I am back with a newer and updated take on my favorite modern pantographs!
Back in 2021, I wrote my first blogpost about my favorite pantographs and I had such amazing feedback from people saying it was a great jumping off point for them to get inspired when picking out designs. I have been wanting to write a second one as I have made at least 75 more quilts since the last post which means I have also found lots of new amazing pantographs to love!
One of my favorite parts of the entire design process of making a quilt comes near the end - picking the pantograph I want used to actually quilt my quilt!
When I started quilting, it was purely a hobby, just for fun and I had to keep my expenses extremely small. But, as time went on and this hobby turned into a business, I slowly branched out to find ways to offset my workload. One of the absolute best decisions I made was to regularly invest in longarm quilting.
Honestly, the actual quilting of my quilts has ALWAYS been my least favorite part of the process. But, once I wrapped my head around the higher cost per project and sent my first quilt ever to be longarmed in 2017, I never looked back. And really at this point, longarm quilting is cheaper for my business than me spending the time to actually quilt. Time = money. My efforts are way better used in other aspects of my business.
And, the other amazing benefit is getting to collaborate with other creatives! I love connecting with longarm quilters and forming relationships and together putting the 'icing on the cake' of each of my projects. It really is one of the biggest joys for me when finishing up a quilt.
I have looked through the last 3+ years of my work (since the last blogpost) and have found some great new pantographs I've used and some more than once!
For each pantograph, I will include the link to the pantograph so you can easily send it to your longarmer if you choose to use one (when I can). I will also include WHY I love the pantograph and photos and links to past projects using that pantograph.
Please keep in mind, these are all COMPUTERIZED pantographs. And the scale of the design may change from project to project. If you prefer a denser quilting - say a 4" repeat of the design instead of an 8" repeat, talk to your longarmer and see if they can do that for you. Also, be mindful that denser quilting very easily can be more expensive quilting because it takes more time and materials to make it happen.
My general rule of thumb when it comes to scale of designs is that I don't want the scale to be exactly the size of my largest design element. So say for Meadowland, the largest square is 4" finished in the block. So, I would want my repeat to be less than 4" slightly OR larger than 4" slightly. I find this helps combat the quilting pantograph fighting with the scale of the quilt top design.
Okay, let's do this!! These are in no particular order or preference but just a list of my favorite computerized pantographs!
I believe most all of these quilts linked today have been quilted by one of two long armers:
The Arches pantograph has become one of my go-to quilting designs for almost any project. I have used it four times in the last few years and every single time I am reminded why I love it. The design has a baptist fan aspect to it but not in a single directional layout. The design and the arches change direction with intention and in a really fun repeat.
The Moon Phases pantograph is a really impactful all over design that I will easily choose again and again. I think this pantograph would go with any type of piecing - angular, curved, simple, detailed. I love that it gives curves and movement without feeling soft and it can be dense too.
The City of Fountains pantograph is similar to the Arches pantograph but with one consistent shape and direction. It is basically an elongated and more narrow baptist fan with echoing arcs. I would only use this pantograph on a rectangular design because it is directional and if it were a square quilt, it would look sideways at times.
The Daisy Daze pantograph has a retro vintage feel while still being modern. I have only used it twice and I am shocked. I need to use it again because it is gorgeous and produces some of the best texture ever. This pantograph looks great on rectangle and square quilts.
The Cookie Cutter pantograph is adorable. I was immediately drawn to it when deciding on what design I wanted to use for my Unicorn Star Adventure quilt. It felt whimsical and playful while still being consistent and linear. I can't wait to use it again!
The Dunes pantograph is such a classic style pantograph. It is very similar to Modern Curves which I highlighted in the first pantograph blogpost. The reason I chose Dunes for this one is the waves of the lines aren't as drastic, I feel like it falls between a straight line quilting and a modern curves. And the waves are more offset where they are more stacked in modern curves. I have only used it once but I will definitely use it again.
The Echoed Swirls pantograph is GOOD. This is an all over design that is full of swirly goodness. I have used this pantograph three times and will definitely use it again. Two of the three quilts I've used it on are incredibly scrappy and chaotic and fun and I think the swirl leans into the vibe. And then the Ombre All Day is all deep blues and it reminds me of the sea and the swirls felt like a nod to waves.
The Raindrop on Water pantograph is a more circular swirl design. The design does make it look like different sized raindrops which I love because the design itself provides visual depth. I'm surprised I've only used this twice, must use again!
The Wall Sparkle pantograph is a relatively new design and I can't wait to use it more! There is repetitive angular design that then also has two stars in it. I think this design would be amazing with a two color quilt (like mine) as well as a scrappy quilt.
The Chunky Knit pantograph quickly became a favorite of mine. I love that is marries two different textile practices together - quilting and knitting. It adds it's own visual texture that isn't just a pretty design but a realistic view of what knitting looks like. It's so fun! Be mindful of what you put this one on as it is directional.
The 6 Petal Flower pantograph is a really playful and whimsical all over floral design. It reminds me of doodles I would make in my notebooks at school but definitely a lot prettier. It is a very sweet pantograph without reading juvenile.
The Sashiko Star pantograph is a bold graphic star burst design. It gives incredibly lovely texture in an all over design. I believe this pantograph would look good on any kind of quilt. I can't wait to use it again!
The Time Warp pantograph is a pantograph I have used time and time again. This is the only repeat pantograph I am including from my first blogpost. I have used it so many times and it is always a winner. This pantograph looks amazing in a dense repeat as well as a larger loose one.
The Chevron Tumblers Grande pantograph is one of my favorite favorite pantographs. The angles of the chevron repeats aren't too harsh and almost give a curved effect. It's like constantly falling and tumbling triangles that are amazing and create a secondary star burst design as well.
The Golden Eye pantograph is a newer pantograph that I have used two times in the last few months (one is actually at my longarmer right now!) and still need to blog the makes! But I did snap some quick photos to show you. This design is a vintage modern petal that is boxed and it so playful. I love it so much!
Simple Joys In Bloom - blogpost coming soon!
I will be sure to keep this post updated and add in the links to the few remaining quilts that need to be blogged. And I can't wait to continue to find and use new pantographs and share!
