mom-6

My machine quilting has not yet branched out from SID (and a little echo quilting) or crisscross straight or squiggly lines to anything more complicated.

Part of this has to do with liking the simplicity of this look and part with wanting to do this well before I try something else and a third part with finding this a fairly quick and easy method.

I do some freehand designs when I hand quilt, but those are much easier to take out if I don't like how they look than taking out machine quilting of the same thing.

Maybe someday I will move on to something different, or maybe not.

busy fingers

What an interesting discussion. I have enjoyed reading everyone's opinion on how they like to quilt and respect everyone of them.

Personally I feel that it comes down to what you like and feel comfortable with. I have to say that I think less is best and the purpose of the quilting is to hold the layers together. I spend as does everyone else getting my blocks nice and straight, picking fabrics which match/compliment each other and do not want to end up with what I call scribble all over the quilt.

Have fun and enjoy what is right for you.

Skittl1321

[QUOTE=Nammie to 7;6374059] It seems to me that modern quilting focuses more on the quilting than the piecing. /QUOTE]

I think this depends on the modern quilter: many will say piecing and quilting are equally important and the primary focus is the design. At shows even you will see a lot of modern quilting with very simple straight line designs. Others are much more involved.

MadQuilter

I am still very timid when it comes to FMQ so I fall back on continuous designs (meandering or loop-de-loops). Once I get better at stitch control I will go on to custom quilting designs. I have taken some great classes on craftsy for it.

juliea9967

Amen! Most of the quilts I have made have been for my family. They are not "art" quilts, but functional quilts. They look beautiful on a bed, and serve the purpose of keeping someone warm. They are not stiff as a board, but soft and cuddly. If I ever get to the point where I want to enter quilt competition, then there is no doubt that I will have to learn either hand quilting or art quilting. However, I really have no desire to do any of that. So I will just keep going on my merry way with meandering and pantographs, and leave the artsy stuff to the rest of you. And, I refuse to pay someone to finish my quilt, because then it isn't my quilt anymore. It is a joint effort and the person that did the quilting deserves just as much credit as the person that did the piecing. It all boils down to just a matter of choice - some people want/like it and some people don't.

kwiltkrazy

I have to agree with Dunster, at our last quilt there was a lot of "fancy" free motion quilting, but on quilts that asked for it, and there was a lot of meandering, also, on the quilts that wouldn't hold up to the fancier quilting, Ithink that a quilt speaks for the type of quilting it needs. I myself do not like straight meandering, but do do it on some quilts, they just call for it.

FLQ

I love to read the various opinions on this subject. FMQ is a skill that I strive to learn. I started out stippling (meandering) because my quilts were reproduction and that's what I could do...somewhat badly. I got braver with more contemporary fabrics and patterns and tried some fancier quilting. It has been touch and go. recently, at several quilt show venues with classes I took FMQ from professional quilters who enter shows. It has been a trend at our local quilt show and the bigger (regional and national shows) that quilts entered with a significant amount, quality and intricacy of FMQ are winning the top ribbons. I am not a quilter who expects to enter shows. I make my quilts as gifts or for my home or for charity. Thankfully, it is my choice as to the finish quilting. I say..whatever your style and motivation there is a lot of latitude in quilting. For example, now if I make a reproduction quilt I FMQ with baptist fan. It's a challenge on my machine, requires (for me) to mark the design before sewing but I really like how old fashioned it looks. I'm working on Angela Walters method from her Craftsy class "Dot to Dot" FMQ. Very minimal marking...fun and interesting. Thanks all for your interesting thoughts on this topic.

salederer

For those people wanting to do more than meandering try looking at Leahday.com She has some great but easy designs for fmg.

ShirlinAZ

Or maybe it's because "traditional" designs are hard to find on the internet. I've done a lot of searching and other than feathers (which I'm terrible at) all I find are various meanders from small to large, or pantographs. And most of it's for sale. Why should I pay for Baptist Fan instructions or panto? I'm pretty good at copying from a picture. Maybe more long time quilters need to show close up pictures of their traditional quilt designs so some of us could copy and learn from them.

Also, I don't like flat quilts, so I avoid any design with stitching too close together.

I usually "let the spirit move me" when I'm doing fmq. I meander with things like flowers, hearts, birds and butterflies interspersed. Whatever the quilt tells me would be right.

grandmaof3

love your slippers, DebraK. Where can I get a pattern?