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After spending lots of time talking about FMQ, reading about FMQ, even practising FMQ, I'm about to take a deep breath and actually put a quilt on the sewing machine :-)
I'm just going to do a simple meander, but I need to ask an obvious question - where do I start?! Do I begin at the edge of the quilt and work across and down - or not? |
I was told to start in the middle. Take your time, relax and enjoy the process :D Good luck!!
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I just posted the exact same question.
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I was told to start in the middle and work out. Don't rush it!
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In hand quilting or quilting on a regular machine, the general rule is inside to outside. on a LA, the general rule is from one corner across and back by rows to the far corner. Like all rules, there are exceptions.
I do quite a bit of FMQ. Sometimes, the quilt seems to call for some non-FMQ gridwork. For example, on the NYB quilt I posted earlier this evening, I think I probably will do SITD along the block edges, then use FMQ within the blocks and on the borders. The advantage to this technique is that large areas are 'controlled' before I begin the FMQ. Since I often use different colors in quilting different areas, I used to do all of one color, then all of another. This led to some serious difficulties. BTW, my guild owns a LA, but I am now too disabled to stand and use it, so I generally do all my work on my Janome, even king-sized. Once in a while I have a guild sister do a meander in some parts, leaving the more interesting parts for me. |
What kind of Janome are you using for those big quilts?
Originally Posted by QM
In hand quilting or quilting on a regular machine, the general rule is inside to outside. on a LA, the general rule is from one corner across and back by rows to the far corner. Like all rules, there are exceptions.
I do quite a bit of FMQ. Sometimes, the quilt seems to call for some non-FMQ gridwork. For example, on the NYB quilt I posted earlier this evening, I think I probably will do SITD along the block edges, then use FMQ within the blocks and on the borders. The advantage to this technique is that large areas are 'controlled' before I begin the FMQ. Since I often use different colors in quilting different areas, I used to do all of one color, then all of another. This led to some serious difficulties. BTW, my guild owns a LA, but I am now too disabled to stand and use it, so I generally do all my work on my Janome, even king-sized. Once in a while I have a guild sister do a meander in some parts, leaving the more interesting parts for me. |
FYI: Any size quilt (up to 120")) can be done on a standard machine. I did a king SID on my old Singer years ago. Slow and steady wins the race.
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People have told you to start in the middle but not the reason... When you start in the middle you are quilting out any bumps, irregular spots or puckers as you go. I know, I know you don't have any of those in your work, but believe me if you were to quilt to the middle, you'd have one ugly mess in the center!
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yes, this way :)
Originally Posted by Qbee
I was told to start in the middle. Take your time, relax and enjoy the process :D Good luck!!
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start in the middle, work your way out to an edge, turn quilt around go back to the middle and work out the other way, turn =back to middle; ect.
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