Once I had a quilting plan in mind, I was ready to get started quilting the Planview Quilt. I basted the quilt in two sessions: half before lunch and half after lunch, so it felt like it went quickly. And I am still very much an advocate of pinning the batting to the backing around the edge of the quilt; it’s kept me from flipping the backing over and quilting it into places it doesn’t belong on more than one occasion!
Aurifil Thread for Quilting
I am color matching my quilting to the sections of the quilt. I went back and forth about this decision but I know I’ll be really happy with the colors blending in better, helping to make the quilting appear more as texture on the front of the quilt. I’m using:
- 50wt Aurifl 2740 (Dark Cobalt) matched to Boomerangs CORNFLOWER 10002-42 (blue)
- 50wt Aurifil 5006 (Light Turquoise) matched to Sparkle CARIBBEAN 10003-62 (aqua)
- 50wt Aurifil 2870 (Green) matched to Sticks IRISH 10007-72 (green)
- 50wt Aurifil 1231 (Spring Green) matched to Hatching LEAF 10009-71 (lime)
- 50wt Aurifil 2130 (Medium Butter) matched to Criss Cross SUNNY 10010-5 (yellow)
- 50wt Aurifl 2024 (White) matched to Open Weave White 10015-10 (white)
Planview Quilting Progress
I started in the center with the yellow, then moved out to the lime green areas at the top and bottom of the quilt. I kept working in color order progression (aqua then green then blue) and at the end I went back with the aqua to match up exactly with the lines that ended in the blue section for the overlapping crosshatch section. The line spacing is right at or just a touch smaller than ½ʺ. I am especially happy with the areas where the quilting overlaps; I just love the texture it creates.
Planview Quilting Progress
When I got to the sides of the quilt, the quilt told me that my quilting plan wasn’t quite right, so I literally went back to the drawing board. The change is subtle from my original plan, but now, you can trace a line in a blocky figure 8 kind of loop through the sides. No one will probably be able to tell, but I made sure to quilt each line in the correct overlapping sequence. It was a fun brain teaser to work out what needed to be quilted first and how to interweave / overlap the lines.
Planview Quilting Progress – Quilt Backing
The back of the quilt is more of the Hatching LEAF 10009-71 (lime) print from the front. I love getting to see the definition taking shape on the quilt backing! I am also enjoying running my hands over this quilting.
Time to tuck in and get all the background quilted. What are you working on this weekend?
The quilting is really effective, lots of great texture. But still, that’s a lot of lines!
That’s so beautiful, I can’t wait to see the background come to life! I also can’t wait to get the fabric requirements so we can get started on this one! The colors you chose for the quilt and the quilting are so vibrant, I hope someday to see it hanging in person like another quilt I love and remember very well!
OMG, Yvonne, the quilting is out of this world! I just want to reach out and touch it – ha! Gotta love how Aurifil has the exact shades you need to match all those pretty fabrics!
Always in awe of your color-matching so many different areas. Can’t say I’m quite there yet. But it’s looking terrific!! Glad you were able to adjust your plan midstream in a way that worked well for you and the quilt.
I love all your dense quilting, very effective! Did you have any issues with it “peaking up” anywhere?
This is way cool Yvonne! It’s so……textural. (to coin a phrase – not! ) Kidding aside, the quilting is elegant and you are exceptionally good at keeping lines straight and even.
Pinning the batting to the backing is a brilliantly simple idea that I will use – like you, I hate turning the quilt over and finding a bit of backing stitched over itself. I’ve un-picked way too many quilting stitches.