Today’s Topic: Quilting Feathers on the Carolina Lily
Good Morning, Quilters!
Thank YOU, Thank YOU, Thank YOU, for your outpouring of support as I work through several challenges this year! (Read about my Disappointing News and How to Print or Save).
I am truly grateful for all your notes of support as well as suggestions! Like most bloggers, I have a bit of doubt every time my finger hovers over the “publish” button-wondering if anyone will bother to read–but YOUR overwhelming response last week has definitely renewed me!
So let’s get back to business (while the web developers do their work).
For the past several weeks, I have been writing about my quilting process. I hope this series gives you a little insight into one possible roadmap for completing your quilt tops. While your quilt top is not the same, nor your machine like mine, the process -or roadmap- will have the same or similar decisions and steps.
Here are my steps so far:
The Quilting Roadmap
- Get over yourself! It’s only a quilt!
- Press the quilt top and take a few photos
- Start Planning the Design
- Choose and mark the major design lines
- Sample batting, thread and motifs
- Create and press backing (not shown here)
Load the Quilt and Double Batting
- Load the quilt (or baste if quilting on a stationary machine)
- Test threads for top and bobbin
- Adjust tension
First Quilt the Straight Line Quilting
- Stitch in the ditch quilting
- Stitching major design lines
- Continue to plan the design
Today’s Steps:
- Float the quilt top if working on a longarm on a frame
- Test scale of the motif
- Begin quilting the feathers on the Carolina Lily
Floating the Quilt
Once the quilt was prepped and on the frame, I completed all of the stitch-in-the-ditch quilting and quilted all of the major design lines. I did this on the entire quilt-from top to bottom, rolling the quilt as necessary.
As a result, the quilt was no longer three separate layers. Instead the quilt became one thick roll. Consequently, when working at the top of the quilt, there was a lot of bulk attached to the roller that originally held just the thin quilt top. The thickness of this roll greatly reduced the available quilting space. To work around this, long arm quilters often drape the quilt over the bar and use clips to hold the quilt in place. The top edge of the quilt is attached to the take up bar, but the bottom edge is not connected to the frame, except by the removable clips. This technique is called floating the quilt.
There are advantages and disadvantages to floating a quilt, but I chose to float my quilt after the first layer of stitching was in place.
Test the Scale of the Motif
Once you’ve chosen a motif for your quilt, it is very important to check the scale or size of the motif. This step can make or break the look of the quilt–so take your time here. I like to use a piece of lightweight vinyl and a wet-erase marker to test scale. I place the vinyl directly over the quilt and doodle the motif in a variety of sizes. Be sure to test very large and very small versions of your motif. If you are quilting a large quilt on a small machine, do not try to create large scale motifs. It is very difficult to move a heavy quilt under the needle with any accuracy to create a large sweeping design.
Ready to Quilt the Feathers and Grids
Finally, the fun part-it was time to quilt the feathers!
When I first started, I was very worried that the scale was too large, but as I continued, I was happy, happy!
I alternated between stitching the grid blocks and the feather blocks to keep it interesting. Though I love the look of grids-they can be a bit dull to quilt.
Travel Lines and Other Puzzles
As I quilt each block, I try to work out the best possible way to travel from one motif to another. Often, the best method is to knot off. For me, this evolves over the course of the quilt. It usually takes several blocks worth of quilting trials before I discover the most efficient path. I see this as a feature, not a flaw as I rather like the process puzzle of quilting.
It’s a good reminder–you don’t need to know every step of the process before you start! Part of the fun is problem-solving along the way.
Please Share!
What’s under your needle?
Do YOU like puzzles as well as quilting?
To float or not to float? Do you know a better way?
We’d LOVE to hear!
With feathers flying,
Lori Lapwing
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com!
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23 comments
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You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I have read a single thing like that before. So great to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!
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Cathy B
Glad to see your post thks morning…first got two posts with no comments and thought maybe I lost you, but number 3 email came up and here you are! I, like many who have followed you for years are happy to see you! Thanks for keeping on doing what you do so well! Cathy
CarolE
Your quilt is beautiful and I am grateful for all your explanations with your process. I am still in figuring out stage with my longarm, but getting better :). I tried those clamps for floating my top but they kept popping off. Maybe it was the brand. What brand do you use?
