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.

Love this idea and the backer! how clever!

I think if you do an overall pattern you will lose the details in the Queen.
In the white areas or even the solid dark areas you could do overall.
someone else here said the quilting would overpower the image and I agree.
Echoing would work well IMHO.
Please show us the final and good luck at the show.

i read this reply a few times and kept going back up to the top and looking at the queen. i think the PP has it down. i would use monofilament line instead of any color of thread on the STID so that if there was a little warble it would not show. i would also use the flat batting! ;) i love the idea of the lines in the gold ruff; it would look like the border on my quilt you did and i LOVE that it would really give it dimension and i like the hair waves as well. i can't tell you what color to do that in! i would definitely use a white thread in the panto and gold in the ruff so nothing stood out and it all blended in with the background colors. i think you did an outstanding job with this, girl. you have an amazing talent with what you have in your head you can pull out and put on paper. are you going to add a colored border or just the binding? maybe you could do several 'starts and stops' on the freehand quilting so that if you DID scream NO CRAPPYOLA THAT WAS WRONG! you can take that little bit out with ease and not have to take out alot of work? i think you can do this on your long arm as well. i have faith in you you can do this! i wish i was there to watch you do it! just take your time and before you start to move your 'arm' just close your eyes, pray, take a deep breath, and go for it!

That is really striking!

I am no expert. You did a fabulous job! This is always a tricky thing ...I know I felt this way when I started quilting. Because when you first start your quilting skill doesn't match up with your piecing skill( we feel this way anyway). My opinion would be that you put far to much into the quilt top it demands custom quilting.
However, we never truly know what we can do until we test ourselves. It doesn't have to be any dynamic designs....it just has to be specific designs for each area. I think you just need to pin it on start with some simple area choose a design you are comfortable with...then move on to the next area and do the same thing. It's freeing and I think you will feel good and confident by the time you are in the moment. I hope that makes sense and it's encouraging. We all know you can do this. Blessings. C

What about echo quilting around the heart and then use template and echo to continue heart theme. Or the rest of the deck? I know for the show quilting should be related to the whole and should be special to your quilt. No longarm experience, sorry.

Beautiful quilt. All I know is I'd never get it hand quilted in 2 weeks! Bless you for even thinking that's an option!

Fantastic quilt and backing. I am at a loss for the quilting too. Sorry I'm no help, but there are some great designers on this board that can help you.

The only thing about using the different colored threads is that they will show on the back. To me the back is going to be as important as the front. And, I hate working with that clear thread. It breaks so much. I can't imagine using it on the long arm. Keep those suggestions coming!!!

Awesome quilt!

Can't help with the quilting question, but the quilt is awsome. Thanks for showing us. Good luck.

That is amazing and twice as amazing because I dreamed last night of a card quilt to make for a friend where we play cards/and have played for over 30 years. I was wondering if it could be done. Guess you have certainly answered that question. Way beyond my league. Good luck with the quilting as I have no idea whatsoever to share with you.

I don't have any suggestions, just wanted to comment on what a creative quilt, looks amazing !
I look forward to seeing it completed with quilting.

Holy cow that looks like a ton of work. If it were me and I was so unsure (and a little scared) I'd send it out and talk in great detail as to how you want it done. I'm a if it's gonna happen it will happen to me sort of girl, so that being said It would relieve some of the stress being worried I'm gonna mess it up. (this is all just my humble opinion.) You did a wonderful job on it! Excellent work! Best of luck at the quilt contest. Hope it works out well for you. Can't wait to see it finished.

That is too great a design to use an allover, in my opinion. I think Paper Princess has given you the best advice, so far.

Th is so neat but I can't help with quilting ideas. I am sure anything you do will be great!