Ok I had posted this top but of course cannot find the post now....but what I need is an idea of how to hand quilt this top....Any ideas? What would you do? I thought of just quilting in the big sq and the side tan(print) pieces... I was thinking a grid in each large sq...I want it to hold and be strong but again I don't want to spend the rest of my life quilting it either....but I want it to look nice. Am I asking for to much? Gosh I just don't know what ...any design ideas? Anything to help me. I have drawn a blank. Thanks for your imput.

Donna

This is elegant. I have no idea about the quilting. I'm still treading water and learning. good luck

Blessings,
Ruth

I am new to quilting and I would be afraid to advise you. I would probably send it to one of the quilters on here if it was mine.

I would look at some circular patterns maybe in continuous line, something on the simple side for the large blocks and do some simple lines in the rest. It would go faster that way.

I would stitch in the ditch around the white stars to enhance them maybe. No clue as to the center blocks.

Kyia

I'm not very good at Free motion quilting. I'd probably have to send it out too but I'd like some sort of feather or circular flower pattern in the middle of each block.

With a quilt that has a lot of straight lines, I would also do some kind of circular or feather design in the large squares. SID or something similiar would be great in the stars.

simple and open ---the quilt is [i am going to pinch mrspetes-word -it fits] elegant pick up the stars maybe but dont over do the block centers

When you quilt the large square, how about making an outline of the connecting stars and stitch that in the centers. Keep the same size and orientation.

It's a beautiful quilt The colors are so restful.

I just love your quilt it is very ( I'll take the words also from MsPete.Ruth) Beautifully done.

I've just started hand quilting my first queen size and found some really nice stencil type motifs to use...have you ever considered using something like that? Even found one for the sashings. My blocks are smaller but I have seen some really large ones in the stores that could be a possibility. I'll see if I can post a front and back view just to give you an idea of what can be done with them. BTW, I LOVE your quilt! Beautiful!

PS...I know the feeling about worrying that this is going to take the rest of my life to do this! Oh well...it keeps me out of too much trouble this way...lol! ;-)

In the large blocks, how about a large circle feather, like a wreath, outline the star, and grid or feather the tan parts. Just an idea.

If you want to go look at your original post click on "my topics" at the top of the page. You can easily find your original post there, and perhaps some comments people made there can help you.
Your quilt is just beautiful. I agree with Karenm36's post above, using motifs would be beautiful, and to me are a bit more fun hand quilting than just straight lines. I think you would like the result. You could do a Motif in the large blocks, and a thin motif in the sashings, or keep the sashing more simple with straight lines 1/4 inch in.

Love the quilt!

Donna, that is a very elegant quilt and will be beautiful. I think a nice medallion in the large squares and center of the stars, then perhaps just an outline along the sashing strips and quilt in the ditch around the outside of the stars.

Karen, love your quilt! it is as lovely on the back as it is on the front. Good job.

Donna had the same idea I had, using the braid type for the sashing, and something simple like a flower or hearts in the big blocks. Your quilt is beautiful!! BTW Donna, yours is too!!

Thank you so much. Kind of nerve wracking at first having never done this before...but I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Thing is...I keep interrupting my work on it for other smaller projects that need to get done by Christmas...that's slowing me down!

:wink:

Your quilt is just beautiful. I don't have any suggestions for hand quilting it. I'm working on hand quilting a king size quilt. It won't really take forever if you stick to it regularly. I try to quilt for a couple hours in the evening while watching TV. Don't get to it every evening, but I'm making progress, slow but sure.

This was what I was thinking too simple but elegant.

Hi, I would do a lengthy design in the tan strips and then make a template of the star design that would fit in the flowered squares and sew that in. I would stitch in the ditch on the white stars.

If you want an idea, go to this site: quiltingstencils.com . they have a great resource.

I was taught early on or told by some one smarter than me anyway, that if a quilt pattern is very angular such as this one, then to soften it, use a curved pattern to quilt it. There are lots of patterns out there that are the older patterns which are not real fancy but do the job well. Cable comes to mind for the sashing, and maybe a flower in the center if the square. Jan

Ladies, this has been such a rewarding class. I do thank you. Blessings, Ruth

U looking 4 many things here is your first post:-P :-P
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-78716-1.htm

Regarding quilting: ladies more professional would help u ;-)

Beautiful!

