Margo, your stocking looks good quilted on the diagonal. If I decide to cross-hatch that's probably the way I would do it but I'm thinking that there may be too many starts and stops so may decide to echo quilt all of the blocks instead. I'm quilting through all of the layers as I applique each block so they won't need a lot of additional quilting.

I stitched around all the pieces, in the ditch, then did the cross-hatch on the diagonal. Then I saw Sue's with the alternating blocks and thought, "what a good idea, wish I had thought of that, I wonder if my lines will match when it is put together". Well, the black background one in quilted and put together--still have a long way to go with the borders, and the sashing in between the blocks keeps you eye from seeing where they don't line up. My sashing is 1/2" wide.

Annis, look at the Christmas stocking I posted on SHOW & TELL. It's a plaid that I quilted on the diagonal. Maybe that will help you decide? Or maybe you need to make a couple of small sample sandwiches to try each way and see which one you like best?

I'm echo-quilting the blocks with the small stars and cross-hatching the blocks with the large stars. Thanks for the reminder of using painter's tape. I've used it in the past but haven't had a need lately as someone else usually quilts my quilts. Since I'm using a plaid background fabric should the cross-hatching be horizontal or diagonal? The horizontal would be easier since I could just follow the lines on the plaid, but maybe the diagonal would look better. I'm using a thread that closely matches the background.

Annis

Hi everyone --

I may as well throw my two cents in on this one! I actually made two identical Bouquet quilts... I gave one of them to a friend who does some of my machine quilting for me, and I qiulted the other one. Our styles are not all that different, but the results in this case were quite different. She chose to do a watery stipple in the background of all of the floral blocks. She usually does "echo quilting" in such blocks -- you know, where you stitch in the ditch around the applique and then continue to "echo" those ditch lines, going outward about 1/2" from each previously quilted line. Either way gives a nice effect. On my quilt, I chose to cross-hatch the blocks. I was afraid that the cross-hatching would not match from one block to another, so my solution was to cross hatch diagonally on every other blocks, with horizontal/vertical cross-hatching on the remaining blocks. I use the 1-inch "painters tape" from the hardware store and just quilt right up against the edge of the tape, then move it over another inch; it works well. The outer border was quited with a simple meandering feathered vine on both quilts -- I quilted my border with white thread, and the other quilt was quilted with a tan thread. Isn't it interesting how we all find ourselves going down different paths? It's what makes the world go around!

Happy new year to all --
Sue Garman

Most of the walking foot attachments have a guide that can be inserted to make the lines evenly spaced. I always use masking tape for my hand quilting when doing lines, too. Are you all doing free motion around the baskets, leaves, flowers, etc.? I'm not sure I'm proficient enough to do it--I'm a hand quilter and new to machine quilting. I'm NOT going to even try to hand quilt through some of these batiks in my blocks, though! :shock: I have a feeling my quilt may not take any ribbons!

I just marked another quilt with cross hatching and I simply place the quilt top on a table and use a ruler and blue marker. I lined up the 45 degree line at the border first and then just moved the ruler across the quilt. The blue washes out later either with a wet wash cloth or with a spray bottle. I don't know why, but I find hand quilting straight lines very relaxing.

Nancy in western NY where it's snowing AGAIN!! UGG!

Lynn that is a wonderful suggestion, I hadn't thought of that, using masking tape, so simple and yet there it is.

thanks for that idea.
Heather in Utah who is now working on her Oct block

I usually use masking tape for my even spacing. It removes easily and can be used for row after row after row! If you want it narrow, you can use quilter's tape, also.

I have never done cross hatching and I suppose I should learn how to do that, keeping the rows even and spaced - I just dont see that happening and how its done...so I jumped right in and just did machine sewing around my peices, free style - What alot of WORK and then I am over half done and can see I dont have enough thread. Border ideas still in my head.
Sally

Sally, have you thought of a scalloped border? I think your quilting idea sounds really pretty. Like Lynn, I'll probably crosshatch each block. I'm also thinking of narrow black sashing since my blocks have such a "scrappy" batik look. I may also do a "dogtooth" effect around the borders--but then that's MORE applique! I got behind on my blocks when I had surgery last summer, so I won't get this quilt top finished before New Year's Day. Oh, well

I'm sashing, so think I'll do cross-hatching as Sue did. Actually that is what I was thinking BEFORE she told us that's what she did.

Sally, I am at a loss. Until I take it to the long-arm, I can mull this over, but certainly need some advice!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois, where we are waiting for an ice storm....GRRRR!

Finishing up my December BOM tomorrow and now I have to wonder what my approach will be for the QT. At the moment I will sew them all together without sashing - my blocks are yellow so it will be a yellow sea of baskets - then I think I will freestyle quilt around the baskets and flowers and try to bring in the quilting to flow from one design to another so it looks like one big peice rather than blocks. - but I am stuck on the border!

What will you do with your quilting for these blocks - following the pattern or follow your own drummer?
Sally