I just took a customer quilt off the longarm, and it occurred to me that I tend to use my favorite pantographs time and time again. There are others that I’ve tried once and didn’t care for (and I should put them on eBay), and there are others yet that are patiently waiting for their first turn under the red laser beam of light, but the right quilt hasn’t come along yet.
My Cast of Favorites:
- Popcorn by Jodi Beamish (probably my most-used panto – today it was clouds for a child’s airplane quilt)
- Waterworld by Jodi Beamish (love it, but it’s a little more dense)
- Wildflower by Jodi Beamish (hmmm, I see a Jodi trend here. Very nice flowers, not too heavily quilted)
- Spiral Square, 6″ repeat, Keryn Emmerson (good gender-neutral pattern & fun to do)
- Daisy Swirl by Jodi Beamish (another good fresh-looking floral)
- Linda’s Curly Feather Meandering by Linda V Taylor (probably my favorite, but most labor intensive)
- Cascade by Keryn Emmerson (a more widely spaced feathery look)
- Double Rose Vine, 12″, by Norma Sharp (flows nicely, looks great)
- Stars & Loops by Linda V Taylor (you could freehand it, but this is a great panto for kids’ quilts especially)
- Feather Feather by Kathie James (fast, fast, fast, but pretty widely spaced)
- Steam by Norma Sharp (even faster, flows well, great for a quick baby quilt; have used it on kids’ sleeping bags)
So those of you who use pantographs, what patterns do you reach for again and again? I wouldn’t mind adding a couple to freshen up my collection, but it’s always great to start with a recommendation or two or three. Plus I find it difficult to choose patterns based on a tiny drawing!
Sue
