Freehand vs Panto

[Della]

Hi again...just curious about how many quilters are "freehand" as opposed to using pantos. I am still very new to quilting but so far prefer to use freehand designs. I am going to try a panto for the first time this week on one of my own quilts as not sure how to line it all up...lol

[ffq-lar]

I am a full-on freehand quilter. I can quilt a panto, but like to quilt from the front. I never liked the obvious row-look of some pantos. Freehanding allows me to place elements to avoid heavy seam intersections and put pretty designs where they will show. There are gorgeous dense pantos for sale, as well as intricate pattern boards, so back-side quilting can be gratifying as well as beautiful. Just not my cuppa tea.

Quilt what and where you like best. We are so lucky to have the tools and techniques to find our favorite method of putting stitches on cloth. What a great job!

[Barbara Conquest]

I'm with Linda. In fact, I hid my pantos so customers won't ask for them! Freehand is so much more versatile and adaptable to the quilt's pattern. (And you don't have to try to follow someone else's lines -- guess it's all about control).

Barbara

[s.waits]

I'm also relatively new to longarming, and I prefer quilting from the front of the machine. However, using pantos allows me to do things I would not tackle freehand. It's also a good way to get accustomed to making particular shapes with confidence. You don't have to worry about placement, you can just stitch the design, work on making the shape. Once I'm comfortable with a shape or design, I can incorporate it into freehand work.

If you shop around a little, there are some really beautiful designs available.

[Quilting Heidi]

I do both. I'm first to admit I'd much rather be at the front of my machine but sometimes I like that I can put down a pattern and follow a line and not have to think at all (well that might be a little stretch but I at least don't have to make design decisions). I'm not as consistant at freehand all overs as I'd like to be so pantos solve that problem.

[Pennyquilts]

I do both also, but am more comfortable on the front of the machine.

[meg_marsh]

Do both - depends on the quilt. I have a computer for the panto work, but really love working from the front of the machine and seeing the quilt develop - even with a computer - can't stand to let it do all the work ........ boring!!!!

[Sandra Darlington]

I like both front and back. I enjoy freehand designs, but mostly use them on my quilts and family/friend quilts. I prefer to use a panto or pattern board on my customer's quilts so everything is more "perfect."

[jmcclannan]

I do both but I am finding that after doing some pantos a number of times I can do something similar from the front of the machine and I like to do that when there are heavy intersections that might break a needle if I were working from the back. I also think that doing an E2E from the front is faster than setting up a panto and checking each row etc.

[CindyT]

I also do both, but enjoy much more from the front of the machine. All over freehands are still a mystery to me how to be consistent, but maybe someday I'll get it figured out. I know it takes practice, practice, practice.

[LadyLake]

There are some very pretty pantos out there these days. I do both panto and freehand. It is quicker and easier and cheaper to do freehand, but I think the panto work is worth the effort on some quilts. I try to have a small assortment of pantos that will work for different types of quilts (baby, men, feminine, etc.)

[witha'K'quilting]

I agree with joan...cheaper, faster to quilt freehand. I prefer freehand...but sometimes I love the look of certain pantos on a quilt...so will opt for that.

[Guest Linda S]

It's going to depend on how your brain works. Really. I am quite capable of making flowers, leaves, swirls, etc., freehand, but my brain does not function in the what-to-put-where mode. I do pantos because they are already evenly spaced and planned. If I'm doing an art or pictorial quilt, I don't seem to have that problem. Then it's like I'm painting a picture. Just putting an allover on a quilt without marking it first is an impossibility for me. Besides, I like the more planned and orderly look.

Different strokes for different folks.

[quiltmonkey]

I love doing freehand designs because it's much faster to quilt. But I also love pantographs, too.

[Marsha Nichols]

I use a midarm waiting to be a true LAer. Panto is how I learned and freehand is a scarey right now but thanks to all the pics of your quilts in this forum, I am getting the mindset that freehand is something I could do. I have so enjoyed everyone's projects, hints and solutions. Thank you all so much for this forum.

[chrisquilter]

I prefer mostly freehand, however, I have been looking at keeping a few pantos for some of those really "piece-y" quilts that would look great with a lovely panto on them. I have a couple of freehand overalls, swirls, feathers, ferns and such, but sometime I need some new ideas. I prowl the internet for inspiration. This forum is the perfect spot for inspiration and encouragement!

[Della]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I, too, like to do the freehand quilting but like I said, I am new so have lots to learn!

[DL Semmens]

Della I primarily panto. Love the consistency, that I just can't do from the front. When I try, I start out at one size and end up with something much smaller by the end of the row.

There was a thread about lining up pantos recently. I was privately smiling because it took me a couple of years to really figure out how to line up the pantos, and then I never told anyone how I did it.....cause I KNEW that they would gasp at all things that could possibly go wrong. (never have....kncok on wood) but the thread discribed to a T how I line up pantos.

Start with a panto that is interlocking. Make sure it has registration lines ( usually dotted on the pattern) of the high points of the previous row. Stitch your first row, then when you are ready to advance the quilt sandwich set your needle in a high point of the row ( should be a point that has a dotted registration line on the pattern) that you just stitched. CAREFULLY advance your quilt until the lazer is now on the corresponding registration line. You should be ready to quilt the next row. I like a fairly taunt sandwich, so I usually stop rolling the take up when the lazer is about a quarter to half inch beyond the registration point. Then I use my other two rollers to tighten the sandwich up bring the lazer back to the correct point.

The only thing that could get you into trouble would be if your panto gets moved. I use really heavy paper weights on both ends, and I have rulers that I use to make sure that I have the panto all lined up straight.

Hope this makes at least a little sense to you. If not search for that thread, it was much better written than my ramblings. LOL

[Ferret]

I'm freehand only, for me it's a lot easier and therefore cheaper. I like that I can offer really cheap patterns but still fit them to the piecing and be profitable as well.

[Bekah]

I am a panto girl. I am like Deb, I always end up with a different size on one side of the quilt. Just haven't practiced free hand enough I know. One of these days I will get brave enough to do an entire quilt freehand but for now, I don't mind doing pantos and my customers like being able to see the quilting patterns when I talk about leaves, flowers, etc.

[ffq-lar]

I'm sorry, I can't remember the instructor, but in a newbie class taken early in my longarming life, the instructor told us to draw the freehand overall on a piece of copy paper at the size we want the motifs to be. Keep that paper on the quilt as you stitch to remind you not to get too big or small when you are stitching. My motifs seem to get bigger as I stitch overalls. Another hint is to NOT start at the upper left with an overall. Start down either side at least 10 inches so you can get your rhythm and shapes in line. Then quilt up to the top edge. People "read" a quilt like a book. They start at the top left if something doesn't distract them right away. If you have bobbles or awkward placement there, it will be noticed. So start farther down. Works for me.