Quilting ideas please.
 

I'm trying to decide if I want to attempt to quilt this myself or to hire someone to do it. I'm looking for suggestions on quilting designs for it. I don't have experience quilting anything larger than placemats. If I do it myself I could do an all over design or do separate blocks. If I hire someone I would do an all over design, due to cost.

I also just realized that one of the butterflies is sideways. :shock: It may become a design element...

Sorry the picture is so blurry, it looked fine on my camera. lol

I am not much for quilting, so can't give you any suggestions, but just had to tell you what a beautiful quilt!!!! And the design element works for me!

I would go block by block...It's a beautiful quilt!

Thank you for the compliments! I just took a close up of the non-panel blocks.

Could you make a template for of a butterfly & quilt a large butterfly on each of the 9 patches? It would bring some curves into your quilt & would integrate part of the theme of the printed blocks into your quilting. Then, maybe a wiggly line around the border of the printed blocks (apologies for my terrible efforts at drawing. I had a kitchen accident & have stitches in my hand at the moment). You could search for a nice butterfly pattern to use for a template by googling "butterfly clip art" or "butterfly coloring page". Then cut it out of template plastic & mark it on your quilt.

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Also, I've never done it, but am wondering if maybe some large stitch quilting might look nice around the designs in the printed blocks. You could maybe add some selected quilting to make it like the grass is blowing, the butterflies are flying, or it is a nice breezy day. Perhaps someone else has some experience with that (or has a different idea). Good luck. Such a charming quilt!

I am not sure about which quilting design but my suggestion is use purple thread for your non-panel blocks and for the panel blocks - try to get a matching thread so you see the panel design rather than the quilting design. I think any quilt design would work - even a simple meander.

I would stabilise all the squares as Bree123 suggests a wobble line in red. Then think again for close up shapes id butterflies or caterpillars . Relax and enjoy, think of all the new facts you are learning for yourself.

What a pretty quilt!
You have some good diagonals going in here and could accent those with straight line machine quilting easily.
I also like the idea of some big stitch handquilting around the embroidered designs in the blocks.
There's no reason not to do both in a quilt.

Jan in VA

Thank you! I really like the idea of matching thread instead of one for the whole quilt. I never thought about a butterfly or other critter, now I'm thinking...

I won't be able to start on this for a few days so more ideas or encouragement is welcome!