carol45

So my DGS designed this quilt and, with my help, found all the fabrics for it on-line. Now it's basted (I know the fleece music backing isn't exactly what I would have chosen but he said "Grandma, it's ME!" so what could I do?). Now I can't figure out how to quilt it--I can do FMQ, but I'm relatively new to it and I am slow and I don't want it to take years to finish. One of the major problems with the quilt are the 4 boats. From a distance, they look like rectangular blocks, and not very interesting. Can someone suggest a way that I can enhance them with the quilting? For the water I can just do wavy lines. What about around the dragon and in the red area? What would be the best way to handle the swords and bronze area around the shield? I'm at a loss.

ontheriver

Sorry I can't help with the quilting, just wanted to say this is an awesome quilt, you DGS designed a winner.

AFQSinc

This is such a great quilt! I'm not that good with free motion quilting but this is what I would do: First I would stitch in the ditch around the black border to stabilize the quilt. I would outline the inner and outer shield, the swords and the dragon. I would do a small pebble or oval or stipple in the white of the shield to make the dragon pop a little bit. I would then do a medium or little bit larger stipple or oval (whatever you did around the dragon) in the red around the shield and swords. I would do the same thing with the boats and I would add a little extra quilting on the sails for the mast and ropes.

Again, great quilt. I really love the boats and the dragon!

carol45

I've already done the stitch in the ditch to stabilize it. Now the rest....so much!
Thanks!

Tartan

The red fabric reminds me of flames, so I would do a flame meander there.....water meander in the water. I would outline stitch the dragon and do a small stipple or other small design behind the dragon to make it puff out. The gold around the edge of the shield I would do in circles to look like gold coins. I think your quilt top is super!

tesspug

I'm unsure of my FMQ as well. I would do a simple crosshatch on the center red area. Then go crazy with waves and swirls for wind on the sails. The crosshatching would go quick and your DGS will get to have his quilt sooner.

PaperPrincess

Wow, I remember your previous posts. This came out great. I really like Tartan's suggestion for a flame (pointy) stipple on the red. I'm also seeing a small stipple in the white area of the shield to make the dragon stand out.

carol45

Actually it's a blue behind the dragon that works well with the water color. Yes, I'm thinking something small near the dragon, especially inside the wings. These are all really great suggestions. I'm copying them into a Word file and will try them all out in my mind (and with pencil on paper) to see what might work best.

carol45

AFCSinc,
I have a question for you: When you say outline the various parts, do you mean stitching on the edge of the applique, or do you mean echo quilting a bit away from the applique?
Thanks!
Carol

QM

AFQSinc said exactly how I would do it.

In answer to the question, either would do, but I prefer the edge of the applique.