Quilting the Bolt of Lightning Quilt

 I'm teaching a machine-finished binding class in early May so I need to have a demonstration sample ready to go. I specifically want a sample with points at the edge to teach how NOT to cut them off with the binding, so I'm using my Bolt of Lightning quilt. Here's the top on the wall before I fixed the layout problem. It's fixed and now the coral at the top matches the bottom, both ends pointing into the corners. Quirkier, more modern, and I like it better.

I didn't think about how I would quilt this when I designed it with such high contrast fabrics. What color thread??? It definitely doesn't want an allover panto. What I've decided to do is quilt it on my domestic machine so I can change thread colors as needed. 

I've started by stitching in the ditch along the diagonal seams, separating the black and white prints from the colors, and meandering in the prints. The I'm using a charcoal grey thread and the quilting totally doesn't show at all. 

Then I'll come back with thread to match each color and do something in those areas. Not sure yet if it'll be more walking foot quilting to emphasize the jagged shape, or just meandering to get it done more quickly. Walking foot quilting would look better but it would require at least three passes per lightning bolt, and that's a lot of quilt wrangling. But that's what the quilt is telling me it wants. We'll see. 

This project will be on hold for a few days while I go to Paducah. Anyone going? Want to meet up? Leave a comment and maybe we can connect while I'm there. I have a quilt in the show, # 508 in the Group Quilts category, HOW MANY, aka the WIGSP. I'm looking forward to getting together with some of my St. Louis friends, who have all moved elsewhere like me. And seeing some friends who've stayed in STL, too. 

Link ups: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts,  Love Laugh Quilt