Sandra Darlington Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 My customer asked for custom on this quilt. It is 61" wide and 50 inches high. Each block is hand embroidered. There are 2 borders. The first (white one) is 2.5 inches wide and the outer border is 5.5 inches wide. The body of the quilt is a large panel where the embroidery design was stamped in the white squares. So, they are not pieced blocks, but look like they are. The embroidered blocks are about 3.25 inches square. My customer suggested SID around the blocks, but also said she would like me to come up with some ideas to present to her. She would like separate designs in each border. This is next on my frame, so I am hoping to get some suggestions from all of you experts out there. Thanks so much, Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 It looks to me like you could stitch the outline of each figure in the blocks. For more custom, you could echo out to the edge, or echo once then add a filler. Maybe a leafy vine in the sashings. I always like feathers in the border:-)) This one might do better with a vine that has flowers and leaves. Can't wait to see what others suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Here is a close-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Thanks, Annie. Customer didn't think she wanted me to stitch in the embroidered blocks. A friend told her the blocks are small enough that stitching wouldn't be needed and would take away from her handwork. (: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 I would SID as she requested, then to a firny inside border. I wish I could show you what I mean. It's like....start in the middle and make a half moon shape to the right, come back to the middle and make a half moonshape to the left. Oh brother....one day I will have an ipad. In the outer border I would make a daisy-like flower. If the border is 5.5 wide, then start with a small hook in the center and make 5 or 6 pedals encompassing the entire width of the border....echoing back about 3 leaves to the center again where you can make another hook with more pedals. I hope that's clear. I wish I could do better. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Thanks, Jess. That actually does make sense to me. What great ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 You will do a beautiful job. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Ahem... You are the professional, not your customer's friend. You can advise her whether the blocks need quilting or not. It mainly depends on the batting. Poly will work well but 100% cotton will sag if not stitched upon. Two years down the road when the quilts has hung for a while and those blocks start to sag towards the floor like 75 year-old boobs--she'll be sorry she didn't let you quilt on the embroideries!!:P:P Just my unbiased and un-asked-for opinion, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Hee, hee, hee. Thanks for that boob description, Linda. :P:P The batting is QD Poly, Select weight (mid loft). Do you think 3.25" blocks will hold up with only SID around the outside of the blocks? Do you think QD Puff would be a better choice? I think she would be OK (of course, I would have to ask her) to switch to Puff, as that is what she chose for the other 2 quilts and the batt she supplied for this was a door prize she won. There are 80 embroidered blocks. If I can convince her to let me quilt in the blocks, what do you think would be better? 1) To just outline the embroidery? 2) To add a small meander around the background of the embroidery after I outline it? I don't think she will want to pay for a lot of time spent on this. I haven't quoted her a price yet because we haven't come to a decision on what work will be done. I just finished 2 lap quilts for her that were at my lower end for pantos. She also doesn't like anything with "points," only curves, so it took several days for her to come to a decision on which 2 pantos would work. Ughh! I still need some advise. Linda........help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanaFuller Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 I like just a little swirl in the blocks to secure them, then you could randomly place them where you wanted to. But I don't have much quilting wisdom at this point :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanaFuller Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Then again, maybe the outline too :P Can't wait to hear what others say!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Thanks for the input, Ann Marie. I may hold off until Thursday to start this quilt. I have a charity quilt I can put on tomorrow and test one of my new pantos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 My goodness! I was being so mama-bearish up there in that post I forgot to comment on how pretty this quilt is! Love love love blue-work and the embroideries are wonderful! QD Puff might solve your problem since it will really fill behind the squares and they won't sag like cotton or an 80/20 would. Stay away from flat battings. Or, if you can convince her, opt for just an outline about a 1/16th of an inch away from just the outside of each figure--no stitching inside since the blocks are small. She will be thrilled at how it sets off her stitching. If you can just stitch one to show her--maybe do one and send her a photo in an email while you stitch the sashings and border. I'm very insistent with my customers when it comes to embroidery--it needs accenting. No matching thread would ever overwhelm an embroidery, and a bit of outlining adds so much. I'll see if I can find a photo to show what I mean. For the blue sashings--something continuous and easy like egg-and-dart or reversed curls--even bigger crosshatching if it can fit symmetrically. The quilting will really show in the white border--feathers or running leaves would be great. The blue border--something really easy since you have eaten up her budget with the planned stitching and nothing much will show except texture--your favorite open filler. Curls, spirals, a leafy meander, etc. Good luck--I suspect she won't want to spend too much--don't give it away, Sandra!!!!:cool: I attached a photo of a print fabric, not embroidery. Same principle, though. She wanted the bird square left without stitching. They were 7 inches square, I think, and they needed to be nailed down. They got even more than just outlining and maybe could have been stitched even more, but that was our compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Wow, Linda! Thank you for those ideas. I think you nailed it....if I can convince my customer. I am going to e-mail her tomorrow and give her these thoughts and I'll also let her know my "forum of experts" ALL agreed that some stitching is necessary in the blocks. Hopefully, she will agree. I'll let you know how I make out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Oh, Linda, that really looks great! Thanks for the example. The picture really helps a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 I think leaving the embroidered blocks without stitches is going to leave a look of not being finished. I agree with the outline gals.. it would really set it off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Yep, I agree with you, too, Rita. Now to convince my customer of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie Rouse Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Be sure to post photos when you get it finished. I am sure it will be wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Thanks, Melanie. I am still waiting for my customer to respond to my e-mail, so I have not started it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlnewell Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 If it were mine I would sid all the blocks and use bottom line (that matches the background to stitch as close as possible to the embroidery. I would do some sort of feather curl combo in the white border and curved crosshatching in the outer border. Linda, I love your quilting on that bird block! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Sandra, tell her that to do nothing in the embroidery blocks won't give her a pretty embroidered quilt that it could be. . the embroideries will just blend in with the background. it's sad she gives you info from her "friend", whom is not a long arm quilter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanaFuller Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I love the Northern Cardinals line by Holly Taylor. Made one quilt with it and loved it so much that I bought fabric for a second one. I used the 4ot pattern by Miss Rosie's. Linda, I'm saving your quilting as a favorite for when I do the next one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Rita, her friend is a LongArm quilter, but not in business; just quilts for herself. Debbie, thanks for the ideas. Now I am waiting for her to get back to me with some answers to my questions. I plan to resend my e-mail to her, just in case it was lost in cyberspace, as she still hasn't responded to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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