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| Tips & Techniques |
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How do I know what I desire? If color and piecing are the stars of a quilt, the quilting design is sometimes the neglected stepchild. Novice and experienced quilters alike find the choices inadequate to daunting, and many quilters from both ends of the spectrum opt out of the predicament and send their creations to be machine quilted by a professional. Here's another thought – instead of looking at quilting tradition for options, look instead at art principles to complete the final step. Think of the quilting as another layer of design – a star in it's own right. In fact, the quilting design may just be the unifying character in an ensemble cast.
These two elements make visual art hold the eye. Harmony involves the repetition of elements in a pleasing way; variety stakes out the contrast that causes the viewer to look at the entire work of art. What does this mean to the quilter? Consider a small motif, such as a simple leaf shape. The shape may be attached to a serpentine line, creating a vine. It may be clustered to make any flower, from a bud to a tulip to a sunflower. A cluster may then be set into a circle, or a triangle, or a square. But it's still the same shape, and our eye finds comfort in that fact. As we can vary that shape in it's placement and function, we can also vary it in size. Our eye likes that too – it is interesting to discover all the ways that simple shape has been used. More complicated elements can be used in the same way. Shapes may be scattered in placement, in ways that are similar but not identical. Identical shapes may be repeated in different sizes. These variations are most effective when they occur in odd numbers; an exception to this is on a medallion quilt.
A medallion is traditionally set in the center of the quilt. This pattern is the focus, and every other design element serves a supporting role. Most typically, a quilt based on a center medallion is square. Each side is treated the same – color, piecing, and quilting design. It's a pleasure to make the decisions just once for use on all four sides, keeping in mind that the motifs should enhance the focal point. The richest, thickest quilting should be reserved for the center and other featured sections. Simple designs, or the use of outline, ditch, and grid quilting can fill out the rest. A vine, or scallops, or anything continuous makes a nice frame, especially if the quilt is to be a wall hanging. An art quilt calls for a different type of dominance. The focal point of the quilt could be anywhere. The quilting is likely to be less formal and more flowing. It can further the line already established by the design or it can provide a subtle or stark contrast. A landscape quilt, for example, could call for a variety of equally weighted quilting lines. Straight diagonal lines might emphasize the majesty of mountains. Gently curving horizontal lines seem to hold the clouds in the sky. A series of triangles of many sizes and angles could turn a green patch of cloth into a pine forest. What if there is no single focal point? Indeed, our "everyday" quilts are often constructed with the repetition of a single block, or like-sized blocks that compliment each other in a sampler. These quilts might be described as decorative, like the repeating pattern that we see on wallpaper. The dominance is not one point, but rather diffused throughout the piece. A quilt that is a repetition of one block merits repetition of the quilting design. An overall pattern such as a grid or stipple works well. These designs help give the quilt a sense of unity. If the block has lots of straight lines such as a rail fence or log cabin, a series of circles in varying sizes might soften the look. Plates, bowls, and lids make great templates for this purpose. If the block has straight lines that imply curves, such as the Storm at Sea, the quilting might be used to emphasize the curves. The sampler quilt is also an example of diffused dominance, but offers a slightly different problem in choosing a quilting design. The design calls for enough variety to pull the viewer's eye around the quilt, but not so much that it gets stuck in one place. The border calls for consistent quilting, preferably something that unifies the pieces. If the border is in strips, for example, quilting within the boundary of each strip will cause them to separate. Quilt across the seam lines to help the eye see this as a unit. Sashing should have a single quilting design. This might be a leafy vine, or a repeated small motif, or even the repetition of a straight line. Quilting within the blocks is a different story. Each block is unique, but design choices should be repeated here and there in the quilt. Quarter inch quilting often works well on small pieces, and quilting in the ditch may enliven a section of the block. An open area may call for a grid, or a flower motif, but before quilting something in a manner that draws a lot of attention, look to see where you can repeat this design. Odd numbers of repetitions, widely spaced, tend to help the viewer see the whole quilt as a unit.
All of these elements come to play in all types of quilts, but they are of particular interest in abstract or non-objective quilts. Abstract basically means that the picture is not realistic, but rather suggestive of an everyday scene or object. Non-objective means that no object is intended. We are simple supposed to enjoy what we see. The quilter has more liberty here to embellish and create surface design. The color, type, and weight of the thread could be varied, as well as the type and size of the stitch. Embroidery thread is fun to use on these quilts. Buttons, wire, bits of ribbon, charms and any other small, light objects can be attached. Quilting through an extra layer of batting here and there can create an interesting effect.
Choosing a quilting design is not a chore, but rather an opportunity. If a look at the whole quilt is too scary, look at just one part of it. Start with a block, or perhaps the sashing. As long as the quilting begins in a central location and moves toward all the edges in turn, not all the quilting has to be completed at once. It's okay to make some decisions and work all over the quilt. Then, return to the center, and add some new elements. Chances are your quilt will tell you what kind of quilting design it desires. Just listen to what it has to say.
Quilter and Quilt Artist After Hours Quilters Corpus Christi, Texas |