When a Quilt Stumps You

   We've been looking at quilt design and the various options often found in our quilting, but sometimes even with all the tools and templates available to us we get stumped. Try as we may no design seems to naturally pop out when we look at the top. Quilter's block is a frustrating thing that often leads to shelves of unfinished work..and I hate trying to return to unfinished work, especially if it has me stumped.

    One way I deal with a quilt stump...exposure. The kitchen wall, draped over the bed or couch or hung in the quilting room..that quilt is in my face off and on throughout the day. Exposing the quilt in various light at various angles as I pass it gives me time to mull around and dream..ponder the existing textures and lines. Sometimes catching the quilt off hand from the corner of my eye sparks the realization of just what that quilt needs.

     Let's look at an example. The Dresden quilt top pictured above has been off and on my design wall for over a year. My creative energy zapped, I would shove it in a drawer until I felt the pang of guilt over it and pulled it out again.Outlining the Dresden will enhance the existing elements, but there is a lot of blank space- pink blank space. Feathers and medallions seem a bit too wavy and loopy, and a stipple is too much circular motion. Cross hatch may give some balance to the roundness of the Dresden..but there is so much pink. See my dilemma?
    

    Quilting is as diverse as the women who quilt. If five ladies pieced the same design, each quilt would be different is some way..and the quilting would be just as different. The point is, there is no wrong design. When you make a quilt, it is a part of you..no design you choose can be wrong for the quilt you make. That's one of the many beauties of the wonderful world of fabric! So don't be stumped.

   

Three Types of Quilting and the Orange Peel

    Quilting design and motif varies from quilter to quilter..ask three quilters how to best enhance a quilt top and you will get three very different answers. My quilting designs tend to fall into one of three main design categories. I call them echo/outline, all over, and artistic.
   Echo or outline quilt design simply takes the pieced or appliqued design element and enhances it either by stitching in the ditch (seem lines) or echoing the design. Generally, I use them together working my quilting ino the ditch as well as echoing the design in the blank spaces. In the Dresden fan quilt pictured above we can clearly see the echo and outline design enhancing and even copying the original design element of the quilt top. The quilt has density, texture, and beauty added through the simple act of repeating the lines.

    This quilt has a lot of beautiful curves and ripples in the pieced design. To complete the quilt without detracting from the theme, it is stitched in the ditch (outlined) to enhance the design, create soft texture, and give no other element  to the work. Being a bed quilt, the outline keeps the quilt soft and subtle for a great snuggle effect.

    When a quilt is really 'busy' or really plain or is intended to stand up to plenty of use, an all over design can enhance the final product. This quilt above has a lot going on in the design; plenty of color and line. This quilt is currently on the quilt frame being quilted with last week's Baptist fan design. The gently curves will give stability while adding some softness to the lines in the design. I have a Dresden quilt next in line that has only six applique on the whole cloth top..the design plan is to add lined texture with an all over cross hatch, allowing sturdiness and contrast to the bed size quilt.

    When a quilt has plenty of artistic thought in the piecing, it screams artistic quilting. In the Holly Lane quilt above, we have applique and piecing done with very specific fabrics; it conveys a scenic motif that draws your mind to visions of winter wonder. The quilting here was intended to enhance the vision bringing swirling snow and stars in the sky..chimneys held smoke billows and in the borders holly dances along the way. Artistic quilting is the most time consuming and detailed of the three..for me, it is often added to a smaller wall quilt or done by special request for a client.

   Now for our sampler. This week another easy to mark design, the orange peel..sometimes called the wineglass, fills the fourth space on the sampler. The base of a drinking glass, a small desert plate or even my canning ring gives the overlapping circular patter. Where the Baptist fan was a softer circle, the orange peel adds a bit of intricacy to the fabric with the oblong slivers it creates. Perfect for all over quilting, filling empty squares, or adding beautiful texture to a border, the orange peel is a wonderful design to have in our tool box.

Plan the Design & The Baptist Fan

    I love quilting..love it, but the most challenging aspect of quilting for me is planning a design. After all the piecing is complete it's time to take a long hard look at the form and function of the quilt. Is there a clear design element to the quilt (lines/circles)? What will this quilt face in it's lifetime? Is it for use or display? Does the batting have requirements? I have some questions to ponder before a design is chosen.
     Let's look at an example: the quilt in the picture above is lab/crib size, intended for use, may face plenty of washing and wear and it has a lot of straight line elements. This in mind I needed a smaller gauge design to give stability..the amount of piecing may make detailed designs more challenging..and with all the lines already in the design, some curves may soften the texture.

   Drawing the quilt on a sheet of paper gives me a canvas for testing ideas. I use a spiral notebook for design doodling and block planning. Here you can see my basic pinwheel quilt sketched out with a few variant quilting designs played with in the spaces. This gives me room to play and keeps the designs from getting lost on the sewing room desk.

   Some quilts just shout a design. This vintage star quilt is hand quilted with 'meandering stars' giving the appearance of stars scattered across the bed. Other quilts are artistic and beg for embellishment..i.e. the Holly Lane quilt made last Christmas needed stars in the night sky with smoke curling from the chimneys. Baby girl quilts easily lend to flower or ribbon effects while a boys quilt may need bubbles or sail boats. I try to keep in mind the person receiving the quilt..their tastes and preferences. No matter the design, the end result will be beautiful and functional. I do talk a little bit in the video about smaller quilts and their designs.

   Now for this week's quilt design: the Baptist fan. I love the simplicity and flow of this traditional quilt design. Easily fit in any quilt space and versatile in gauge and direction, this design can fill a large quilt or an outer border. The arches quilt well without too much curve, enabling us to load those needles with more stitches and move the work along at a faster pace. My Jungle Babies quilt pictured at the top is on the frame right now being quilted with this very design.

    Share your  projects with us..add pictures or your link in the comment box to encourage and inspire others. Questions..quilt troubles you need help with? Send me an email at simplyscaife@yahoo.com.

Some Tips and Techniques

    Sometimes getting started is the hardest part of any project; hand quilting is no exception. In the video today we take hand quilting step by step: threading, stitching and ending, while addressing a few tips and trouble spots along the way. A few things didn't make it into the video..here are a few Q&A's.
    1. How do I fix a knot?
        Knots happen to everyone. Tangled thread that just won't come undone is cut just below the tangle. If there isn't enough thread to make a knot, I pull a few stitches until I can tie off. Cut a fresh piece, use a tangle prevention method (see video), and start fresh.
    2. What is traveling?
         In hand quilting, traveling means to slip your needle between the quilt sandwich layers and move from where you are quilting to where you need to be quilting. Kind of skipping to the next spot. Note: only travel very short distances and it's better not to travel if your thread is darker than your fabric.
   3.  My stitches are puckering.
        Relax. When I quilt a difficult design, often I find myself tensing up and biting my lip. Bad habit! Stop, breathe, sip tea and come back when you are relaxed. A little pucker is fine, too much will distort the quilt. Try smoothing the stitches a bit to relieve the tension in the fabric.
   4. My (hands, shoulders, wrists, etc.) hurt.
       Check your position. Are you practicing good posture? Good technique? Are you quilting with your arms supported?
    The desire of my heart is to share my experience with others and to learn from others as well. If you have tips or techniques we would love to hear from you. Leave us a message or comment. Let's learn and stitch together.