ljfox

I get my quilt tops finished and then I just stare at them, wondering how to quilt them. I have a longarm and have done a couple of quilts on it but I always panic at choosing how to quilt them. Is there a website or something that will help you visualize different patterns on your quilt top? I have 4 tops that I need to finish and they just sit there waiting to commit to a quilting design.

yngldy

You are not the only one!! I have about 8 tops that are ready and ????? what to do on them!

hopetoquilt

Get a piece of plexiglass and draw quilt designs on the plexiglass. lay the plexiglass on top of the quilt and see how it looks. Remove plexiglass from the quilt, wipe off design and audition another design.

mighty

I to have this problem!!!!

Peckish

I've used clear transparency sheets to draw my designs on, then lay the sheet over my top to see if I like it.

I've posted in the past about a class I took that teaches you how to see quilting designs every day in your life, how to utilize those designs in a quilt, and how to draw it out to see if it would work on your quilt. The class is called Quilt Whisperer 101, taught by Carla Barrett. She does beautiful work. Here's an example - you can see how she designed the quilting for one quilt, and then how the quilt actually turned out here:

http://featheredfibers.wordpress.com...esley-maisano/

hperttula123

I was going to mention the clear transparency sheets and a dry erase marker also.

earthwalker

I think it is a common problem....sometimes I think you just have to "play" a bit before the right design pops up.

Tartan

Go to Charismah's posts on quilts she's done and see if any of her ideas would work for your quilt. Go to Leah Days site and see if any of her ideas will work. I have a sheet of clear tablecloth plastic that I use to audition my designs. I purchased 1 m./yd. plastic and ran masking tape around the edges. The tape is to stop the dry erase marker from going onto your quilt top if you slip. I put a design on and if I don't like it, I erase and try another. Once I have one I like, I clip the plastic with the design up where I can glance at it as I quilt to see where I want to quilt next.

Kitsie

Another way is to take a picture of the quilt ( a few blocks) load it into the computer. Use you photo program to really fade the colors and print out a few copies. Mark them with a design, then pin them up and live with them for a while. One will say "I'm the one!!"