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Hey there fellow Sprouts! Are you ready to finish your Sprout 2024 Quilt? If you've been longing to add a touch of professional flair to your quilting projects, Edge-to-edge (E2E) quilting might just be your new best friend. E2E quilting allows you to quilt your entire quilt with a single design, creating a cohesive and polished look. But with so many quilting styles to choose from, how do you decide which one is the best for your Sprout Quilt? Let’s explore the ins and outs of E2E longarm quilting and find the perfect style for your quilt!
What’s Edge-to-Edge Quilting?
E2E quilting, also known as pantograph quilting, involves quilting a continuous design across the entire surface of your quilt, either by manually following a pantograph design or by using a digital design. Instead of stitching individual motifs or blocks, the same pattern is repeated from one edge to the other, creating a seamless look. This technique is ideal for quilts with all over patterns or designs where uniformity is desired. There are many longarm quilters available that offer affordable and quick turnover for E2E pantographs. You can also rent time on a longarm sewing machine and learn how to do it yourself. Freemotion quilting is another form of quilting but is more expensive due to the labour involved.
Choosing the Right Style for Your Quilt Pattern:
When it comes to E2E quilting, the style of the quilting design plays a crucial role in complementing your quilt pattern as well as your quilt colours. How do you choose the perfect quilting style for your project? Here are some tips for choosing the perfect style:
- First off, take a good look at your quilt pattern. Is it hip, colourful and modern, or cozy, muted, and traditional? Let the colour and style of your pattern help you in selecting a quilting design that's the perfect match. For the Sprout Quilt, depending on your fabric selection, it could be considered modern, with bright colours, or traditional, with muted batik fabrics.
- Consider the scale of your quilt blocks. Are they big and bold, or petite and delicate? A smaller-scale design might be just the ticket for those tiny blocks, while larger blocks can handle something a bit more extravagant. The Sprout Quilt is a collection of different sizes, so something that would complement the different blocks would be scaled somewhere in between.
- Don't forget to think about the complexity of your quilt pattern. If it's a real head-turner with lots of intricate details, you might want to opt for a simpler quilting design that lets the beauty of your piecing shine through. The complexity of the Sprout Quilt, such as the beautiful butterfly block calls for quilting that doesn’t ‘muddy’ the beauty of the block.
- And last but not least, follow your heart! Choose a quilting style that speaks to your soul and gets your creative juices flowing. Whether you're into swirly whirls, funky loops, or straight-up geometric goodness, go with what makes your heart sing. In reality, any quilting design will look good with your quilt!
Here are a few popular styles of E2E quilting:
Now that we've got the basics covered, let's talk styles. Here are a few E2E quilting designs that will complement any quilt pattern:
- Swirls and Spirals: These flowing designs add movement and texture to your quilt, making them ideal for both modern and traditional quilt patterns. Some great E2E patterns are Champagne Bubbles, Swirls and Pearls, and Baptist Fan.
- Loops and Meanders: Keep it simple with classic yet versatile meandering or looping designs that create a beautiful, quilted texture that complements a wide range of quilt patterns, perfect for snuggling under with a warm cup of tea. Examples of good E2E patterns are Wishbone, Meander, and Tangle.
- Geometric Patterns: If your quilt is all about clean lines and bold shapes, consider quilting it with geometric patterns such as squares, triangles, or diamonds for a cohesive look. The more blank space your quilt contains, the more visible the E2E quilting, showcasing the quilting style. Examples are Pipeline, Bauhaus, Pickup Sticks, Chevron, and Scottish Plaid.
- Feathers: Add a touch of elegance and sophistication with feather motifs that bring a touch of old-world charm to your quilt, perfect for more formal or traditional patterns.
- Don’t forget about the E2E designs that have a theme, such as camping, snowflakes, animals, rockets, and pretty well anything you can think of. Longarm quilters are happy to work with you to find the perfect pantograph for your quilt!
Personally, I have found that for geometric and modern quilt patterns, bubbles, swirls, or waves work best, while for quilts with curves, more angular quilting, such as diamonds, squares, or triangles seems to be the best fit. For my Sprout 2024 Quilt, I chose Champagne Bubbles as the E2E quilting design. It fits perfectly with the colourful Alison Glass Chrysanthemum collection, the pieced modern blocks and the negative space around the blocks.
Let Your Creativity Shine! If you don’t have a longarm, don’t be afraid to ask questions of your longarm quilter. They have lots of experience with different E2E styles and can give you a good approximation of what the pattern will look like and how it will fit with the piecing of your quilt. As well, experimenting with the thread colour can add another vibe to your quilt. With a bit of creativity and experimentation, you’ll create a stunning quilt that is uniquely yours!
Happy Quilting!
Jody
Gingerberry Quilts