Large unquilted areas
 

I am presently designing a quilt and have a problem,
and since my mother has passed away recently, I need to
ask someone else for help.

The quilt will have two areas that would look best if
they had no visible quilting. I know that large areas without
quilting will have tearing and bunching of the batting. The
two areas would be 1.5 ft. x 1.5 ft., much larger than is
usually acceptable.

The solution I have come up with is to add a very -thin-
fabric on top of the backing and batting in those areas and
quilting those areas with a simple grid-work to stabilize the
batting. Then I will add the top and quilt those areas that
will have visible quilting.

My question is will this work, or is there a better way
to leave large un-quilted areas?

Thanks in advance.

Shorti

Large unquilted areas
 

You could do some very discret tacking to attach the layers in that
area. Or you could quilt the area (just quilt thru the backing and
batting) and then attach what you want left unquilted- applique it in
place or topstitch around the edges of the unquilted piece. Maybe a
fusible batting would work, but I don't know how permanent the fusing
would be or if it washes out at some point. If this is a bed or
snuggle quilt it could pull out of square and get lumpy as you said
and if it's a wallhanging it could sag. Are you really sure you need
to do it be completely unquilted? Would it be possible to carefully
outline quilt the area you don't want quilted? I understand you want
what you want and that's great- I just don't want all your work to go
to waste because of the unquilted area 'misbehaving'.

Hope you find the solution that works for you. ;-)

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

On Nov 10, 9:58*am, "shorti" wrote:
I am presently designing a quilt and have a problem,
and since my mother has passed away recently, I need to
ask someone else for help.

The quilt will have two areas that would look best if
they had no visible quilting. I know that large areas without
quilting will have tearing and bunching of the batting. The
two areas would be 1.5 ft. x 1.5 ft., much larger than is
usually acceptable.

The solution I have come up with is to add a very -thin-
fabric on top of the backing and batting in those areas and
quilting those areas with a simple grid-work to stabilize the
batting. Then I will add the top and quilt those areas that
will have visible quilting.

My question is will this work, or is there a better way
to leave large un-quilted areas?

Thanks in advance.

Shorti

Large unquilted areas
 

Howdy!

Never! Oh, sorry, made me cringe, thinking of large unquilted areas;
I just can't let it happen on my quilts. ;-

Warning about using thinner fabric in 2 spots on your quilt: warning!
You'll be creating 2 weak spots, where the most wear will show up the
quickest. In my experience, anyway.

How about using some fusible batting in those areas? Or a layer of
fusible web? You'll be attaching the top to the batt & backing,
without adding any stitches to the top. Try it on a smaller project
to see if it works.

But, for me, I'd quilt it. Blending the thread color w/ the top fabric will
help those stitches disappear. Your design will be the spotlight, not
the quilting, & your entire quilt will have the same amount of support.

Good luck!

Ragmop/Sandy


On 11/10/11 9:58 AM, in article ,
"shorti" wrote:

I am presently designing a quilt and have a problem,
and since my mother has passed away recently, I need to
ask someone else for help.

The quilt will have two areas that would look best if
they had no visible quilting. I know that large areas without
quilting will have tearing and bunching of the batting. The
two areas would be 1.5 ft. x 1.5 ft., much larger than is
usually acceptable.

The solution I have come up with is to add a very -thin-
fabric on top of the backing and batting in those areas and
quilting those areas with a simple grid-work to stabilize the
batting. Then I will add the top and quilt those areas that
will have visible quilting.

My question is will this work, or is there a better way
to leave large un-quilted areas?

Thanks in advance.

Shorti

Large unquilted areas
 

The quilt is more of a large wall hanging.
It's going to be black and white and mostly applique.
The design is from a photo of a loon on the lake with the photo
changed to black and white, the contrast increased, and the
result posterized to 2 tones. The areas in the corners on either side of the
loon's head, and at the bottom on either side of the reflection will all be
single color,
either black or white. I think they'd look best if smooth and un-quilted. I
have seen some
quilts with water and sky quilted on solid tones to look like 'waves' or
'wind' and they
have all looked, um, "off".

Shorti

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sandy E" wrote in message ...
Howdy!

Never! Oh, sorry, made me cringe, thinking of large unquilted areas;
I just can't let it happen on my quilts. ;-

Warning about using thinner fabric in 2 spots on your quilt: warning!
You'll be creating 2 weak spots, where the most wear will show up the
quickest. In my experience, anyway.

How about using some fusible batting in those areas? Or a layer of
fusible web? You'll be attaching the top to the batt & backing,
without adding any stitches to the top. Try it on a smaller project
to see if it works.

But, for me, I'd quilt it. Blending the thread color w/ the top fabric will
help those stitches disappear. Your design will be the spotlight, not
the quilting, & your entire quilt will have the same amount of support.

Good luck!

Ragmop/Sandy


On 11/10/11 9:58 AM, in article ,
"shorti" wrote:

I am presently designing a quilt and have a problem,
and since my mother has passed away recently, I need to
ask someone else for help.

The quilt will have two areas that would look best if
they had no visible quilting. I know that large areas without
quilting will have tearing and bunching of the batting. The
two areas would be 1.5 ft. x 1.5 ft., much larger than is
usually acceptable.

The solution I have come up with is to add a very -thin-
fabric on top of the backing and batting in those areas and
quilting those areas with a simple grid-work to stabilize the
batting. Then I will add the top and quilt those areas that
will have visible quilting.

My question is will this work, or is there a better way
to leave large un-quilted areas?

Thanks in advance.

Shorti

Large unquilted areas
 

Well, if you leave it unquilted and then hang it, the unquilted sections
will start to bag and hang weird - even if the batting and backing
underneath are quilted. It may look lovely for long enough and when it
starts to bag you may be ready to make a new masterpiece and all will be
fine.

You could try fusing with the full knowledge that eventually all
fusibles do yellow. Some take a very long time. This may not be a
quilt you plan to look at in 20 years so it may not matter; it's really
up to you.

You might be happy with minimal quilting - rather than something so
dense as waves or sky. Or not. Some battings only need to be secured
every 6-8 inches so even a little quilting will go a long way. Of
course, if you really don't like the look then a little might still be
too much.

It always is a trade off. Which thing in the end will bother you the
least? Go with that one and enjoy the quilt while you have it.

marcella


In article ,
"shorti" wrote:

The quilt is more of a large wall hanging.
It's going to be black and white and mostly applique.
The design is from a photo of a loon on the lake with the photo
changed to black and white, the contrast increased, and the
result posterized to 2 tones. The areas in the corners on either side of the
loon's head, and at the bottom on either side of the reflection will all be
single color,
either black or white. I think they'd look best if smooth and un-quilted. I
have seen some
quilts with water and sky quilted on solid tones to look like 'waves' or
'wind' and they
have all looked, um, "off".

Shorti