When deciding how to quilt a quilt, we follow these basic principles:
- Does the quilter want her/his piecing to be the star or should the quilting shine? Like this old advertisement on a wall, what shines – the lettering or the red bricks?
- What density of stitching is desirable?
- If it is a lap or ‘snuggle’ quilt, go easy on the stitch density – you want the quilt to bend and mold to your body
- If it is a wall hanging, then the sky’s the limit!
- Will the quilt be heavily used and regularly washed? You might want the stitching to be more closely quilted – the quilt stitches become more stable and seem to resist breakage with hard use.
Recently, I went to an outdoor quilt show in Smithville TX. Quilts hung from storefronts all up and down the main street, at the library and even at the Raidroad Museum. It was a very windy day and the quilts just ‘danced’. It made me happy.
However, when I saw this quilt, I felt that the stitching apparantly quilted with varigated thread overshadowed the lovely colors and pattern on the quilt itself.
Look closely and tell us what you think. Is the quilting ‘right’ for the piecing?
I thought the quilting overpowered the design. Perhaps the design could have been outlined and the neutral spaces saved for the freeform design.
I agree. The quilting overpowered the design. I think the quilter chose the wrong color thread.