...anything around the outside of your fist needs to be quilted! So yes, 2-4" AROUND the line you want to put down can be left unquilted!

what is going to be the use of the quilt. How often will it likely be washed etc etc etc. The use will depend on how much quilting needed. Down every ther seam (4") most
likely will be sufficient.

Also what batting are you going to use. That will also depend on how much quilting.

So need this additional information to give informed suggestions.

It means in both directions. A batting with those specifications probably won't hold up over time if you simply quilt straight lines 4" apart. The batting will likely start pulling apart at the quilting lines. You might be able to get away with lines 2" apart.

For what you would like to do, a batting such as Warm n Natural (quilting lines up to 10" apart) would work, and I'm sure there are Dream battings that would work too.

I would agree with the others...if it says 2-4" I would do no less than a 4" square (give or take) unquilted.

If I am taking my quilts to a LAQ to be quilted, would I need to be concerned about this? I made a quilt with blocks about 6 inches square. I framed them with 2 1/2 inch strips of fabric. Then I ran 2 1/2 inch strips the width of the quilt to connected all of the rows togeather. The quilt was quilted like a stitch in the ditch but there were no breaks quilted ever 4 inches in the length of the strips. Should I be concerned? Or am I misunderstanding the posts? Thanks.

Duplicate response deleted. Sorry.

Gee. I always quilt what I want and don't read the directions. Something to look at. I use Warm and natural too so don't have to quilts as closely if I don't want.

I wish I had bought warm and natural. I have the poly batting from Joanns, and have had it too long to return it.

the quilting recommendations are quite important- and should always be checked- purchase a batt that meets the requirements for the quilting you plan to do- 2"-4" is fairly dense quilting--if it is not done within the (guidelines) the batting will pull apart-ball up and create a lumpy quilt with areas of no batting (because it is all balled up) over time with washings....warm & natural and other batts with scrim allow larger areas to go unquilted but you still need to quilt them to the recommendations. more is ok- less will cause (heart ache) somewhere down the road if the quilt is used and laundered.
every 2"-4" means there should be a line of quilting every 2" to 4" everywhere on the quilt- not just in furrows= they need to be crossed too- it's all over the quilt
you can use batting that needs 10" quilting then just go around blocks but the quilting needs to go in both directions- vertical and horizontal- not just in one direction.

Depends on which batting was used. Warm and natural is every 10 inches, so a 10 inch square would be sufficient. If you took it to an experienced long arm quilter, they should have said something if they thought that the quilting you requested was too light for that batt. You could call them and ask exactly what was used and look up the requirements online to double check.

I agree with all you have said, but I would like to add one thing, the reason it says to quilt every 2-4" is that the quilting will be evenly distributed and this makes the quilt lay better. If you quilt more one way than the other, sometimes your quilt will have pooches and humps that do not "become" the quilt. It will draw your eye to the unquilted area and not to the overall look of the quilt. (Yes, I do professional long arm quilting)
OzarksGma

Thanks for all the replies. I will make sure my quilting is no more than 4 inches in any direction!