Happy Dance quilt designed by Ricky Tims

[Sandra M.]

I'm looking for suggestions on how to quilt this now that I have the quilt top finished.
I can see that the pattern shows just straight line quilting in different directions. To me that looks incredibly tedious. It's difficult for me to think of how else to quilt it because there

are no blocks dividing up the long columns of different color fabrics.

[Helen W.]

sdmahoney, I really like the looks of the quilting on the pattern, but it would be very tedious. Maybe curved lines running horizontally across the quilt like Anita Shackleford did
on this quilt featured on her website. It is longarm, but you could just make a curved line cut on a long piece of freezer paper with a similar look to get the first line across the center then just echo that line by eyeballing it. Or make the freezer paper curves across the quilt and cut it about an inch wide iron it on and just stitch along the edges. Pull it
up move it and then stitch again. Hard to explain what I mean. Hope some other quilters also have some suggestions for you. It also depends on your experience as a quilter.
Easy ideas for beginners, more challenging for experienced. HelenW

[Helen W.]

sdmahoney, Here is my Plan B ideas. From the simplest to more detailed. First stitch in the ditch in all seam lines to stabilized the quilt befor more quilting.
1. Take a 1 inch strip of painters tape or cut from a roll of freezer paper a long 1 inch strip, centered in the colored areas and just do the two lines of quilting on
both sides of the tape. Easy peasy.
2. Cut freezer paper squares the size of the happy dance squares. Position them on the painter tape and make the quilt image look like a mirror of the actual
piecing. That would look great.
3. Adding some creative geometric shapes along the painters tape to have circles, triangles, hexagons etc. You could mix them up or just make each line a specific shape.
4. Do Libby Leman type thread play inside the painter tape line and geometric shapes. I put a photo of some Libby Leman type stitching I did so you could see what it looks like.


Would love to know how you decide to quilt it.
HelenW

[Sandra M.]

Thank you so much for these suggestions. I'm already thinking about how to incorporate them.
The quilt top has been finished for a few months now, but I never put it away because I want to finish it.
Thanks again!!
I will post once I finish quilt it.

[Sandra M.]

Thank you for your suggestions. I do like the curvy line look and am familiar with using freezer paper, although not on such a large surface.
I will practice and see how this works for me.

It is thoughtful of you to take the time to explain and to post a picture.