looking for help
04-10-2009, 04:06 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Eastern Canada
Posts: 3,356
I have finished a large D9P top for a wedding gift. I want some ideas on quilting it. I have a small sewing machine, so I'd like something easy. I've never tried free motion quilting and don't want to do this as FM practice. I'd appreciate some ideas. Thank you.
04-10-2009, 09:47 AM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
D9P? I get the 9-patch part but am blanking out on the D.
I found stitch-in-the ditch to be somewhat difficult, perhaps because I am a perfectionist. Even with an edge foot, I found it difficult to stay exactly in the ditch or precisely on the edge.
My suggestion for an easy quilting approach would be a "wave" pattern using a walking foot. Basicacally this would be just wavy lines. You would start in the center of the quilt and work you way out on each side. No line has to exactly match the line before; in fact, a little random variation would would make it very natural looking.
You could add more quilting by cross-hatching the whole thing. That is, once you have lines going one way you can turn the quilt and make lines going diagonally across.
Alternatively, you can sew one line down the middle one way and then turn the quilt and sew one line down the middle the other way. This would actually stabilize the quilt sandwich better from the beginning.
I think the crosshatching would be especially effective if you work from one corner of the quilt to the other. Because you would be sewing so much on the bias, I would just be careful to heavily starch the backing fabric and top before layering to ensure they don't stretch on the bias. For diagonal crosshatching, I think I would sew from one corner to the other through the middle and then from and to the other corners through the middle first -- more stability.
The beauty of doing wavy lines is that you don't have to worry about anything being perfectly straight or evenly matched. You can just relax as you sew. Variations will look natural. Plus, you don't have to worry about stitch length because your feed dogs are up and you are sewing as usual. I would really want to use a walking foot, though, to make sure the top is moving evenly with the bottom layer.
I found stitch-in-the ditch to be somewhat difficult, perhaps because I am a perfectionist. Even with an edge foot, I found it difficult to stay exactly in the ditch or precisely on the edge.
My suggestion for an easy quilting approach would be a "wave" pattern using a walking foot. Basicacally this would be just wavy lines. You would start in the center of the quilt and work you way out on each side. No line has to exactly match the line before; in fact, a little random variation would would make it very natural looking.
You could add more quilting by cross-hatching the whole thing. That is, once you have lines going one way you can turn the quilt and make lines going diagonally across.
Alternatively, you can sew one line down the middle one way and then turn the quilt and sew one line down the middle the other way. This would actually stabilize the quilt sandwich better from the beginning.
I think the crosshatching would be especially effective if you work from one corner of the quilt to the other. Because you would be sewing so much on the bias, I would just be careful to heavily starch the backing fabric and top before layering to ensure they don't stretch on the bias. For diagonal crosshatching, I think I would sew from one corner to the other through the middle and then from and to the other corners through the middle first -- more stability.
The beauty of doing wavy lines is that you don't have to worry about anything being perfectly straight or evenly matched. You can just relax as you sew. Variations will look natural. Plus, you don't have to worry about stitch length because your feed dogs are up and you are sewing as usual. I would really want to use a walking foot, though, to make sure the top is moving evenly with the bottom layer.
04-10-2009, 11:15 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Montreal
Posts: 1,962
D9P - disappearing 9 patch... let me see if I can find you a pic
[img]http://www.quilt.com/BulletinBoard/b...ock-755098.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.quilt.com/BulletinBoard/b...ock-755098.jpg[/img]
04-10-2009, 08:14 PM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
Absolutely beautiful!
My SIL uses a walking foot and does diagonals ... if you really MUST keep the line straight, you can use PAINTERS' TAPE ... lay out your diagonal one way and then go the opposite direction.
Painters tape because the adhesive holds but doesn't adhere so much as masking tape does.
My SIL uses a walking foot and does diagonals ... if you really MUST keep the line straight, you can use PAINTERS' TAPE ... lay out your diagonal one way and then go the opposite direction.
Painters tape because the adhesive holds but doesn't adhere so much as masking tape does.
04-10-2009, 08:18 PM
#8
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: FROM: Idaho. IN: Georgia
Posts: 268
Oh, my goodness, that is GORGEOUS!!!!!! :shock: :D :!: :!:
I have done many D9P's, but yours really takes the cake! Your fabric choices are incredible, and your work is very precise. GREAT JOB!!!
As for the quilting, I would definitely KEEP IT SIMPLE. Depending on the type of batting (thus, how close far apart your seams can be), I would probably go with the diaganol cross-hatching: Left to right through the black squares, then right to left :D
I have done many D9P's, but yours really takes the cake! Your fabric choices are incredible, and your work is very precise. GREAT JOB!!!
As for the quilting, I would definitely KEEP IT SIMPLE. Depending on the type of batting (thus, how close far apart your seams can be), I would probably go with the diaganol cross-hatching: Left to right through the black squares, then right to left :D
04-10-2009, 08:21 PM
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: FROM: Idaho. IN: Georgia
Posts: 268
Oh, my goodness, that is GORGEOUS!!!!!! :shock: :D :!: :!:
I have done many D9P's, but yours really takes the cake! Your fabric choices are incredible, and your work is very precise. GREAT JOB!!!
As for the quilting, I would definitely KEEP IT SIMPLE. Depending on the type of batting (thus, how far apart your seams can be), I would probably go with the diagonal cross-hatching: Left to right through the black squares, then right to left through the flowered squares. Additional lines could be done between these rows if needed. Does that make sense?
Whatever you do, I have no doubt it will be an AMAZING quilt! After all, how can it not be, with a top like that? :D
I have done many D9P's, but yours really takes the cake! Your fabric choices are incredible, and your work is very precise. GREAT JOB!!!
As for the quilting, I would definitely KEEP IT SIMPLE. Depending on the type of batting (thus, how far apart your seams can be), I would probably go with the diagonal cross-hatching: Left to right through the black squares, then right to left through the flowered squares. Additional lines could be done between these rows if needed. Does that make sense?
Whatever you do, I have no doubt it will be an AMAZING quilt! After all, how can it not be, with a top like that? :D
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