AngelinaMaria

I want to make a lap quilt for my daughter for Christmas but it needs to be something that I can quilt at home on my sewing machine. I did some limited straightline quilting on a few other small lap quilts in the past few years. I have some really pretty fabrics from Tonga's Pink Lemonade line and was thinking of making something like one of these:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/193654852699210528/

or

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&sa...r:38,s:0,i:201

The second one would require turning the quilt at each corner to go around the diamond so I think the first one would be better for me to tackle. I was thinking I would sew about 1/4 to 1/2 inch away from the diagonal seam going horizontally just in the direction of the "stripes". Would quilting it this way turn out okay--only having diagonal lines and only going one direction?

Not sure why I had to decide so late to make this, as if I don't have enough holiday stress!!! I'm also making one for my son slightly different so I am furiously working during the afternoons while they are at school because I have to put it away before they come home so I don't ruin the surprise. My daughter comes in frequently to admire my work so she would see the fabrics right off and know something was up.

Kani

I would think you could quilt it however you wanted. I don't think there is a set way to quilt a quilt. I think it's up to the person doing it. I do what makes me happy. Sometimes it's stitch in the ditch and other times it might be feathers. I would say it's up to you how you do it.
If it makes you happy then go for it.

mom-6

I think it would depend on what batting you use. Some would potentially shift, others would not.

Jennifer23

I think either of those quilts could be quilted with lines in one direction. The quilting lines don't have to follow the seams, especially with modern quilts like the ones you showed. As long as your quilting lines are close enough together to suit your batting, you'll be fine!

I don't know if this will help, but I drew in some quilting lines on the second quilt. They follow the seams half the time, and the other half they don't:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]441515[/ATTACH]
I personally like quilting this way; it's easy to manage (no turning corners! no meandering!) and has a modern feel that appeals to me.

If you're stressed, remember: bigger blocks piece faster! Check out this quilt - those blocks are huge, but the overall effect is very nice, and would probably work well with the Tonga Pink Lemonade fabric. http://www.incolororder.com/2011/08/...-tutorial.html. Since your daughter already admires your work, don't sweat it - you know she will love what you make for her.

Good luck!

PaperPrincess

If you only quilt on one diagonal, you have to be careful that the quilt doesn't get pulled out of shape because all your quilting lines will be on the bias of the fabric. I would quilt in one direction, turn the quilt then sew the next line. In other words, don't start each line of quilting on the same edge. Use a walking foot if you have one. I also agree that either quilt you are looking at can be quilted in one direction.

Stitchnripper

I am wondering if you glue basted with Elmer's washable school glue would there be any shifting if you went all in the same directions. When I glue baste nothing moves. Anybody?

DonnaPBradshaw

I would start in the middle and work my way out to one side. Then turn the quilt and start in the middle again working the other direction and work to the edge. Did that make sense? That way your quilt should not move too much in one direction.

Annaquilts

You might want to try this but really enlarge the pattern. I just did it on a long arm, boards 3-5 inches apart, but Leah Day does it on a domestic machine and I used to do all quilting on a domestic machine for over 10 years.

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.c...od-floors.html

If you spray baste and pin the edges every 4 inches you'll be fine running your machine from one end to the other. If you decide to do only stripes and use a walking foot be sure to set the stitch length to about 3 on your dial.

alikigirl

Google images of ORGANIC QUILTING and you will see lots of examples. I think it looks great.
Here is a great website about it
http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogsp...-quilting.html

Neesie

If you use Elmer's School Glue basting and Warm & Natural/White batting, you can quilt in any direction, without it shifting. Do use your walking foot, if you have one!