What Do I Want for a Quilting Pattern?

Picking the all over quilting design can be scary or challenging. This was certainly something I struggled with at first. Many factors will play a part in what design is selected and you will hear me throw certain descriptors around such as, density, backtracking, modern, traditional, organic, and more.

The way I look at quilts, and pictures of quilts, has changed immensely over the last eight years since I got my longarm machine. While I still enjoy piecing and looking at the patterns and fabric choices, my first glance is now “what did they use for a quilting pattern?”.

I’ve seen all kinds of combos of traditional, organic, etc. on modern quilts and modern patterns on traditional quilts and vice versa. So, anything goes…to some extent.

Here are the most important things I consider when helping you select a quilting pattern.

1. Is your quilt modern or traditional?

   1. Maybe you want to keep it all modern. There can be some challenges with this. See my Lighthouse Inn quilt here. I put a modern pattern on a modern quilt. Then I panicked when I saw there was very precise spacing in the quilting lines and 45 degree angles. Luckily, I had taken my time piecing that one and it all worked out. Would I do that again? Maybe. But, any number of traditional patterns would have looked nice as well.

      

      
      

   2. Go through my Instagram and you can look at the various customer quilts and the quilting we picked. Often, modern, or very squarish blocks are paired with quilting that curves. Here is one with Flying Geese (traditional) with Celtic Scroll (modern, but organic…it has curves and flows)

      

      
      

   3. Traditional quilt tops paired with the linear look of more modern quilting patterns can look really fantastic as well.

2. Is your quilt densely pieced or larger blocks?

   1. Densely pieced blocks benefit from a less dense pattern. With lots of piecing, you won’t necessarily see a lot of the quilting.

   2. Also, densely pieced tops have more intersections causing the top to be thicker and, while my longarm can quilt through it, sometimes it will cause a little “bend” in the pattern. I can also alter the pattern to miss these spots if it’s prudent.

   3. Less dense quilt tops…the sky’s the limit! See the simple squares for the baby quilt that was quilted with puppy paws? You can really appreciate the quilting design when the tops are simple.

3. Is there a lot of negative space?

   1. Negative space is when the background areas are large. On this quilt, there were large open white areas. So, I picked a design that had flowers and quilted it densely enough to see them and appreciate them.

      

      
      

   2. When there isn’t a lot of negative space, more detailed quilting patterns get lost. That’s when I reach for something more non-descript to simply give the quilt a nice overall texture. Like the pattern Malachite, or other such patterns.

      
      

      

      
      

4. Is there fullness in areas of the quilt top that may cause puckering or other quilting issues.

   1. If you are a new quilter or not, sometimes there are construction challenges in the quilt top. Remember, we all started somewhere and mistakes…or time constraints happen! See my blog about what I call my first monstrosity. I’m not going to judge, I want you to enjoy your hobby. I’m here to help you get it over the “finished” line.

   2. Fullness can lead to puckers. So, I will be looking for patterns without a lot of backtracking (when the quilting goes over the same path more than once) or intersections (when quilting lines cross). A loose, curvy (i.e. organic) pattern makes it easier to work this fullness in or out with less chance of puckering the fabric.

5. What do YOU, the customer, want?

   1. Ultimately, it is your call. I am happy to suggest a few patterns and will explain my reasoning. But, YOU get the final say.

Take the time to look online or at magazines and if you see a combination with a quilt top like yours that you like, send me a picture. You may also be surprised to see a quilting pattern you had never considered for your quilt top that will lead you in a different direction. There is no wrong choice! Have fun with it!