One of the biggest pluses to not sewing your blocks into long strips is only having to sew with the whole top together once. Even before that you are only dealing with a quarter of the top at a time and two halves once and the whole thing once.

Another tip, when you put your first border on sew with the border strip on top. That way if there's any slight easing the top is eased into the borders and not the other way around.

This really does help!

Have any of you used dark plain backing but you use light thread on front and when you check, it is showing in back. It seems to happen more when I stipple. I imagine my tension may be off. I have a 1960's machine Any suggestions what I can do if it is too late to tear it out again? Shirley

That's what I thought too. Most quilts end up as a certain number of rows. We just count the blocks. My last one was a 6X6 (meaning 6 blocks in a row and 6 rows across).

I noticed that your blocks have some lines where the seams line up. I would focus on those and pin the matching seams, 2 rows at a time. When you align the next row to the sewn ones, alternate where you start. If one row is a little longer than the other between pins (matching seams) you can ease in the overage, just pin like crazy between the matching lines and make sure you keep the longer side on the bottom of the machine when sewing.

Once you have the top together and pressed you'll be amazed.

When I sandwich a quilt, I use painter's tape (the blue tape) to secure the backing to the table. Backing is right side DOWN on the table. (In case you never did this) Keep the backing taught but not overstretched. I kinda mark the center of the backing.

Then I fold my batting in quarters and lay it on the backing to match up with the center. I open the batting and smooth it out, patting out any wrinkles. Again, don't overstretch the batting.

I repeat the process with the top. FOld in quarters and align with the center of the batting. I open the top and pat it down without overstretching. It's one of those "gut-feel things" - hard to explain. If you start smoothing the top from the center outward, you'll get the feel for it quickly.

If the quilt is larger than the table, I set the ironing board at the end of the table and use it to support the overhanging quilt.

I pin about a hand-width apart. That has served me well in the past. (Warm and Natural as well as Warm and White are happy with that.) Your batting should give you a guideline.

Before I pin, I think about the placement of the pins. My method is SID (stitch in the ditch) so I don't want pins where I have to sew. It will all be easier with practice.

Good job so far!!!! Keep it up and keep us posted.

Very creative way to get the blocks to the size you want them! Sorry, no advice from this corner. You have a lot of good suggestions already. Keep us posted on your progress! :)