Unquilting
 

Asking the experts here...

I have a dear friend - and my quilting mentor - who is no longer able to quilt. I am helping her finish up a couple of UFO's. Just finished hand quilting and binding her youngest grandson's quilt.

Next project on the list is to finish hand quilting a flannel quilt that she started several years ago for her DH. Front and back both LQS quality flannel with Quilters Dream 100% cotton batting. Her stitches are very tiny and very precise. This is actually just a hunting scene panel (I think) with some other blocks surrounding it. It is a large lap size.

She started - very ambitiously - quilting the outlines of every shape and image and then, by her admission, just got lost in that process and put it aside. She said I was welcome to rip out her stitching and do whatever I liked - or continue her process. Honestly, it's almost impossible to tell where she has stitched.

I'm more inclined to rip out what she has done and start over but I'm fearful that trying to 'unquilt' the flannel will destroy the fabric. But I also think that I won't be able to continue with her plan and have it the way she intended or do it justice. And I'd like to get it done in something under 2-3 years, lol!

So folks, thoughts; hints; clues? Any input will be greatly appreciated.

What about leaving in her hand quilting ... and do the rest via machine quilting?

If this is for her husband, I think I would leave her stitches in - and not even try to match what she did -

But maybe try to come up with something that complements what she has already done?

I would suggest leaving her stitches in and hand stitch the rest of the quilt yourself. Her stitches will be treasured by family members.

I'm another one who would leave her stitches in place and just finish the rest of the quilt what ever way suits you. It's very nice of you to take on this task!

I am not sure what the quilting looks like - perhaps it would be fine to leave in. Or perhaps it needs to come out. I have taken a seam ripper and ripped out quilting (my own when I hated how it looked).

That was a slow process - done while watch the tube.

Not sure how much you would have to rip out - - but what I pulled out did not damage the fabric.

this is what I did with one of my aun'ts quilts and her great grand niece was thrilled to know the aunt's stitching was still there.

that was my thought ,too. Or hand quilting if you like that better.

Thanks, ladies, for your thoughts and suggestions. I guess I'll leave in her stitching and see if there is a reasonable place to stop her process and continue on with my own.

I haven't examined the quilt extremely closely yet. I know she has a reasonable amount of the center portion of the panel quilted. I might have to follow her process for a bit to get to a place in the quilt where I can transition to a different style. And, yes, it will be hand quilted as I really don't know how to machine quilt, lol.

Hopefully I'll be able to get it done relatively quickly.

All I can say is good luck.