How to Choose a Quilting Design

I put this list together a couple years ago in response to many clients seeming completely in the dark about what quilting design is best. It's pretty common that the vision for a quilt stops once the top is pieced. These are some of my most reliable pointers. Leave a comment to let me know how helpful these are. I'd love to hear any considerations that have helped you in the past.

How to Choose a Quilting Design

With hundreds of designs and just as many thread colors, choosing a quilting design is not always an easy task. Over the span of eight years, we’ve quilted over 1,200 quilts (give or take a few hundred). Each quilt has its own personality, and its own story. One size fits all does not apply.  So here are a few questions we’ve learned along the way to help our quilters choose which design is best for their quilt.

1.  Showstopper or Supporting Role?

Take a look at your quilt. Would you like the quilting to add significantly to your quilt, or do you want your piecing and fabric to be the focus? The quilting design you choose can either be a fly on the wall, or add a little drama. Which is best for your quilt? Thread color that either blends or contrasts is another consideration here.

2.  Motif or Not to Motif?

Are you making a Christmas quilt? Try a poinsettia design. A wildlife quilt? A design with feathers, leaves or trees are just right. Is your quilt for a young girl? She might like a paisley design. (You get the idea.) Or you may decide that a non-specific design like meanders or swirls are better for your quilt.

3.  A Little or a Lot?

Looser quilting is a more casual way to go. It allows the loft of the batting to remain full, making it the best choice for high-loft batting. It also gives a nice texture to the quilt. (Always keep in mind the limits of your batting. It’s never a good idea for your quilting to be further apart than your batting’s package recommends.)

On the other hand, dense quilting tends to look more modern and sophisticated. The tighter the quilting, the flatter the quilt. 

4.  Soft or Sharp? Graceful or Energetic?

Quilting designs have their own personality. Check out the curves and the points. Lots of points to add energy and excitement to a quilt. Great for a quilt with pinup girls or bright colors. A design with plenty of curves is soft and sweet for a receiving blanket or shabby chic couch throw.

5. Go with your Gut

Bottom line is, there’s no wrong choice. Never let uncertainty stop you from finishing a quilt. Trust yourself and pick what you love, and you can’t go wrong. Because after all, a finished quilt is worth more than a pieced top folded up in the closet.