How should I quilt this?? Opinions please!!
 

I have worked so hard on this quilt and don't want to ruin it now!!It is going to be my entry in the Miller Bowie Quilt Show this year. The deadline for entries is the middle of March. As you probably all know by now, I am still trying to learn how to use my longarm. I have not mastered my freehand work yet. So, I am so scared to attempt stitch in the ditch. I thought about an over all pattern. But, then I asked myself if that would look right or not. So, here I come to you for advice. Should I hand quilt this or should I use the overall pattern?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]398426[/ATTACH]I forgot to show you my backing fabric!!

Fantastic! Can't help you with your quilting question. I do all my own, but I keep it simple. I couldn't do the quilting pattern you have. Good luck with it. It will certainly get a lot of attention!

To really showcase your quilt - I would use white thread for all the background - and use some kind of filler type quilting like stipple or small circles or swirls - then I would try echo quilting around the Queens - use matching thread when quilting the queens - that will make your quilt the focus and not the quilting so much. This is a great quilt by the way - that is a lot of detail work - I would probably be scared to death to quilt it - It looks like a lot of work. I can't wait to see the final finish.

I love the choice of backing! It really looks like a playing card. I hope you figure out your quilting, this quilt is so special I am sure there will be lots of opportunity for it to win in the show. Can you consult with a local quilter to have her give you ideas for the different areas?

I tend to stabilize the areas and then embellish as I go along letting the quilt "tell" me what would look good there. Like the laces could have some defining lines, the hair could have lines to make it stand out. But, you idea of the all over quilting could be the best choice since cards are a flat object normally. Oh, I can see why you are torn between quilting ideas. I am sorry I am no help. I do love your work though. This is amazing.

I love it!!! Not sure on the quilting !!! I hope you do well in quilt show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!
What I see is the panto in the white border and background, but not on the pattern or the blue border. I see the panto pattern continuing, underneath the border and the figure, like you used a white patterned whole cloth fabric and appliqued the figure and border on top. I would do this with white thread. There would be a lot of starting and stopping the pattern, so I don't know if you could do this on your long arm (I know I couldn't!) I would stitch in the ditch around all the other seams. I wouldn't do anything on her face, but do a bit of quilting in her hair, following your embroidery and also outlining her fingers. I would also quilt lines in her gold ruff, making it look pleated. Then, using matching thread, I would do some swirls or stippling in the large black and red areas. Well, you asked :)

Love the quilt. Wish I could help on quilting.

Beautiful, not sure how to quilt it.

Amazing quilt! I keep my quilting very simple, so can't help with ideas. What you have shown above looks like it would work fine on the white.