How to Ruin a Quilt with Stippling

77 responses to “How to Ruin a Quilt with Stippling”

1. First thank you for the great blog! I love to read it. I am making the 365 challenge quilt. In december 2016 the quilt top would be ready. I already are thinking how to quilt it but have no idea. It’s already a busy quilt… Do you have an idea? Regards Sarah

2. Well written. I think stippling has its place, but it’s not my favorite. I’ve only used it once, and that was only on a pillow. I’m one that wants to learn more, with each project/quilt I make. My default overall motif is the feathered flower, much easier than stippling, and a little more attractive.

   1. That is always my goal, too–to learn something new with each quilt!

3. When I began to learn you classes a month ago, I was able to manage stipping but I was not like going on meandering all my quilts it was going to be boring. I am absolutely ok with you, stripping does not fit for all the quilts and I am so happy to learn doodling and exercising all your motives, so charming and far from the basic ones. Today I can tell you that I am no longer afraid of ruining my quilts. A little more training to have a more consistent FMQ and I’ll be enjoying FMQ as well as you do. Thanks a lot for all your help.
   Kind regards from Marie so grateful.

   1. Great to hear your testimonial! Thank you!

4. Sorry my french computer does not accept the word “stippling” and change it. Anyway I think that even with my bad english you can understand my enthusiasm !

5. Thank you for this post! I am a new quilter and the very first thing I read about machine quilting talked about how easy stippling was and referred to it as “the” beginner stitch design. I can’t do it! I’ve tried and tried and it looks terrible. I get lost, stuck, cross over lines, you name it. I had almost decided quilting wasn’t for me. but, before I gave up, I decided to try stitching individual motifs. Wow! I’m no where near perfect, but it was a piece of cake compared to stippling! But, I felt like I should still be able to stipple-like I couldn’t be a real quilter if I couldn’t master the “easiest” of stitches. No more! I’m stipple-free from here on!

   1. Exactly! Thank goodness we found Lori!!

6. I think that a lot of stippling looks like scribble. I don’t want scribble, mine or anyone else’s, on my pretty top. Not a fan at all.

7. I agree stippling can be boring but at least it is something I know how to do. Besides skill knowledge of motifs, my bigger issue is just deciding what type of quilting motif to use, especially on patterned fabric. For me, deciding on the motif is the most challenging part of a project. Many of your designs look great on non-patterned fabric and knowing which of those motifs would look good on patterned fabrics would be an informative post.

   1. I absolutely agree. I can easily finish a quilt project and then so often come to an abrupt halt as to how to complete the quilting. I love adding individual motifs, but it isn’t a simple thing to know what will look beautiful in a pieced or multicolor fabric quilt.

      1. I totally agree. Even knowing how to quilt a modern quilt with solid fabrics is a challenge! And I need to come up with something soon,

      2. I totally agree, I love to piece a quilt and then it lives on my design wall for sometimes a long time until I can figure out how I am going to quilt it. Your design tuts are my go to for inspiration Just not sure which one to pick.

   2. I agree. I’m a new quilter and feel I’ve really accomplished something just getting the quilt top done. I have no idea what type of quilting will enhance the overall look. I’ve sent 2 quilts to a long arm quilter but that can get expensive. I love the designs I see on Lori’s blog, but I still get stumped on where they should go on a bigger quilt.

8. Keep up the good work Lori, like you I do not stipple. I think all over stippling spoils the look of some amazing looking quilts. I started FMQing with you a long time ago and only use stippling in a small area when you just need something that you need in the background. I love all that you have taught me and I don’t think you can ruin a quilt by doing it yourself. Can you imagine what it would cost to have all the mofits and designs in your quilt done for you. My friend is paying $150 for all over stippling on a king size quilt. I have done a Lord Of The Rings quilt and have almost each block quilted differently. I would not of been able to afford to of had it done if I had not done it myself. Be creative because when you stand back your free motion quilting just highlights the beauty of the quilt and does not hide it.

9. I completely agree! As a quilter who is new to quilting my own quilt tops, I have found that meandering is hard. I’ve practiced it on paper and still can’t avoid boxing myself in. So for now, I’ve opted for straight line quilting that emphasizes a motif I like in the quilt pattern while I continue to practice my FMQ. Your blog and your magazine articles are helping me get there.
   P.S. Thank you for the link to the discount for your Craftsy class. I signed up!

