cross my heart

Most often...my clients will ask me to machine quilt their quilt however I would do it if it were my own. And so, I do.

And many times...my clients are very familiar with the freehand designs that I like to use...and they'll suggest one of them. And so, I will oblige.

And then there are occasions...that a client will have an idea of their own. Now I may or may not be capable of stitching onto fabric just exactly what they've envisioned. But I often try.



This particular quilt was to be backed with Minky fabric. Have you felt that stuff? It is so snuggly soft. And drapey. It's like a stuffed animal...all flattened out into a blanket version.

Wait a minute. That doesn't really paint the kind of picture that I intended. But you know what I mean, don't you?

Anyway...I certainly don't mind working with Minky. But a longarm quilter does have to treat Minky a little bit differently than an ordinary cotton fabric or flannel. It's funny stuff. It wants to stretch and move and wiggle and pucker the entire time it's being quilted upon.

I have found that I'm much more satisfied with my work if I stitch a design that is fairly sparse. Large loops. Large meander. Large flowers. Oh...and simple seems to be better for me too.

My client suggested something with crosses for the machine quilting. Now honestly. I've never done crosses in my stitching designs. I've never even thought about doing crosses.

But all that I thought about after she delivered this quilt? Crosses. That night...what did I dream about? Crosses.



Do you see the wavy crosses? I thought they turned out kind of youthful...artsy...and fun. Which totally fits the recipient of this quilt!

So...I'm certainly crossing my fingers that I'm not the only one thinking that. ;-)