Ok, just got my first quilting project, a wall hanging ready for quilting. sort of. I was going to send it out to be quilted, but I started to feel like maybe I could handle a wall hanging. Next time I think that I think I will shoot myself and get me out of my misery. I am determined to do it. May be the LAST time, but darn it, I'm gonna do it! With your help please....

Problem - The only place in the house with a space big enough to lay the whole thing out is on the floor. Can't physically do that. No dining room table. Bed was a disaster, never could get it on right, and kept pinning the bedding. I have the equivalent of a card table to do this on. I worked on it on and off for three days. I finally have given up. It is a wall hanging, for my bedroom, so I am going with what I have. It is pinned, but the backing has a few creases in it. I have worked and worked, used the iron when I shouldn't have, have the fusible on both sides batting, etc. Just can't get it right. Ok, fine. Done with that. I'm the only one to see it. But for next time, any tips on getting it sandwiched?

so now a new question - it is nine blocks with sashing then a border around the whole thing. Can I quilt in each block and get that done, then quilt all of the sashing, then all of the border?? If not, how should I quilt this?

And I know it won't be perfect, and I might come out of this bald from tearing my hair out, so if you have any tips, I'd love to hear them. Thanks! Virg

Yes, you can quilt each block and then the sashing and then the border. However, I would suggest that you make sure to start your quilting in the middle of the quilt and quilt out. That being said, you might want to do the sashing first to stablize the whole quilt then do the blocks and lastly the borders.

I know what you're talking about! I took me quite some time to figure out a good place to baste as I can't get on the floor either. This is what I do:

I generally do stabalizing stitching all around the perimieter of the quilt first. I do it in the ditch. Then I do the same along the sashing. Vertically then horizontally All in the ditch. That should give you more than enough stabilization for a wallhanging sized quilt. Then start to quilt whereever you like but I generally start in the middle and work out.

Good luck and don't forget to breath! You'll be so proud when you're all done. I hope that you'll post a pic! :)

For a wall hanging, you might try using your washer or dryer as the surface to baste. Even the kitchen counter would probably do for a wall hanging.

You can actually spray baste your sandwich on a wall.....standing up if you like. Use the search feature at the top of the page, there are several threads to tell you how to do it.

On the quilting of this one...I usually do all the quilting in the ditch first with a monofilament thread on the top..then I go back and do the rest of the quilt. You might consider changing your method to "quilt as you go" or quilting in sections for your next quilt.

You can do this...there are lots of ways to accomplish it and they are ALL correct! :D

My co-sewer had same problem and finally stopped fusing the batting. Once you do it's hard to get creases, puckers out. Just tape the backing to the floor, lay batting and top out and pin. FYI - she started using one of the old fashion pinning cardboard boards and works great to not scratch floors or if you have carpet. They still sell them at Walmart for like $10-15. Hope that helps

There are several places you might try to find alarge space for laying out your quilt. Try local churches ask them if you might have use of their tables in the study rooms when they are not in use by them, or find a local quilting club and ask if you might use their tables maybe early before one of their meeting or a local meeting hall of some kind in your area.
For medium or smaller quilts I use a ping-pong table in my garage, it fold up out of the way in front of my car until I need it.
Got it at a garage sale for 10.00

For quilts bigger than wall hanging I use the board method to sandwich! It is taught by Susan s? I can never spell her last name. It's on you tube. I also starch both pieces. Since doing this Ive had NO puckers. I'm just learning to SID and can barely fmq! I use a small table . No more pins! U might be able to go up to search on here and find the link.

For quilts bigger than wall hanging I use the board method to sandwich! It is taught by Susan s? I can never spell her last name. It's on you tube. I also starch both pieces. Since doing this Ive had NO puckers. I'm just learning to SID and can barely fmq! I use a small table . No more pins! U might be able to go up to search on here and find the link.

Sandwiching and basting a quilt was the most hateful aspect of quilting to me. I couldn't stand doing it. I did it but I sure wasn't happy about it. My all consuming hate for sandwiching was a major factor in me finally getting a longarm, that and the fact that I just plain old sucked at machine quilting on my DSM. I got my LA and haven't looked back. This however is of no help to your delimma. I did mine on the floor. Oh and the board method mentioned by Paniacs is by Sharon Schamber Here is a link to part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA