Do you ECHO Echo echoooooooo ?

I did some echo quilting on the Hungry Caterpillar quilts I made for my granddaughters. Unfortunately, the photo is just of the top, so it doesn't show any stitching. I stitched "in the ditch" around the leaf, caterpillar, & butterfly -- also along the vein in the leaf and several lines in the butterfly wings. Then I echoed with lines about 1/2" apart around each of the objects to fill the white space around them. I quilted the "gum ball" areas with large "pebbles" -- rather irregular ones, I must admit. Fortunately, the design of the fabric camouflages them somewhat.

Julia in MN

That Hungry Caterpillar has far flung influence. I was putting one together when a neighbor who 'wasn't a bit interested in making *blankets* ' dropped in for a visit. She was so enchanted that now she's leading a group at a nearby church to make hug quilts. Meanwhile, back to my wondering . . . what are the tricks to get really close to an appliqué for in the ditch quilting. My attempts want to stall. Polly

Dump the free-motion idea and use a walking foot! VBEG Twist, turn, stuff the quilt under the arm, twist, turn, stuff, twist, turn, stuff.....

Leslie The Coward & The Furbabies in MO.

Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ! yuck, gross and phooey. I want an easy answer. Polly

"Leslie The Coward & The Furbabies in MO." Dump the free-motion idea and use a walking foot! VBEG Twist, turn, stuff

We know you are no coward Leslie. LOL. Give a try to the free motion. I am not terrific at it but can do it sort of. It is way too tough to use a walking foot for me. Practice a bit before you start on the actual project. A glass of wine doesn't hurt either. Taria

Leslie & The Furbabies > Dump the free-motion idea and use a walking foot! VBEG Twist, turn,

've tried (or seen)

asier, looks better, what? =EF=BF=BD Just

I love that quilt. That was my daugher's favorite book when she was 6. I've always wanted to make one for a grandchild (If I ever get one). I've seen the panel, but it was only 24" or so and didn't know what to do with it. I've never seen the other fabric that you used. Where did you find it?

Sherry

I'm not allowed anything stronger than my beloved Diet Cherry Coke- alcohol of any sort clashes with my meds. I free motion all the time (I'm fairly decent it after I warm up- and Polly and Pat *made* me learn how to FM with my presser foot *down*!) and I love doing it. BUT..... I know my limits and if I want perfectly spaced echo quilting I know how to use my Accu-Feed foot! LOL

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I just use the SM foot, Polly. But, because I am lucky enough to be able to move my needle, this can vary quite a lot. Can you move the needle on your new machine? I would have thought so. It is a terribly useful facility - I do all my quarter inch seams by needle position now

- varying my standard position for it, if the fabric is particularly fine, or particularly thick. I once echoed large cat appliqués right out to the edge of their blocks

- it looked dreadful. I would never do more than a fairly small distance out from the appliqué in future. . In message , Polly Esther writes

You could try using a zipper foot, Polly. . In message , Polly Esther writes

Practice, practice, practice.... :)

Julia in MN

It's all part of the Hungry Caterpillar collection. I found it all at a nearby LQS. I did a quick check at Virginia Quilter, an online shop that I have used. It looks like they have most -- maybe all -- of them.

Julia in MN

I do some echo quilting. Especially around appliqué. Somewhere I read a trick to use for echo quilting to avoid a lot of starts and stops. Do a first round fairly close to the shape, starting in as inconspicuous place as possible. When you get back to that place gradually move out to the spacing you want for the next round, and just keep going. One continuous spiral type stitching. It works well, and with several rows of echo stitching it is difficult to find the "start" point. Frequently, I like to start with a row close in, about an eighth of an inch away, then move to about a quarter inch, sometimes staying there, but mostly getting a bit wider the farther out I go. Sometime this is just moving the needle position some. The widest I use is probably about a half inch spacing.

Pati, > A machine quilting question. Tell us how you echo. I 've tried (or seen)

I don't free motion when I echo quilt. I loosen the pressure foot pressure, like you did for the appliqué back a bit, but more. Use the feeddogs and just go around the shape. Not something I would do on a large quilt, but doable. A smaller quilt isn't really that bad to stuff and fluff under the arm as you go around the shape. If you have multiple shapes, the echoing will eventually merge into one large outline of the whole composite shape.... like ripples in water when you drop 2 or more things into the water a distance apart but almost at the same time.

Pati, > Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ! yuck, gross and phooey. I want an easy answer. Polly >

On a preemie quilt that would be easy! Just don't try it on a king. I have long since learned that curves are good, curves are grand, curves should always move foward and not in circles when the quilt is massive. Round and round things on big quilts are easiest by hand. Unless you have a long arm I s'pose.

NightMist

NightMist, dear, is that a LONGarm or a long ARM? LOL

Leslie- feeling ornery & The Furbabies in MO.- where 'we' just shampoo'ed the carpet and I have a blister on my hand to prove it! I ran the machine and The HairyButts ran in circles.....

I saw that too, Leslie, and considered telling our NightMist that my arms are rather short. She just might come bop us on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper. Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." NightMist, dear, is that a LONGarm or a long ARM? LOL