Modern Landscape Quilt with Straight-Line Quilting on a Bernina Q24
I recently quilted this beautiful modern quilt for a client, and I couldn’t wait to share it with you. The pattern is called “Welcome to Colorful Colorado” and was designed by Katie Larson Studio. It’s a stunning abstract landscape quilt, full of bold shapes and vibrant energy—and I had such a fun quilting experience bringing it to life.
Thread Choices
While a single thread color—such as a warm grey—could have worked across the entire quilt, I opted for a more tailored approach to enhance the design. I divided the quilt into color-based sections and selected threads that coordinated closely with each area, choosing blends that complemented the fabric tones without requiring a perfect match. The quilt includes a wide spectrum of colors, but they naturally group into families—yellows, reds, greens, and blues—which allowed for smoother transitions and minimized visual disruption. This method also helped maintain depth and dimension in the overall look.
Thread selection for this modern quilt was key to enhancing the design without overwhelming it. I chose six coordinating thread colors to match the major color groups in the quilt—yellow, silver, gold, rust, olive, and navy. Instead of blending every color exactly, I grouped similar tones to keep the look cohesive and clean.
2. Quilting Design
My client shared the suggested quilting design from the pattern—straight lines—and I followed that direction, making a few small adjustments where needed to suit the layout. It was the perfect choice to emphasize the bold colors and geometric shapes. I used a straight ruler with no markings, quilting at 3/4" spacing to maintain consistency and flow. Since the backing was a fluffy blanket, I intentionally avoided quilting too densely to preserve its softness and comfort. The result is a modern, structured finish with a wonderfully cozy feel.
Straight-line quilting with 3/4" spacing gave this modern quilt a clean, structured finish while highlighting the bold geometric design. Using a Bernina Q24 longarm and a straight ruler, I adjusted line direction to follow the natural movement of the quilt pattern. A fluffy blanket as the backing kept the final result soft and cozy.
3. Challenges
This quilt top was pieced beautifully, and I truly appreciated the clean, modern simplicity of the design. That said, there were a few technical challenges along the way.
The large, simple shapes required me to move the quilt back and forth frequently in order to maintain consistent straight lines across long spans. It was a workout, but worth the effort for the visual impact.
Using a fluffy blanket as the backing—something I’ve seen become increasingly popular—added another layer of complexity. Despite what the label says, these blankets often aren’t perfectly sized, so it’s absolutely essential to measure them beforehand. Due to their stretch and uneven grain, they can shift subtly in one direction and come up short on the opposite side, especially on a longarm frame. Planning for extra length and width is a must.
Finally, if you’re quilting with a fluffy backing, I recommend avoiding extra-long rulers like a 16" straight ruler. They can be difficult to control over thicker materials and increase the risk of slipping or even striking the needle. A shorter ruler—like a 12" or smaller—is much safer and easier to manage in these conditions.
And the final look!
I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at quilting Welcome to Colorful Colorado. It was such a joy to work on this bold, modern piece, and I always love sharing the process with you. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below—I’d love to hear from you! Stay tuned for my next post, where I’ll be sharing more quilting tips and inspiration.
Happy Quilting!
