Wednesday 7 September 2011

As Requested, and some more advice needed...

So some of you requested that I show more of my Across The Sea QAL blocks. Yesterday I only posted a picture of one block because it was so rainy and gloomy here my blocks looked rubbish laid out on my living room floor with the flash from my iphone. I quickly taped one of the blocks to my window and got a picture with the gloomy light shining through.

Across the Sea QAL

This morning the sun popped out between the showers so I quickly herded my youngest son and dog out of the kitchen, spread the blocks out on the floor, and climbed on a chair to take a snap. To say that my kitchen is small, is an understatement, when I laid the blocks out there was about an inch or 2 between the edge of all the blocks and the cupboards, fridge, washing machine etc. I've cropped the picture a lot so you can't see the crumbs on the kitchen floor!!! (I'll sweep it up soon...promise!) The picture above is the best I can do for now :)

I've asked for quilting advice before and really appreciated all your suggestions, so I'm going to ask again....

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I've finally basted my Loulouthi quilt top, using the last of my basting spray because my new basting pins haven't arrived yet. I've used a lovely soft gold coloured Mendocino print I got on sale as backing (it is so soft I can't wait to get this finished and snuggle under it now!) You can see it in the picture below.
Anyway, I was planning to quilt in the ditch and then do a bit of hand-quilting in bright perle cottons, to emphasise some of those lovely big prints and add a bit of pizazz to the solid and linen areas but now I'm not sure.

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What do you think? How should I quilt it? I'm itching to start, but don't know what to do......

Thankyou
Fiona x

11 comments:

  1. Using the purple fabric second from top left as your starting point, I would grid quilt it on the diagonal so you have the square lines of the actual quilt blocks going horizontal and vertical and then the added interest of the quilting lines going diagonal, echoing both the purple and the yellow fabrics which have diagonal patterns in them.

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  2. I am really loving the look of your across the sea! I actually like your plans for quilting Loulouthi, but if you are looking for different ideas how about doin zigzag lines across it, about 4" apart? But like I said, I do like your plan :-)

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  3. I agree, diagonal quilting instead of stitching in the ditch would both allow all the quilting to shine and really make the prints stand out. I am biased against stitching in the ditch in most instances, so another option would be to echo some of the seams but 1/4" off of them to bring out the grid of the block design. For either, I hope you will also do some hand quilting as you planned too. It is a wonderful quilt! I also love your across the sea blocks - they are stunning!

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  4. Love the moody pic!
    Don't ask me about quilting, I'm useless, however I do like the echo-quilting idea xx

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  5. What I think I'd try (then prob rip out) is concentric squares around random blocks. So, kind of random echo quilting but in layers?

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  6. Go with your gut, you haven't been wrong before. Loving the grey background in your crosses quilt - shows up those colourful prints perfectly. Jxo

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  7. The more of the ideas I read the more confused I get because they all sound good. I always love the way you do your handstitching though so think that would look great as a feature.

    And I LOVE your Across the Seas Quilt. Beautiful!!

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  8. I love your quilt.(s) swoon that you ever found enough Mendocino to back a whole quilt and on sale! I've dreamt about stuff like that. I think I need to go shopping with you lol. No idea about quilting it though because like Susan said reading what everyone else said has completely confused me lol

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  9. Great quilt! (And thank you for more QAL blocks - they're great! And now I sound like Tony the Tiger, again!) I like all the ideas for quilting and love the hand quilting you do so I say pick the idea that appeals most - maybe arrange it over the back of the settee so you can look at it often and it will tell you how it wants to be quilted! It's going to look great whatever you do so have fun!

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  10. I agree with some 1/4" echo quilting around the larger blocks and then maybe the same echo hand quilting with Perle on the smaller ones? I am also not a fan of quilting in the ditch. It is a pretty quilt!

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  11. Love the black background to your ATS QAL.

    Haven't a clue about quilting I'm afraid, the most I've ever quilted (thus far) is 1 mug rug... I'm sure it'll be beautiful though

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