Best batting for art quilting.

[Janet W.]

I'd like to know what is a good choice for batting in an art quilt. My last effort was successful with the applique areas being attached and quilted at the same time but the areas surrounding the appliques was too puffy for the effect I was looking for. Would a stabilizer between the top and batting have prevented this or should I use a flatter or denser batting?
I used a very thin polyester batting, a top and back of quilting cotton.
Thank you for any help.

[Helen W.]

I'd like to know what is a good choice for batting in an art quilt. My last effort was successful with the applique areas being attached and quilted at the same time but the areas surrounding the appliques was too puffy for the effect I was looking for. Would a stabilizer between the top and batting have prevented this or should I use a flatter or denser batting?
I used a very thin polyester batting, a top and back of quilting cotton.
Thank you for any help.

Janet, I have always used Warm and Natural 100 percent cotton. It is thinner and I have made at least 50 art quilts.
Once or twice I wanted a really firm but rather thicker batting and I used Annies Soft and Stable.It is usually not used as a batting but because it was going to hang on a wall it worked good. I would not use it for a quilt. It is usually used for
quilted bags etc. It really liked the look. The black one is using Warm and Natural, and the white one Soft and Stable.
I have never used polyester batting. Do you have a picture you could post? HelenW
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[Helen W.]

I'd like to know what is a good choice for batting in an art quilt. My last effort was successful with the applique areas being attached and quilted at the same time but the areas surrounding the appliques was too puffy for the effect I was looking for. Would a stabilizer between the top and batting have prevented this or should I use a flatter or denser batting?
I used a very thin polyester batting, a top and back of quilting cotton.
Thank you for any help.

Janet, One more comment. How did you quilt the background outside the applique. I have always heard that it should be
quilted about the same density of stitching as the applique. If you did not quilt it, you could go back in and do some more
quilting even if it is done. I might be able to give you some suggestions if you post a picture. HelenW

[Susan D.]

Helen I am sorry for jumping on this post. I tried to send you a private message but I couldn't. I am working on this wall quilt for a guild challenge. Way out of my comfort zone.

Would you recommend that I use the Warm and Natural for this wall quilt?

Another question I have is regarding when to quilt. I have wondered if it would be easier to quilt the background and then add the applique. This is all new to me. Looking at the picture now, it may more sense to just do a small amount of quilting around the flowers after they are appliqued.

Thank you for any suggestions.

[Helen W.]

Susan D, I do use warm and natural batting most of the time. Whether to quilt first or after the applique is on depends how big the piece is. This looks like it might be about 18 by 36 or so.
It could be done either way. If you want to do straight line ruler work for quilting it is easier
to do that before putting the flowers and pot on. If you are planning on just using stippling or
loops etc, you can make the whole top then quilt it. Let me know what your quilt stitching
plans are and maybe I can suggest a few things to consider.
What are the rules of the challenge? Does it have a theme or requirements for fabrics etc. It might affect how you do things. I use steam a seam
fusible for raw edge applique. It looks like you have a real good start on your project. When does it have to be done by. I would definitely stitch the flower centers to the flower before you put the
flowers on the quilt. It kinda looks like the flower pot is sitting in a window, If the black sashing
runs down the sides, I would let a little more of it be seen where the fussy cut flowers run down
the sides. Tell me a little more of what is in your mind and I will try to help you develop it.
HelenW

[Helen W.]

Susan D. Do you know how to do any hand embroidery stitches. If you look at my coloring book
page hanging above your post, the black one, I used the lazy daisy stitch and french knots with
#8 pearl cotton thread. You could do something like that on the flowers themselves. Another idea
is use buttons as some of the centers of flowers. Also, you can buy strings of all kinds of shapes
of beads at stores like Joanns and Michaels and stitch them onto various places.You could use a
piece of rick rack lime green where the pot top attaches darker purple with only 1/2 of the rick rack
showing it looks like a scalloped edge. You could buy a piece colored lace like fabric in the bridal
dept of a big box store like Joanns and make a lace place mat for the pot to sit on. I am just
throwing out ideas to getting you thinking out of the normal traditional quilt ways. HelenW

[Susan D.]

