Thursday, February 24, 2011

Nina is back - I'm quilting, but.... a few questions

Last Saturday "Nina" returned home, after more than 2 months on service!
The service-guy managed to break one of the supports (?) on the stitch plate and had to get a new one from Switzerland. That's why it took more time than necessary!
I'm happy "Nina" is finally at home! I've been quilting ever since Sunday! :) The BBQC project - a table topper - is almost done, I have left to hand stitch the binding.


Over the last couple of days I'm quilting the "Hello Betty" quilt, but....
I'm not sure I am satisfied with the look of these small squares.
This is how I quilted all of them, but then I wasn't sure I liked it, so.....

(alternative 1)

I unpicked 4-5 of the squares, to make them look like this...
Now the question is; should I unpick all to make them as alternative 2 (have not dared to count how many!) or should I keep alternative 1?
Perhaps alternative #1 isn't that bad after all?

(alternative 2)

The triangles - after quilting - measure approx 3,5" x 6,5" - is that too big a piece not to be quilted, or should I quilt something in each triangle?
Please let me have your opinion!


When all the quilting is done I have left to do the binding. The dilemma is fabric for the binding; I don't have anything left of the fabrics used. I used one layer cake and one jelly roll for this quilt. I'll have to dive into my stash to see what I can find! :) No new buys just for the binding! :)

Yesterday I made "Norwegian School Bread - take a look here!

5 comments:

Emma said...

It's not too big of a space depending on your batting. Look at the batting information - it should say the maximum you can quilt apart. I know that Warm and Natural is something like 10". As for how it looks, sometimes to set off the heavily quilted areas it's better to leave spaces unquilted. For instance, in the quilt I made my mom for Christmas (http://www.thequiltinghermit.net/2010/12/its-been-sprint-thon.html), I left the entire sky unquilted, because each leaf was outlined and given veins, the tree had close-set quilting, and I quilted grass onto the green at the bottom. Not trying to fill the sky made the quilting stand out much more, and my spaces were bigger than yours. But that's me, so make your quilt how you will like it. It isn't for everyone else to like, just you!

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

hello astrid...i like alt 1, i think it looks good...sorry i don't know much about the spacing...a lovely quilt...dzintra

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I like picture number 2. I will try machine quilting I think on the next project that I do that will be a small quilt - something of a size to practice like a baby quilt.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

QuiltSue said...

I would say that it depends on how you will use the quilt, as alt. 1 looks very dense which will make the quilt rather stiffer than alt. 2.

Dirt Lover said...

Astrid, I like the mini quilt pattern that the dark block makes with more quilting, but would that be too much on a bigger space? Maybe you could do every other one? Do you already have it all quilted, and need to decide whether or not to take it out? If so, I say leave it the way it is. I like them both, but not so much to rip anything out if it is already done and in place. As for the triangles, I agree with Emma about looking at your batting recommendations. And, after all is said and done, you always make beautiful quilts, both piecing and quilting, and I know this quilt will live up to those standards too. What is your first thought about what you should do? If you're like me, it's usually the one you like the most. Good luck, and have fun!! Congrats on getting your friend back home.
~~Lori