Thoughts on Quilt Texture

From the Spring Morn Runner - texture comes in many forms

The #IGQuiltfest2023 project rolls on over on Instagram, and today’s prompt is Texture. Truthfully, I usually think of texture as in the photo above…as in how to quilt a given project. My membership card in the Quilt it to Death society is fully paid up, but I have begun to realize that less is so much more at times.

I spent much longer agonizing how to quilt my Dream Big Panel, and in doing so – I found that I began quilting many projects as densely as that. When you put so much thread into a piece, you lose the comfortable, squishy factor that a lap quilt (or a movie quilt) can bring. The next piece I’m working on is one where I will consciously work on slowing down, spacing the quilting out, and giving the quilt space to breathe. I am learning that every quilt has its’ own personality in the quilting.

Beading on a garden quilt

There are many other ways to add texture to a quilt - Embroidery, Embellishment/Beading, Dimension in the quilting, Trapunto, Sashiko, Chenille, Applique, Different batt density and hand quilting are just some of the ways you can vary the desity - but there are many.

Lots of texture - Embroidery and the dense quilting in the background. This is from the Neverending Embroidery project from 2022.

What’s your favorite way to add texture to your quilts?