How would you "quilt" this quilt?

I had asked prior about FMQ'ing and where to do it so as to not make the quilt stiff. Do I do it just inside the seams or all over the quilt, crossing seams. I should have waited until I could post a pic of hte quilt I am working on.

So here is the picture...now....where do you all suggest I do the FMQ"ing? I have just learned stippling and meandering is the same only farther apart. However, going over the seams....with how my quilt is assmebled...do I just start at the top and work my way down in any way so long as the area is covered properly? I know to start in the middle but do I STID first, then stipple? Or no STID if I stipple? How would you "quilt" this quilt?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and also..if you know of a good site that offers free stippling pattterns, please let me know. I bought a stencil to doing it inside the strips, but I think that will only look good if I am just STID and then the stencil pattern. And if meandering is farther apart than stippling....how far apart? I would think maybe that would leave more "room" for softness in the qilt and not make it so stiff. I also use that thin cotton batting, no fluffy thickness. I am wondering if the fluffy kind is better for more cushion to better help avoid the stiffness...any thoughts?
It is for a 3 year old little girl so softness and cuddeliness is a MUST!!!

Center sq is 1`0x10 with 1 inch black border. Pink,dot and green squares are 4"x4" and red sashing is 2".. Pink border is 1" and dot border is 2". Binding will be in black...abt 1". Back is a fleece (of minnie mouse face!) Quit measures about 50x60 - near twin bed size.

Thanks every one!

It it were mine [and I am very new to this] I would start in the middle with a walking foot and SITD along each sashing side and then probably do a diagonal line both directions through the big squares. It would very much depend on your batting choice though. Some need closer stitching than others. Warm&Natural I think only needs to be quilted every ten inches but some need every 3 inches.
I would probably use my embroidery machine to do a design in the center of the big blocks, too. Maybe something circular on top of the x as stated above.

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Originally Posted by Claire Hallman

It it were mine [and I am very new to this] I would start in the middle with a walking foot and SITD along each sashing side and then probably do a diagonal line both directions through the big squares. It would very much depend on your batting choice though. Some need closer stitching than others. Warm&Natural I think only needs to be quilted every ten inches but some need every 3 inches.
I would probably use my embroidery machine to do a design in the center of the big blocks, too. Maybe something circular on top of the x as stated above.

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Thanks Claire - I am not good at FMQ'ing only in the stippling stitch. I would like to learn other designs, but at the moment I dont' have time...I have to have this and 2 more done for my grand kids house warming of their new bedrooms in their new house! But you thought about making the big blocks have the straight stitch through them to match the SITD I do on the charms outside it, might be good...then the large middle Minnie square would have the same "lines" as the charms around it...But then again...maybe free stippling in the big ones and STID in the charms and tic-tac-toe the charms Maybe 2-3 different kinds of top stitching...stippling in the center, STID throughout and # in the charms would be enough...hum...thanks for the thought and making me think. I can always count on you ladies for your great insite and ideas!

I learned (the hard way) that the closer together the quilting, the stiffer the quilt is whether it's fmq'ing or sitd. Your quilt looks great and whatever quilting you do will only enhance it. I haven't tried fmq'ing on an actual quilt, yet. I say go with what your heart (or the quilt) is telling you to do.

If it were me, I would get a ruler and one of the pens where the ink disappears when you iron, and draw diagonal lines then use my walking foot to stitch it. I did that on some of my first quilts and it worked great. http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/alb...achmentid=9845

You can see it fairly well on this quilt.

What does every one think about mixing the top stitching? Like stippling in the large block and just criss-cross X's in the small blocks? and just a scallop loop kind of thing in the strips? Or.......

I would do an all over meander or stipple, the largest space apart that you can get away with. (You'll need to read the recommendations on your batting wrapper to see how far apart you should quilt.) As Lola2Ace said, the closer you stitch together, the stiffer the quilt becomes and as you said, you want this quilt to be soft and cuddly. That is a pretty quilt!

I found these the other day. http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/free-downloads/ I printed them out for my "gotta remember this" notebook.

I could swear I saw patterns (on same site) on a large roll of paper you could overlay on your quilt and then stitch over the lines, but I can't find it. Maybe I dreamed it.....LOL, but it seemed like something I would like to use a few times to gain confidence or when I'm really nervous about getting it just so so. Now it's just driving me nuts that I can't find it!!!!

Lovely quilt.

thanks everyone. I didn't know about the Patsy videos...they were helpful. I think I will stipple it farther apart so it stays soft and cuddly. I'l post pic when it is done. Thanks for your suggestions!

Leah Day has lots and lots of FMQ patterns on her website. 365 to be exact.
Kitty