quilting a 9P snowball
 

Hello, I am new here and need some advice. I am almost through making my blocks for a 9Patch/Snowball quilt. However my white snowball has embroidery on it. How would you go about quilting it if hand quilting? How would you quilt, if using a long arm?
I wanted to make the top, embroidering all the blocks and quilting it myself. However, time is running out for the event and I could still send to a LA quilter.....
Also, to take to a LA quilter what do I need to know to have it prepared?

Another question-my blocks are 10 1/2 inches- when I get them sewn into rows it should measure 73.50x84 -my size I am aiming for is 90x101 so I want to border it to make up 8 1/2 inches all around- should I do a small border to frame and then a wider border? If so what size do I need to cut each border, to look good with the 10 1/2 inch blocks?

It would be really helpful if you could provide a picture of the quilt. I googled images of a 9P snowball quilt and here is a pinterest link with pictures. Does it look like any of these? https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/403916660312261230/

Also what kind of embroidery? Hand, like redwork style or machine which is usually very heavily stitched.

Very hard to make quilting recommendations without seeing the quilt. As far as what you need to know to prep the quilt for a LAQ it would be best if you ask your quilter that. I prefer a backing that is at least 10" larger than the top so I have 5" all around to attach to leaders and test for tension. Some LAQ can get away with less and I can too if pressed, but I prefer the full 5" or more.

Thank you feline fanatic for responding and also I want to add I am sorry for the blurred pic but it has a lot of personal info and I blurred on purpose. (I hope I blurred enough)
The emb is machine emb, heavily stitched.
I thought there might be a standard 'rule' perhaps, for inner border and wider border sizes[ATTACH=CONFIG]600302[/ATTACH], for a block 10 1/2 inch sq.

The outer border is a white background fabric with black line flowers-If you look closely there are small sqs within some of the 9P's with that print. I was thinking of a small inner border and then the wider print border. Please share your thoughts.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]600303[/ATTACH]I resized the photo so I could upload to show you the border I want to use for the wider outer border. I need to break it with a solid color smaller border but I need suggestions for sizes of my borders. Also a friend suggested a narrow black inner border. Black is hard for me to see to sew but I shy away from black too because after a while it always looks faded.....

I'm assuming this quilt has a lot of genealogy on it and, with the style you have chosen, I'd hand quilt this very simply. The first thing that has come to mind is to stitch in the ditch. You may need to do the vertical and horizontal seams around each block and then go diagonally to outline the snowball blocks. Just keep on going at the diagonal across the 9 patch blocks I would simply "underline" a few of the embroidered lines with quilting to highlight or secure the center of those blocks. Because of the nature of the quilt, I would keep the quilting simple so that the information is the highlight. As to borders, I'm not a big fan of black as it fades with time but a narrow strip of black and then the piece you have for the outer border would be nice. And a comment on black--if it has polyester in it, it doesn't seem to fade as cotton does.

Personally, I would make the inner border the same width as the squares in your 9P. Then the outer border can be whatever size gives you the finished size you want. There are no rules about border sizes. With everything in quilting, you do what makes you happy and looks pleasing to you.

PS--I should have added that I really, really like the colors you have chosen for your 9 patches. They are scrappy/happy!

Unfortunately, no advice for the quilting. I, too, have a quilt that I want to emb the center square but I'm stumped as to how to quilt. I'll be watching here for suggestions.

I'd do a narrow inner border and the outer one wide enough to obtain the size you need. Have you considered red for the narrow one and binding? For quilting, I'd just do a meander by machine on the colored blocks and do a little work by hand in the embroidered blocks.

Thank you all for responding.
Another question about batting. My husband likes the 'fluff' of the high loft batting. I know most people now-a-days use a thinner batting......suggestions???
Also, Irishrose2 suggested red for my inner border, instead of black. My sister is more the red person than me (sorry) would any solid color look as well as black ( can't see to sew it) or red (not my fav color)? It will be used on a bed in a blue room.

You have so many colors in your top so I think you could use almost any color you like - blue, purple, green, red, - I have found some shades of purple work almost as well as navy blue as a "neutral".

As far as quilting goes, I drew out a black and white drawing on graph paper, and then started to doodle.

You can draw out something similar or use one of the drawing programs (i don't have a quilting program) - to see what you think.

From what I've read, the high loft battings are usually tied or sent out to a long armer - and I have no idea how the long-armers feel about trying to quilt them.

The red replacement - any strong color. Royal blue would work as would an Emerald green. Batting - my new favorite is Hobbs Tuscany Collection Ultimate polyester. I don't have the quilt I used it in, but it quilted nicely, even though it has a decent loft. Not so nicely in the center of the quilt where I had a double batt, but I got it done.