Meandering Quilting Offers Freehand Artistry

While most folks may prefer designs on quilts to form a specific design often forming a pattern or picture, some like the free expression that comes with meandering quilting. Circles, curves and straight-line designs sewn into the fabric without the benefit of patterns or even drawing the image first, are considered meandering quilting.

Essentially sewing designs without the benefit of a pattern is considered meandering quilting, or stippling when it comes to smaller or more intricate work. While usually done by hand, there are some who use a machine for meandering quilting, showing excellent results. Stitching your designs into the quilt in a freehand fashion shows the ability as well as the imagination of the quilter.

Typically, designs made by meandering quilting will not cross over themselves whether it is a floral design or circular design. It is possible that when using more than one color thread to form the design the different colors will not overlap, but when tracing only one color, it will not cross. Using fabrics cut into different shapes often makes the designs appear more unique, with stitching holding them all together in a freehand design.

Meandering Quilting Controlled By Hands

Manually stitching for meandering quilting is regulated by the quilter to establish equally separated stitching, overall that does not touch. When using a machine, many utilize a darning foot or other free-floating foot that does not hold the cloth down while it is being sewn, allowing the operator to control the cloth’s movement and release. The machine is also used with the feed dogs to allow the operator complete control of the cloth’s movement.

Stitches ranging from at least a half-inch apart, and as much as two inches sewn freehand are considered free-flow stitching, or meandering quilting while stippling is at most one quarter-inch apart. Using these methods can accomplish some amazing designs, but realize that you are still sewing through all three layers of the quilt, the front, padding and the backing. With many meandering quilting techniques, the design is often replicated on the back or the back contains a different design.

The type of material used is still up to the discretion of the quilter, as is the padding, but cotton seems to be the most popular for padding as it does not hold the warmth as much as artificial fibers and is still capable of being crushed by hand or crimped when creating unique designs.