Loops are an excellent choice as an over-all quilting design! They are simple enough to avoid distracting from the quilt piecing, but they add movement and texture to the finished quilt.
Using loops is one of my go-to long-arm machine quilting designs to use on baby quilts because of the playfulness this design adds to the quilt.
The picture below is of a baby quilt I machine quilted for my grandma several years ago. She embroidered the cross stitch blocks and my mom helped her piece them together with the colored boarders. On the long-arm machine I outlined the embroidered animals and blocks and then filled in the rest of the quilt with loops.
Variations of over-all loops
In addition to single loops used in an over-all pattern, I sometimes use variations of loops to create different looks. Below is an example of a double loop. This variation gives more texture and visual interest than a basic loop and is a fun way to add more dimension to the quilting design.
Another variation on over-all loops is the quilt a loop and then stich in a circular pattern around the loops one or more times to create a spiral look. This design works well on quilts that have a lot of straight edges or angles in the piecing as it gives softness and motion to the finished quilt.
Do you have a quilt top you have had finished with a loop design, or one you are piecing that loops would be a good choice as an over-all quilting design for? I would love to hear about your project in the comments below!
Quilt for Joy by Kathryn 