10. I think stippling has its place, just like everything else. I like it, but on a limited basis. I prefer the look of free motion quilting, but seem to be unable to FMQ anything larger than a table topper or table runner. When I try larger quilts, I run into all kinds of problems…skipped stitches, thread breakage, etc. I’m using the same set up and the same sewing machine, so it must be something I’m doing.

11. I enjoy and love the look of stippling and meandering. However, I do agree with you that it isn’t appropriate for everything. I’m an eager beginner who does try new motifs. I don’t want everything I quilt to look the same. Besides I get bored easily. I follow you for the courage to keep trying new designs.

12. It’s so nice to know that I’m not the only who cannot meander/stipple. I quilt my own quilts and while it may take me longer to do them, the process of working out motifs to use across the top is fun and very satisfying. Looking forward to your next installment.

13. I’m a beginning DMQ and I find stippling very hard. Thanks for encouragement and the great lesson above. I think your examples are easier and look much better. Just need to practice,practice,practice!

14. I agree with you, but it took me way too long to realize there was more out there than stippling. I used it as my only motif for years. Now I’m having more fun and quilting has become my favorite part of making a quilt. I do have a lot of trouble getting started on a new quilt. So many choices.

15. So glad you wrote this. I’ve always heard that stippling was easy but I found it very difficult. I didn’t even try any other type of quilting because I thought if I can’t do the “easy” quilting, I wouldn’t be able to move up to more difficult quilting. This is so freeing. Thank you. Now I can move on!

    1. Join the #meandernomore club!

16. My head can not stipple… It doesn’t like it and the aimless wandering gives me anxiety bad! Grit teeth, scrunched burning shoulders… Not for me, I need a direction in mind! Lol! A beautiful design and the echo stitches lulls me right into a trance like calm… Happy and content.

17. Great post, Laurie. I like the quilting on your log cabin quilt and would like to try something like that on a LC quilt I want to quilt up this fall. Could you write up how you did yours? Thanks so much–for all you do.

18. I find meandering and stippling very difficult to achieve though I’ve seen some that were nicely done. Only time I’ve ever done an overall meander/stipple was on a vintage triangle top that was poorly machine stitched and I figured that the small meandering would help hold all those seams together. It worked!

19. I love to create the beautiful motifs, though they’re still not beautiful like yours. I also agree that meandering is not appropriate for all pieces in order to bring out their best. I did learn to meander as a beginner and have been told that I do it very well. I find that when I am in a hurry to complete a baby quilt or donation project, and the different motifs don’t come to me for how to quilt it, I will often default to meandering. I always do something unique for the borders though. My meandering is not tiny–I don’t like that either–it’s anywhere from 1-2 inches, and I can cover a baby quilt top in less than an hour. It works well for me, and I find it relaxing. Most importantly, while I prefer unique and more creative motifs when possible, getting a project completed is often my goal.

20. Stippling can be nice but in small areas as part of other motifs.

21. Stippling stresses me out! I keep thinking about not crossing over the lines and making it “flow” correctly!! I love curlicues and loops much better!

22. For everyone who struggles with using the various motifs on “the big quilt” – including myself- I think there are two specific challenges: first, what motifs to use; second, how to manage the logistics. I wonder if we could try making our “quilt sandwich” practice pieces as longer strips – say 15″ x 60″ or longer and subdividing the strips with chalk into practice squares or rectangles no wider than 12″ to allow for the strips to then be sewn together. This could be a very beautiful quilted sampler – and functional. I am thinking this could also demonstrate one way to rethink how to manage quilting the big quilt. Instead of completing the entire quilt top, leave it in strips – the size of the strips is determined by the size each quilter thinks she can comfortably manage on her machine.
    I was recently a guest in a home where the bed was made with a solid- colored cream quilt (like our quilted sampler as described above) and a smaller elaborately pieced blue quilt that was folded at the bottom. Beautiful and functional as the smaller piece allows us to change out the quilt according to season or whim without making an entire bed -sized quilt -which in my case is a king.

