Oh, Rosemary... I hit the send button and your posting preceded my by a second! I actually have an 11x17 sketch pad but never thought of using it the way you suggested, but I really like the idea because it will simulate more closely the size that I am trying to reproduce and size does not necessarily translate into muscle memory when the design is practiced smaller. Brilliant! Thank you!!!!

Yup, Margo! Ten-inch blocks are my friends and I also have a hand-held erase board that I build muscle memory on.

But, now here is my big dilemma and I've looked it up and can't find the answer: I just finished cutting my strips for the first 1-inch border. Of course, they're stripes!!! Why not make this hard, right? The stripes are multi-colored too and of course, one 42-inch strip is not going to stretch to the 48 3/4" side of my quilt (just joking about stretching it). I know how to sew two pieces together on a diagonal; what I don't know how to do is match up the stripes so it doesn't look awkward. HELP lest I go crazy trying to figure it out!!!

Thanks a million!

Margo wrote: And you don't actually need to use lots of sheets of paper either - just keep re-using the same piece over & over again

Renata, whatever design you decide to use, you will feel more confident if you practice drawing it first on paper (like a large, 11"x17" sketchbook!) until you are really comfortable drawing it. That builds "muscle memory" for the design. Then make a couple of practice "sandwiches" so you can do a couple of them with your sewing machine before you start on your actual project.
You can do this!!

Thanks, Nancy--you're always so kind and so responsive! I guess I just have to DO IT, don't I? Whatever I decide on I really do appreciate your encouragement and support! I suppose it's like learning how to swim--you just don't want to jump in the water but after you're in, it's actually fun!?!

Hi Renata - That's one of the fun things about quilting! There are so many ways to do it, and all create beautiful quilts! Funky flowers like Margo's are one of my favorite designs. I've done them in an all-over design like my roses, but with her flowers and it is really fun and looks incredible! The fun thing about flowers is that it doesn't matter if all of the pedals are the same size or if all the flowers are the same. The variation really looks good! But I digress.... Whatever you choose, one of these or something completely different, I know it's going to be incredible. And I can't wait to see it!

Nancy

I'm so confused but feel free to keep the ideas coming! I love the simplicity of Rosemary's roses (I actually think I could do that). I love Nancy's design and wish I could do that but definitely don't have the confidence to follow through unless I redrew the entire design onto Press-n-Seal and I also believe such a beautiful design would not really show up with so many colors already on the quilt (it's more lack of confidence that drives me away from that design). I love what you did, Margo, especially putting it right on my quilt to see--I think your suggestion is very doable because it starts from the center rather than from the outside and I think this is easier for a novice to do. I also love and consider quite doable Rita's suggestion from Leah Day. Lots to think about while I attach the border! I'm so grateful you all are so willing to pass on your ideas, experience and enthusiasm.

I like that all-over design, but if you are more comfortable working in small areas instead of a design over the entire quilt top, maybe something like this would work.
SID between all the blocks with MonoPoly to stabilize the quilt, then quilt a free-form funky flower in each block.
I would just start in the middle with the swirl then four petal shapes, then fill out to the corners with a bracket/leafy shape using just one continuous line for each block.
Very free-form and organic and forgiving!



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Hi Renata - I needed a little break from some complicated stuff I'm working on, so decided to do a quick web search for something like the roses I'm thinking of. Found something right away! Here's what I was thinking about:

The ones I've done had more of a swirl in the middle, but I really like these. And they really are easy to do. The biggest thing to be careful of is to leave enough room for the whole flower before you make the center. Then just go into the middle and swirl around and then move around the outside making the pedals. Then just wander around filling space, adding some leaves, until you get to a point where you want to make another rose. It's really a lot of fun! And you have the added insurance that your background is really busy so, unless you choose some incredibly thick and bright thread, the quilting won't be seen until you get up close and will be mostly texture. The perfect place to practice!

I'll be excited to see what you finally decide and how the quilt turns out! I know it will be beautiful!!

Nancy

Here is my take on the style - done in knotting rather than quilting, but you get the idea, start on the outside of the circle and work your way in.and the reverse...{!-- ia0 -->img755.jpg{!-- ia0 -->

Wow, Rosemary... those are some incredible design ideas be it in stencil or the photos to draw from on google images...

Alternatively the Rennie Mackintosh rose design adjusts well to continuous line quilting http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rennie+mackintosh+rose+design&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADRA_enGB373GB375&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NX7sT7W8HIag0QXzgsH6DA&ved=0CF4QsAQ&biw=1010&bih=530

Thank you both, Rita and Lois! I do like the rose pattern in Leah Day... it reminds me of an Asian artistic rendition of clouds a bit too...

Just a note. Stabilizing with water soluble thread does add an extra step but I love FMQing without having to stop and deal with removing pins. Just a preference.