The first couple days of beginning to quilt a sandwiched top is almost always a throw of the dice for me. I generally have pretty specific plans on how I want to proceed, but when the presser foot hits the fabric and the needle starts pushing the thread through, stitch after stitch, things can sure change in a hurry. Sometimes the thread I have chosen decides that it wants to break every 100 stitches or so. Or the quilting design that I have chosen frequently doesn’t do anything for the quilt.
Back to the drawing board.
I have literally spent a good part of a day testing threads and quilting designs just to get the right combination. That doesn’t even address the challenges that sewing machine needles can present. I have lamented with fellow quilters, and they too, have often traveled that same time consuming path.
Case in point: I envisioned the jewel toned areas of my snail’s trail quilt stippled with slight spirals. Did that work? Of course, not. It was not only a nightmare to negotiate all of those seam points without shredding the thread; the stippling also covered up the beautiful metallic designs of the rich Asian fabrics. Those definitely needed to shine through!
I had to make a lot of changes: Needles, thread, and quilting design.
First I made a special trip to a local quilt shop and got some Topstitch needles. They are the best I have found to prevent thread breaks and shredding.
Next I went back to my old reliable standby Mettler Poly Sheen thread on the top, which hardly ever shreds or breaks. I changed to a simple Star cotton thread on the bottom. It tends to hold the springy polyester thread in place.
Finally, I changed to a walking foot and a simple topstitching quilting design. It lets the beautiful fabric show through, and I will still have oodles of space to do free motion quilting on the background neutral fabric.
This is what I have so far after today. I wanted to go a little longer, but got very tired after several hours at the machine.
![IMG_3277[1]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1wYBiVvCrbo/UeNdAgfymsI/AAAAAAAADWY/pAbuL851-VE/s1600-h/IMG_3277%25255B1%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg "IMG_3277[1]")
This is a closer view.
![IMG_3278[1]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iSlnyAHRInQ/UeNdCz-XTCI/AAAAAAAADWo/4dDF-DzWa3Q/s1600-h/IMG_3278%25255B1%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg "IMG_3278[1]")
Time to do some dishes.
It can be very frustrating finding the right combo of needle, thread, tension, and I think fabrics and batting effect (affect?) the whole process too. Glad you found a winning combo.
ReplyDeleteI always have the hardest time deciding how to quilt something. And I don't do anything very fancy. My quilts are more to use than to show, but still you want to do a good job no matter what they are for. It is harder for me if I am making them for someone...seems like I do better if I just go down there and set with it under the needle and see what develops. But again, not show quality.
ReplyDeleteKay-looks like the time paid off, Beautiful so far. I am making notes on the combo you came up with so when I finally do more than renting the machine, which does a beautiful edge to edge design, and actually plan out a quilt and do it on my home machine=I'll need that info! That is going to be so pretty.
ReplyDeleteSo far, so good. I like your choice, even though it wasn't your original plan.
ReplyDeleteHi there! I've been in a cave for several days - out running around with my sisters, actually.
ReplyDeleteI love this stitching. I'm taking notes, too.
Oh Kay, you have done it again!! Beautiful - I can't wait to see it in person with the Pinheads. I never imagined what a difference the quilting would make on the pretty little snails trail quilt you showed us last week. Excellent!!!
ReplyDelete