Re: Off and On Topic, Update on the cousin and a quilt in plan

Ok here is the explanation of the quilt I want to make. ( I am a little shy about this side of my life but may as well take the plunge) The quilt is going to be used for meditation, the center blocks are going to represent the chakras and I want to make the decorative stitches lead from the top block flowing out wards ( done in silver and blue colors) and the bottom block the stitches will flow downwards and out ( done in earth tone colors but in metallic or another kind of shimmery thread). Sort of making the main center blocks being connected between the heavens and the earth. I am just not sure if I should do the stitches before the actual quilting ( making the sandwich) or after and make them during the quilting.

( Shyly awaiting help )

Dawn

What a way cool quilt idea! If it were me, I'd do that quilting through all the layers, instead of just decorative stitching on the top. Here's why: firstly, if you did it as decorative stitching, the quilting part may detract from the stitches, but you would still need some way of stabilizing the layers. Secondly, the quilting stitches would bind the whole together, making it one item, instead of top, batting and backing (3 separate entities). To me, this is spiritually significant - it contributes to the beauty and soul of the piece, and mirrors life. Thirdly, to further this concept, the act of quilting would allow you to think (or meditate, as it were) on what the symbolism of the stitches means. Fourthly, well, there is no fourthly, I just wanted to write "fourthly".

That sounds lovely. I'm sure there are ways of doing it either way round, but I think my preference would be to do as much of the decorative stuff as possible before quilting, so all the back of the stitches were protected and hidden by the batting and back.

Hullo Dawn Thank you for explaining so clearly. Now that I see what you are intending, I think it would be good to do the decorative stitches

*after* the ordinary quilting. Then the lines will not be broken. If they are done first, your quilting might want to go across them and that would impair the illusion. If you do them afterwards, the significant lines will sail across the quilting lines. Even if you are only doing quilting in the ditch, if the quilting were to go across the meaningful lines, even not visibly, there would be an indentation in the decorative lines. Hope that helps. . In article , Dawn in Alberta writes

Thanks Butterfly. Me thinks this quilt is going to be interesting to say the least. ..

Dawn

Oh, that's interesting. I didn't think of fancy machine stitches. I was thinking pearle cotton and big stitches (utility quilting, is the current buzzword, IIRC) or metallic threads, but still hand-quilting. I can't meditate much on quilting when using the machine. Yet.

Hi Dawn, I prefer to do my decorative stitches before backing. I also use the batting as stabilizer and a finer weight of thread in the bobbin. Make up a couple f practice pieces and try both ways and then decide for yourself - your machine may not care for sewing with the backing fabric making wrinkles - don't forget that there is a greater chance for a mussed up back when the decorative stitch is doing a reverse or a sideways segment. If you do the embrodery before backing, you can also use that line of stitches to follow with your quilting lines - you have a 'road' to follow and don't need any other markings. There can be some interesting extra effects possible by sewing a line of quilting stitches interlaced with a line of embroidery especially when different threads are used for each - also try the effect using two colours of thread with a size larger needle. Jennifer in Ottawa

------- Group: rec.crafts.textiles.quilting Date: Sat, Aug 9, 2003, 8:34pm (EDT+4) From: snipped-for-privacy@NOSPAMshaw.ca (Dawn=A0in=A0Alberta) Ok here is the explanation of the quilt I want to make. ( I am a little shy about this side of my life but may as well take the plunge) The quilt is going to be used for meditation, the center blocks are going to represent the chakras and I want to make the decorative stitches lead from the top block flowing out wards ( done in silver and blue colors) and the bottom block the stitches will flow downwards and out ( done in earth tone colors but in metallic or another kind of shimmery thread). Sort of making the main center blocks being connected between the heavens and the earth. =A0=A0I am just not sure if I should do the stitches before the actual quilting ( making the sandwich) or after and make them during the quilting. ( Shyly awaiting help ) Dawn

Dawn:

Yesterday at guild there was a neat quilt displayed with embroidered motifs. The maker did some FANTASTIC Frogs in full color fill in embroidery with lots of details ... those were embroidered on fabric first and *then* it was layered and quilted. In the borders he machine embroidered outline quilting of roses that were similar in look to red work ... those were worked through the finished quilt, so one could see the roses on back too. The roses looked lovely either way. I do suggest you practice first, what ever you choose. Good luck.

Oh, so what are the chackras you mentioned later in this thread? I can only think of Chakras as mention in one of the Star Trek ... or is that Star Gate?? Or am I losing it, due to excessive rain and chocolate deprivation, and taunts from Ragmop and and and. It is NOT my fault!!

PAT >..cut good news...

Well Chakras are the 8 energy centers in the body. Heck lets just say its old new age stuff :-) but it could be chocolate deprivation and if you are getting sick and tired of the rain you could always send it here, we wont mind at all please send us the rain

Dawn