Quilting the High Fidelity quilt from Pamela Goecke-Dinndorf's box

Quilting the High Fidelity quilt from Pamela Goecke-Dinndorf’s box

Discover Carol’s tips for quilting the beautiful quilt from the Quiltmania 2021 box
by Pamela Goecke-Dinndorf!

Many of you are busy making this beautiful quilt while some of you have finished the top and are ready for quilting. Before quilting, some of you asked us what type of batting to use so refer to Stephanie Hackney’s article on the different types of batting depending on the effect you want. In the quilt detail photos you will notice that Pamela quilted this quilt with large stitches and pearl cotton thread so it is quite thick to give the quilt a contemporary feel. This technique is very fashionable today. It actually dates back to the dawn of time and can be found on Indian Khantas, Boro’s ravaudées pieces, Mrs. Ike’s Chiku-chiku in Japan.

They are simply lines of long regular running stitches about 5mm which sometimes encircle the pieces like half moons or form concentric circles on the rounds.

Technical tips for quilting

It’s easy to let your imagination run wild with the pattern. The idea is that you need to have stitching lines about every 5 cm (2”) to hold the three layers (top, batting and lining) together so that the surface stays flat.

For those of you who have never quilted before, which consists of holding the three layers together, the principle is very simple:

1. You prepare a 30 cm (12”) thread needle and tie a knot at its end.

2. You enter the needle for the first time in the middle of this sandwich i.e. under the batting and bring the needle out on the surface of the top trapping the knot inside so that it is invisible. You are ready to start!

3. You can now stitch through the 3 layers. The needle must come out underneath then go up to the surface of the top, than you make running stitch. It goes faster to put several on the same needle! The idea is to get regular stitches in length. This type of quilting is very “crafty” and blends in well with the quilt so don’t worry.

4. Each time you reach the end of your needle (when there is 10 cm (4″) of thread left) make a knot on the last 2 cm (1″) and also bury it in the middle of the sandwich.

5. Usually we start in the center and go to the ends and we work with a quilting hoop in which we insert just the area to be worked. We do not stretch the fabric too much, the surface should be stretched without excess. However with this style of quilting or if you are not equipped with a hoop you just have to hold with a heavy object (here the dictionary!) the quilt on the table and work on your knees to keep some tension while you quilt.