23. Stippling was a good thing to learn when I was starting to machine quilt and useful at times, but your title about it ruining quilts is right on. Five or more years ago I went to one of the big quilt shows in my state, put on by seven guilds, and among many lovely and even astounding quilts, I just felt sick to see a beautifully made Baltimore Album “ruined” by huge overall stippling. It had been done by a longarm quilter. If I’d been hired to quilt that the cheapest way – stippling in a huge loose way – I would not have done it, I’d have done custom quilting and charged for stippling – it was way too gorgeous a quilt to just stipple all over the wonderful appliqué and piecing.

    1. I’ve seen similar quilts and it is disheartening–Quilting can’t be an afterthought to just get the quilt done.

24. Thanks for your encouragement to enhance our quilting skills and personalize our ‘babies’. I did use stippling for part of my granddaughter’s cradle set and it worked well there. But it was boring boring boring!
    Choosing quilting designs is one of the hardest parts of making quilts for me–so I’m hoping to learn some tips from you. I’m almost ready to quilt a hexagon quilt and am in a quandary over it. Will you please include some tips for quilting hexagons?
    Thanks!!!

25. I so agree with #meandernomore! I think I am perhaps too much of a linear thinker or something! I am with the person above who says it causes anxiety and this supposed to be a fun past time! IMHO it should not be considered a “beginners” stitch!

26. How refreshing and liberating! I’m not deficient in machine quilting because I can’t stipple! Yay! I’ve been quilting for about 3 years now and felt like I was missing out because I couldn’t stipple. You explained perfectly why some of us can’t master it. I also can’t do the ‘wonky’ piecing that so many are doing now. I think it’s all related! Thank you Lori for standing up for us non-stipplers! I love your blog and your Craftsy classes!

27. Wait. Light bulb moment. Your designs are easier than stippling? Up to this moment of reading this blog post, I have always thought since I’m a poor stippler there would be no way I could do Lori’s designs. Guess I better get out of that mind frame and give your designs a try!

    1. Oh my goodness, YES! As you can read here, many of us find stippling very difficult. Try Flower Power as a good beginner motif.

       1. Oh gee, thanks for the recommendation for a place to start!

28. I really like to stipple and meander. I find it wonderfully relaxing and I can do it nicely. The look when the whole quilt is quilted that way, however, is just plain boring. And I do have a quilt from a few years ago with stippling as the only motif – small, close together stippling – the quilt is pretty stiff. My son calls it The Cracker Quilt; he says it’s like sleeping under a soda cracker. I think there are much more beautiful ways to quilt our quilts and I’ve learned quite a few motifs from you, Lori. Thanks so much!

29. We all spend a lot of time and money on beautiful fabrics sewn into wonderful quilt tops. When I get to the quilting stage, sometimes I just want to quilt it and move on to the next project. But now after I finish piecing, I spend a couple days doing some thing else in my studio – maybe cleaning up or mending (well, not very often) or some other mundane task and during that time I look at my quilt top. What does it make me feel like? Are there a lot of lines or curves? What might enhance the design? You can buy some clear mylar products that you can use an eraseable marker on. Try some different designs on the mylar and then pin them to your quilt top. There are lots of other methods and Lori has made suggestions in her blog, too. Even looking at other quilts might help you get ideas. Thanks for this discussion, Lori.

30. I enjoy stippling and I find it easy to do, relaxing, and (unfortunately) my go-to design to finish my quilts. I have done both a tight and loose meander as well as a combination with success on my domestic and mid-arm machines. Thanks to you-NO MORE! I love, love, love your blog and tutorials! I am so glad I found you and cannot wait to use some of your designs. I agree that stippling, while a great design, has it’s place and is not appropriate for every quilt. On to bigger and better things!

31. Stitch-in-the-ditch is the first method of quilting I learned, then stippling. Stitch-in-the-ditch is of course a mainstay, but I feel that stippling has its place too, just like any of the other methods of quilting. I do find it the easiest one, and tend to use it for quilts that will be washed all the time or otherwise “abused.” That being said, I just love all the motifs we’re learning from Lori, and am working hard to learn more!

32. Yes, I have ruined a quilt by stippling!! I am so upset about it, I am ready to rip out the quilting (king size) and redo. I would use different batting also. That didn’t help the situation.

