Types of Quilting
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Please take your time to read through this section especially if you are new to working with a long arm quilter. My goal is to help you understand what kinds of quilting options there are.
All quilting involves adding a stitched design to your quilt. These designs can vary in complexity, but the main purpose is to hold your quilt together. There are so many ways that quilting can be done and various long arm quilters specialize in different areas. I will talk about them here so you know what options are out there. At the bottom, I have included my areas of specialty. |
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Edge to Edge Quilting is an all over your quilt design, it does not take into account the piecing of your top. You and your long arm quilter (LAQ) may consider design ideas based on the piecing and fabric choices, but the design is a repeating motif that covers the whole quilt.
Edge to Edge can be done in three main ways: Computerized, Pantographs, or Free Hand.
* Computerized quilting involves robotics and software to be added to the quilter’s long arm. The LAQ uses a program to build your edge to edge design. They may be able to resize the design so it makes sense with your quilt. Once the LAQ is happy with the design and how it will stitch out, they hit the “go” button in the program and the robotics attached to the machine take over and do all the stitching. If you are looking for a design that has complex detail or want that store bought perfectly stitched look, then computerized quilting is for you.
* Pantographs are long paper printouts that span the width of the quilt. The pantograph has a design that is traced using a laser that is attached to the long arm. The LAQ then hand guides the machine so the laser traces along the pantograph from one end of your quilt to the next. Pantograph designs can range from very basic to complex. Once a row is completed, the quilter advances the quilt, realigns to the pantograph and begins the next row. The scale of the design can only be changed by having multiple scales of the same pantograph pattern printed out.
* Free Hand and Ruler quilting is a lot like doodling a single line drawing. The LAQ decides on how they are going to stitch out the motif as they go. There is much more control in what happens to the quilt when using a free hand option. Rulers can be used to help achieve straight lines, longer curves, circles, etc. A quilt may have a combination of both to help achieve the desired look. The stitching is going to be unique to your quilt.
Borders can be done separately from the main body of the quilt. They are a nice addition to help frame the rest of the work. Separately quilted borders is a cost effective way to give your quilt a more custom look without the intense quilting and cost that go into a custom quilt.
Custom quilting can range from very simple ideas to very intense. Custom quilting takes the piecing of the quilt into consideration and can add some really neat texture. Heavy custom quilting is great option for a wall hanging.
For example, a Farm Yard quilt top that has some animal blocks/appliqué, a barn, house, maybe a creek, fields of wheat, trees, sky, etc. Each of these items can have details quilted into them to help complete that look. Do you want your dog to look shaggy? The LAQ might add some tiny curls/swirls for the dog’s fur. The tree trunk can have quilting added to give a bark like texture. Clouds can be added into the sky, the green fabric can be made to look more like grass, doors and windows can be outlined.
Lighter custom quilting can be done for bed and snuggle quilts. For example (see portfolio for this quilt) a flower basket quilt can have stitch in the ditch to outline each block. The basket itself can be echoed and flowers stitched in to look like they have been planted. Large open blocks can have some medium density quilting with a flower garden or butterfly motif. Borders can have a curled vine motif to help complete the look.
The size of the quilt, thread changes, and density of stitching are some factors that need to be considered in how long it may take to finish your quilt. You will need to have a consultation with your LAQ to go over those details and find out what they may charge you. Custom quilting can get to be very expensive. I have built in options for light custom work into the pricing calculator.
So what do I offer? Currently I only do free hand quilting. I “drive” the long arm and decide on the placement and size of the objects in your motif as I go. I use this method to do edge to edge designs, custom borders, and light custom quilting.