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas and the nice compliments....I love hand quilting and I'm going to use alot of varieties from your suggestions....thanks again

Donna P

I'd SID around the stars and sashing, then outline stitch a matching star in the center of each block - kind of a shadow star. It is VERY elegant.

I'd put a pretty feathered wreath or other stencil design in the large square blocks. Find a coordinating straight design for the dark tan sashing - or a cable or rope. Quarter inch outlining in the star parts.

It's a lovely quilt - it will be beautiful when it's quilted!

Oh, your quilt is beautiful, so soft looking and I would think easy to sleep under when its done. I'd probably try to find a stencil that has curves in it for the large squares and then quilt the stars, maybe with just lines repeat the piece shapes. Maybe a cable for the joining sashings? good luck and please show us when the quilting is finished.

I am hand quilting a quilt that is very similar, I have of course, quilted 1/4 inch away from each seam, and in the middle of the star, I have quilted a small star, in the sashing, I quilted 1/2 inside of the 1/4 inch. In the middle of the large blocks, I quilted hearts, made a heart that would fit inside of each block, then drew a heart, 1/2 to 3/4 inch smaller inside of the big heart, down to about a 3 inch heart. Just a suggestion and how I did mine.

Your quilt is absolutely stunning! I recently handquilted my first grid pattern on a small throw and liked the way it turned out. The stars will pop up if you quilt around them which would be beautiful.

My grid was 1" that I drew off with ruler. It was easy stitching ... all straight lines.

Oh, the yellow blob in the middle is actually a free standing lace butterfly that is three dimensional. The pic looks like I dropped something on it! lol

I stitched straight lines in the corners around the machine embroidery instead of the grid.

That is a beautiful quilt and will be enhanced by your hand quilting. It will need to be quilted evenly so that when washed, it continues to look nice. Searching on the internet brings you tons of patterns that you can enlarge or trace to fit your spaces. Also, the library has books that you can copy the page you want. Or stencils. I keep several books in my own library of just quilting designs. These are reduced or enlarged to fit my spaces. Good luck!

Karen, this is beautifully done! How do you mark your quilts? I have tried several methods and haven't found one that I can use on every project.

Thanks! That's a million dollar question isn't it?! This had me stumped as I tried several things including a special mechanical pencil with ceramic type lead that's supposed to erase off easily...well it didn't. Even stayed when I tried to gently remove it with mild soap and water...the markings are still somewhat visible and now I have a water stain on the back...not good! Hope it washes out when I complete my quilt and I wash it then.

So after interviewing LOTS of women who do this a lot more than me, I settled on a fine point water erasable fabric marking pen. I can see the lines well but they are not too overpowering being that it's a fine point. Best of all, as soon as I'm done with the motif I'm working on I spritz some water on it...and bingo...it's gone! And since it doesn't need scrubbing to remove it...it has dried quickly leaving no water stain.

Hope this helps! Karen

Patricia, this is beautiful!!!

Thanks. It won a blue ribbon at our county fair ... don't know if there were other entries in same category. lol This is a present for my only daughter-in-law ... her favorite flower and color.

I used an air erase marking pen and marked the lines that I thought I could quilt before the lines automatically erased. Worked for this project.

I have the pounce and two of their stencils and that works also.

I bought a stencil maker and use a wash away pen and that works for the areas that I want a specific size or design. So far I've made the calla lily and it didn't make it into this quilt but perhaps the next one.

So you see I can't make up my mind!!! lol

That is very beautiful! Maybe CraftyBear has an idea! She is a genius:)

I agree with the idea to outline the stars. I prefer 1/4 inch away from the ditch as it makes the star pop. Then in the large blocks to put another motif. Easily drawn on with a stencil ;and washable marker. Even if the big square is simple, it will look good (great). It is well worth the time to make the quilting as elegant as the quilt is.

those big squares just cry out for some beautiful design in hand quilting ! maybe decide to take more time & make it a real beauty. I so envy anyone who can hand quilt ! you will never regret the time you spend on it, but if you make it real plain, you will always think "I should have done more !".