    1. Janet-Chalk it up to experience and move on. If you really love the quilt design, it will probably be faster to piece the entire quilt over again.
       Education has a price–sometimes the price is time. You have learned something from this quilt!

33. I am not a fan of stippling either. I would rather see a loop-de-loop than a stipple. I think it is the fast way out and done so in a rush to get to that next quilt. It is mostly what I see on quilts on etsy and although some are done rather nicely with nice rounded edges, I look at the quilts and see in my head what the possibilities could have been. I know there is so much more time, thought and effort in quilting separate spaces and designs but the quilts I make I hope are going to be cherished and passed down and I want the quilting to be just as beautiful as the piecing and fabric. I will never be as confident and accomplished as you, but you have opened so many doors and ideas that I never would have thought of. I enjoy trying new things. Thank you Lori for all your help and ideas!!

34. I also find stippling, meandering very difficult: difficult to keep it consistent and in the same size, and of course difficult to find the way out.
    I’ve been following you for a while now, and find it much more rewarding and fun to create some stitching that emphasises the piecing and by doing it bit by bit, it is much easier to complete in sections.
    I do everything on a small, non electronic home machine, (Elna) and I practise making placemat sets. I also keep a small copy-book to practise doodling and resort to samples already practised for inspiration.
    Thank you Lori.

35. I still think meandering and stippling have there place. I love all your examples in this post of alternate designs. In addition, I noticed that all of the quilts you showed have tone on tone, solids or less busy prints. I agree that these examples all require special motifs and designs to enhance the piecing. The spacing of your design examples would give a soft texture. I also agree that meandering and stippling are not easy for all. In order to do it well, you have to change directions with ease and maintain even spacing while making the curves look randomly placed–not easy without lots of practice. In my opinion, meandering is great for quilts with a blended look comprised of busy prints. With that being said, I don’t use meandering on all of my quilts, and several of them have no meandering. A portion of them have some meandering. I do like to grid quilt too. Some quilters don’t like this style too with the remark that they don’t want the quilt to look like a mattress pad! I think grid quilting looks great on certain types of quilts too as it can keep your attention focused on the piecing rather than the quilting. I use it a lot on quilts with lots of reproduction fabrics. As a variation of grids, straight lines like in your sample above are great too. I use lots of combinations of that style in my quilting too. Overall, I like a huge variety of quilting and typically use more than one style in most of my quilts. I don’t like to exclude or devalue any style as I think they each have a role to play (sometimes you need followers to make the leaders shine–and the leaders can be either fabrics or quilt designs). Meandering is a follower!

36. Thank you for your instructions and encouragement, Lori! I have a stack of quilt tops that languishly await my conquering of FEAR. Oh, that F word stops us short! Thank you for this series. I am a new follower and beginning machine quilter. Meandering sort of reminds me of a mattress pad, but I like tiny stippling in some small backgrounds. I hope, with practice, I can learn even though I can’t draw a decent stickman!

37. I have a problem trying to decide what quilting I want to do on each quilt. I am relatively new to blogs and just found this one. It is great. Making me rethink. How do you decide how to quilt your quilts? I know each quilt is different, and sometimes I will have one that “talks to me”. I just know what I want to do with that quilt. You have given me something to think about. Thank you.

    1. I think “what” to quilt is also difficult, but for me it is part of the process of becoming a better quilter, just like learning how to pick fabrics. I am trying to get past my perfectionism and just do the best I can and know I will learn and grow! I have MANY unfinished quilt tops because I was afraid to “ruin” them. I think many a quilting teacher told me in order to get better you have to be willing to accept you are going to “suck” for a while!! It’s just nice to know there are so many of us with the same problem!! Adult learners hate to “suck” at something!!

38. Thanks Lori – after reading this I feel so relieved. I’ve been quilting for about 5 years and can’t seem to master stippling! I thought there was something wrong with me lol. I look at my quilt blocks under plexiglass and do a point by point or find a design to fit the block and it’s worked pretty well. For me stippling is frustrating!

39. There is a time and place for stippling/meandering but it breaks my heart when I’m at a quilt show and I see this beautifully appliqued or pieced quilt with an all over design on it when some customized quilting would have made it so much better. But like you, it’s not my quilt. I only meander/stipple on charity quilts or small micro meandering on backgrounds around feathers and such. I find it hard.