Helen W. Thank you so very much for you messages! Wow they are so helpful. Some answers. The quilt is due May 4. The finished size will be approx 25x52. My inspiration for this was a wall quilt by Freddy Moran. The theme of the challenge is Welcome to my Garden. We need to include a bird, insect, animal and an embellishment. I ha a racoon tucked in on the lower left side. I have a bird and bee on a new picture I will attach. I had thought about adding some embroidery as you suggested. I have sewn most of the centers on. Unfortunately I started adding some of the steam a seam to some of the flowers so it will be harder to embroider now but I will try it. I enlarged your photo...you do such beautiful work!!!

The quilting...I am not sure what to do. I have only quilted a christmas stocking. :0) One friend suggested doing some circles at the top and echoing flowers on the main part. Another suggested straighline on the sides and top and bottom and no quilting where the flowers are. My biggest concerns are how and when to apply applique and how to quilt. Based on your message when I figure out the quilting I will know when to affix the applique. I think I need to keep the quilting pretty easy at this point.

Thank you so much Helen!

[Helen W.]

Helen W. Thank you so very much for you messages! Wow they are so helpful. Some answers. The quilt is due May 4. The finished size will be approx 25x52. My inspiration for this was a wall quilt by Freddy Moran. The theme of the challenge is Welcome to my Garden. We need to include a bird, insect, animal and an embellishment. I ha a racoon tucked in on the lower left side. I have a bird and bee on a new picture I will attach. I had thought about adding some embroidery as you suggested. I have sewn most of the centers on. Unfortunately I started adding some of the steam a seam to some of the flowers so it will be harder to embroider now but I will try it. I enlarged your photo...you do such beautiful work!!!

The quilting...I am not sure what to do. I have only quilted a christmas stocking. :0) One friend suggested doing some circles at the top and echoing flowers on the main part. Another suggested straighline on the sides and top and bottom and no quilting where the flowers are. My biggest concerns are how and when to apply applique and how to quilt. Based on your message when I figure out the quilting I will know when to affix the applique. I think I need to keep the quilting pretty easy at this point.

Thank you so much Helen!

Welcome to Susans Garden...that is the theme. Freddy Moran reminds me of
RED, free form and whimsy. Especially the portrait a day she does. Looks like
you have a container flower garden. Are those your favorite type of flowers?
I always try to put things in my art quilts that are my favorite. I attached a photo
of a vase that was just messing around when I did the Garden Party BOM.
Of course my Garden Party quilt did not look much like the original pattern.
I attached a picture of it, maybe it will tweak you creativity. The black and grey
wall hanging was one of Alex Anderson's hand embroidery free you tube classes.
Is your picture of the whole size 25 by 52 or are you in the process of building it.
Do you have a local bird or a favorite bird or a fantasy bird in mind for your
bird requirement. I live in North Idaho and I put local birds on a my Glacier Star
quilt. Made a little scene for each of the setting blocks around the star.
For hand embroidery I use a size 24 chenille needle. I draw my design with
iron away chalk or Frixion iron away pens. For Steam a seam you normally
draw the image on the release paper. Rough cut it out about 1/4 larger than
the image. Fuse that to the back of the fabric then cut out on line and it is
ready to put on the quilt after pulling off the release paper. I would do any
straight line quilting before putting the applique on. Then like your friend said
stitch next to the flowers in a thread that does not show like Invisfil or Superior
monopoly. With both I have to adjust my top tension from default of 4.6 to 2,.0
because the threads are 100 wt. You could also go another way with big stitch
quilting using a 12 wt thread. That is done by hand and would look great on the
black sashing. Post pictures of what you have as you go. I would love to see
them. HelenW

[Helen W.]

The photo would not work on using the quote, even though it should so I put the photo in another post. HelenW
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[Helen W.]

Susan, I was thinking about your garden, and one thing that I would do in the future is to make a vision board of photo
from the internet that relate to your topic. Once you have a bunch of great looking ideas, pull one or two things you
like from each that might work and then decide on a color palette. I just googled a couple comments on flower gardens
and took a couple screen shots to give you an idea of what I am talking about. Then I always choose items that I love,
so no matter what, I am pleasing myself, not a group of quilters looking at your masterpiece. HelenW
Coloring books are great for people that don't draw. You just trace the outline. I have asked permission
for thinks like that black wall hanging above and they authors have always said yes. If you are just
taking one or two items out of a whole page, I don't know if you would need to ask permission.
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