Would you like a couple dozen tops to quilt????;)!!!!! LOL!

No, you're not the only one, because as I was reading this thread I was thinking that I was the only one! I enjoy the piecing o.k., but as I'm doing it I'm always thinking that I want to hurry up and get to the quilting because that's what I really enjoy. Once I start quilting it and have it in my hands, I feel like I "have something" going on now. And I love doing binding, it's like putting icing on a cake. Of course, I do mine all by machine, so might feel differently if I were doing it by hand. But the quilting and binding are actually my favorite parts of the whole process.

There are two things I've found to make the quilting more fun ....
- quilt as you go, so you're not trying to maneouver the whole thing around the machine throat
- using machine embroidery stitches as the "quilting" along the seam lines, I've having fun playing with the variety of stitches - it's only a 30-stitch machine.

I did up a little sample of all the stitches on a rectangle so I can see better what the stitches look like. And you can play with stitch length, variegated thread, etc, too.

Cheers,
Linda

Quilt as you go is certainly easier and you kind of have a little "quilt" every time you finish a block.

I like making the tops, but my favorite part is the quilting. I love free motion. I put an music and could quilt all day. See, your not alone.

That's a really good suggestion, Linda, thanks! I fall out of the ditch a lot of times when doing a straight stitch so if I were doing a decorative stitch it wouldn't be noticeable.

I hand quilt and that is the best part I feel the quilting makes a quilt come alive.

I'm relieved to know I'M not the only one! I like piecing but I'm not crazy about the quilting part either. I tried a quilt as you go technique (without the sashing, which I don't like because it changes the whole pattern), but ended up with a bump where it got joined (and I KNOW I measured perfectly, lol!) I'm actually one of those who likes to do the binding, too, because I can be part of the family and do it on the couch while watching TV with everyone and not be huddled away in my sewing room. Plus it means I'm on the final stretch with my project.

Do you (or does anyone) have a tutorial to recommend? I feel like my brain gets tweaked when I read articles about the "as you go" method. It is one thing that has me stumped and I would like to learn.

Thanks in advance.

Fun and Done quilt as you go tute:

https://www.baysidequilting.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=284]https://www.baysidequilting.com/stor...idCategory=284[/url]