Longarm Quilting the Checkerboard Tiles Block
It’s time to quilt the Checkerboard Tiles block on the longarm! I decided to use a very different design and stitch over the complex patchwork as if it didn’t exist. It turned out pretty interesting and you can see what I mean in this longarm quilting tutorial:
Click Here to find a much simpler quilting design with straight lines on my Singer 27 treadle machine.
The great thing about quilting each block twice is I get to try two very different quilting designs. Which is best? That’s really down to your opinion! I liked the straight lines, but I also love pushing my edge and following the inspiration to try any design I can think of.
This is a VERY different quilting design! Which do you like best?
Click Here to find the pattern for the Checkerboard Tiles block. YES! You can still join in the Friendship Quilt Along and you have plenty of time to catch up. The tutorials and videos stay up forever so you can work at your own pace and follow along with the videos each week.
Quilting Boxy Spiral Knots on a Longarm
I started out with a design called Boxy Spiral Knots, though I was keeping it so simple, a better name might be Boxy Loops.
I really like this simple Boxy Loops design – it’s very fast to stitch and you can overlap your lines too!
The boxy shapes nicely mimicked the shape of the checkerboard squares in the piecing. I think this would be a great choice for an all over quilting design for any busy, patchworky quilt.
But… I got a bit bored and when that happens I tend to start playing “what if?”
What if I changed designs right in the middle of the block?
What if I stitched straight lines for the rest of this row?
What if I break the rules and do something different?
Well, I guess I was in the mood to try something different! I finished off that row of Boxy Loops and switched to straight, randomly spaced lines. Then I stitched another patch of Boxy Loops and stitched a section of vertical lines.
I can’t really tell you how I made this up because it was 100% on the fly. I just stitched one design until I was bored, then switched to a different design.
Some straight lines were hand guided and wiggly and some I used a ruler and quilted them perfectly straight. I’ll try to be more consistent next time!
In the end, I have two very different Checkerboard Tiles quilt blocks and that was the whole point! Remember not to get too attached to the quilting design being perfect. Sometimes the best choice is to push your edge and try something totally new.
Click Here to find the Checkerboard Tiles Quilt Pattern and join in the fun!
Let’s go quilt,
Leah Day
Check out the other posts I’ve shared for the Checkerboard Tiles Block:
- How to Piece Square in a Square Units
- Checkerboard Tiles Piecing Tutorial
- Quilting a Checkerboard Tiles Block on a Home Machine
- Longarm Quilting a Checkerboard Tiles Block
Would you kindly consider adding a shot of the back of each block so we can get a better look at the quilting pattern? I’m new to the quilting process and would appreciate being able to see the back of the blocks as well as the front.
Thank you. My granddaughter and I are having fun with these scrappy blocks!
When it’s possible, of course I include it. Sometimes, however, the gray thread I’m using blends in too well with the orange background so the stitching isn’t visible. I love the orange, but it was a pretty bright choice for the background!