Patricia Lediard
So happy you got everything straightened out with your web site. I don’t want to loose your advice and helpful ideas.
Your quilt is beyond beautiful and the quilting is exquisite. And your Bernina is my dream machine. Thank you for hanging in there. ‼️✂️
Roxy Sherburne
Dear Lori,
Your quilting is stunning! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jennifer
Thanks so much for the step by step explanation. I’m a baby longarmer and this makes everything seem much more manageable. I love your books, and I’ve been practicing with them daily!
Christine Giuffre
Thank you for sharing, you do beautiful work & it encourages me to keep trying!
maryhonas
I float my tops, since you asked. I just finished quilting the Tula Pink Butterfly for my grand daughter. She wanted ombre blue instead of rainbow. I don’t like doing feathers preferring swirls and continuous curves but the antennas needed to be half feathers! I was questioning myself about my thread color choice but once it was done I knew it was just right! (Omni Little Boy Blue on white fabric) Your exercises have helped build my confidence that I can do anything (quilting related ;))
Karen
I love your quilting–It is exquisite! Thank you for breaking down the quilting process and explaining the steps. It seems much more manageable for someone like me!
Sally
Oh!! I needed this post a couple of days ago when I tried to add 3 smaller fish to a nine-patch. I had previously copied the large fish from QAL in another 9 patch successfully on the same quilt for my 3-year-old grandson. I thought I’d just quilt a row of 3, one in each patch (center row of 9-patch); disaster. I don’t take out stitches much, but the practice was just not the same on the real quilt. I had made the plastic overlay to do just as you said above, but missed the following QAL lessons cause of shoulder surgery.
So glad you are applying the QAL lessons again. Thank you so much for taking your time to do this and all of your specific suggestions on printing previous posts.
Carolyn Ghearing
Thank you for sharing your process 💐 this quilt is very beautiful on its own. However, with your quilting it is exquisite!
Barb Despen
So happy to see you are using your longarm to do custom quilting! I bought a Q20 on a frame last year and am trying to get used to quilting on a longarm. I’ve only floated tops. Very first one, I tried using the roller for the top and was not happy with it. Guess I didn’t realize I could raise that bar to smooth out the batting underneath. I’ve been using magnetic bars across the top on the belly bar to hold it, but am curious about your pink clamps.
Cari Grierson
Lori, love your work. You have encouraged me to do what I thought I couldn’t do in machine quilting. I will follow you wherever your tapping and quilting fingers go. Cari in New Brunswick, Canada.
Brenda @ Songbird Designs
Your quilting it as beautiful on your long arm as it is on your domestic machine, Lori! I love the alternating grids and feathers. Feathers are not my strong suit, but I enjoy trying! Beautiful quilt!
Cathy Koss
I love your preparation comment-it’s just a quilt ! Get over yourself! That is such a true statement! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Linda Swanekamp
It helps so much to see how you work. Sometimes I think I am just fudging around and not able to get a whole clear picture when I quilt. Thank you.
Vicki
Thank you for all you share! So glad you are working out the tech probs and will still be available sharing your knowledge and encouragement! Love your work…I was using one of your books for reference just last night!
Meg Harmon
I love hearing how you lay out grid lines. Somehow I have either ignored or missed this step. Thinking about how that might help me. I did try stitching in the ditch on one quiltthinking it might help and was not enthused with my end result. However I quilted quilt as directions for quilt stated snd was not in I’ve with that either. Quilt now hangs on the wall. I am thinking I may take it down and add quilting in one area of all the blocks. I also will try double batting which I have never done. I will soon be tackling a quilt fir my bed. Very traditional and double batting may help me achieve the look I want. I always love feathers, swirls and cross hatch. Happy Quilting.
Mary Griffiths
Your quilting is exquisite, as expected. I’m seeking clarification on floating .. I have been securing the backing ( using re snappers) then lay the batting, stitch a level line and fix the top. The batting and the top get stitched together. This does create a thick roll, so I try to work “forward “ rolling the quilt to the top rail. If the whole quilt is stabilized with ditching… is it still floating?
I’m currently quilting for a neighbour/ friend… ditching the star motif, stitching ‘your’ stars, to match the fabric, and free motion with swirls.
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