40. I have been a hand quilter all my life but a quilt takes me 6 months to finish so I am looking forward to learning how to machine quilt. I took a class but it was stippling and I couldn’t do it so I gave up. Now I will try again. I have a closet full of quilt tops that I would like to pass on to my grandchildren. Thanks for your hard work.

41. lori, thank you for all your votes of confidence, especially this one about stippling, no matter how hard i try, it doesn’t come out nice, even or enhancing. i would like to be able to do it, but am quite pleased not to have to do it!!! thanks for all your lessons, they’re WONDERFUL!
    shoshana

42. I think the description that it looks like worms gives an underserved negative connotation to stippling, in itself an unpretty word–to me it’s not worms, it’s French lace! That’s what I mastered in cake decorating, and transferred that to immediate competence in a different medium with stippling or meandering. To me it’s easy and quick, and in some places looks great. But certainly not everywhere! I’ve been enjoying learning new motifs from you, Lori, and look forward to mastering more. But French lace will still have a place in my library of stitching.

43. If it weren’t for e-2-e meandering I would have a huge backlog of customer quilts. I find it very easy and relaxing… I use a laser light and pantogram. Most of my customers are grandmothers making gift or donation quilts and they just want it simple and cheap. I do have a couple of other easy pantograms that I use for variety. My “business” is my hobby so if I am not enjoying what I’m doing then it isn’t worth the pennies I earn.
    When I try free-motion quilting I find I get distracted by the pattern, color or some feature of the quilt and get totally lost.

    I have done some custom work outlining an applique feature, cross hatching and/or tiny stippling to accent a quilt’s feature. But I find it very stressful and time consuming and my customers don’t want to pay more than .o1/in … which means I earn almost nothing for an awful lot of work! So mostly, I stick with meandering.

44. I don’t stipple often, but I do still use it. I don’t think it’s the easiest either. I do sometimes use it as a filler, but really mostly on prints where most fancy stitching would be lost. The only other alternatives are pantographs for these quilts (tho I have seen at least one quilt where the all over pantograph – while beautifully done – detracted from the piecing completely.

    Recently I did two charity quilts, both disappearing nine patches in loud prints, both bordered in Stonehenge fabric (near solids). On one, I stippled / meandered all over the print. I did not quilt the border. It was poly filling, and the border was 6″.

    On the other, I did a loop-de-loop, similar to stippling but you CAN cross your lines. I find that design much easier. Again, I skipped the border and just did the over the prints.

    In the end, you couldn’t tell the difference between what was quilted on each quilt unless you flipped it to the back or looked closer. The overall texture was the same.

    Mostly, I do custom quilting on pieces where it really needs it. I’m a fast quilter and honestly stippling is not that fast.

45. I learned FMQ at a quilt shop near me — stippling! I thought it was the be all end all. I’ve grown so much, and learned from your blog. I doodle and practice some of the motifs you designed. I quilted a bed quilt for my granddaughter with your flower motif. My grandson’s was straight lines. I have 3 – no, 4 WIP’s and I can’t wait to get to the decision making and designing the FMQ from your motifs. I practice,practice, practice until I like it, and I always warm up first. You are terrific, Lori, and I will NEVER stipple a quilt again.

    1. Hooray!! Your testimonial is greatly appreciated!

46. I only use stippling for the t-shirt quilts that I make professionally. I change the thread color for each shirt and find that stippling is the easiest for me to do and it also doesn’t compete with the shirt motif. I use different stitches for sashing and borders though. For my other quilts I NEVER use stippling! I’d be bored to death.

47. I dislike stippling and avoid it like the plague. Quilt on.

48. Meandering works well for some quilts, not for most. Thanks for the post. Now I need to explore your blog more…

49. Pingback: Beyond Stippling-Five Tips for Better Quiltmaking | The Inbox Jaunt

50. I absolutely agree! While stippling came easy to me, I rarely, if ever, use it. If I do, it’s only in a small area and never over the entire quilt. Up until last month, I’d never used an all-over design on a quilt. From my very first quilt I chose different motifs for different areas of a quilt. Thanks for all of your amazing tutorials!