evelyn5269

I am making a queen size quilt and when I get ready to machine quilt it I will really need to roll it tight to get in the throat of my machine. I bought the red clamps from a fabric store. Not even close to tight. Do any of you have any solutions. Home "remedies" Most of my quilts have been twin to double and this one will be much bigger. I have hear bicycle ankle clamps are pretty good but have never seen them on a quilt before.

Thanks for the help.
Evelyn in Sequim

QuiltE

Many of us just let it puddle and forget about the roll!

evelyn5269

how do you get all the fabric into your machine to free motion quilt it with all that fabric. I could not do it on the last double I did. It was a nightmare and shows it.

suern3

This is what I do, too. Puddle, no rolling. A roll is just to heavy and hard to handle. I have done queen size on my DSM, Pfaff. Look on you-tube for instructions for puddleing, Leah Day, in particular.

Tartan

When I do a good sized quilt, I don't worry about getting the whole thing through the harp. I picture the quilt in quarters. The top right corner is quilted first, quilting from the center out. The rest of the quilt is puddled on the table around my machine on the left side and in my lap. Once the top quarter is done, I turn the quilt one quarter (counter clockwise) and work on the next quarter. Don't worry about the rest of the quilt and just work on what is in the harp.
Rolling or packaging the quilt sounds good in theory but it just makes it heavier and unwieldy to more.

evelyn5269

Thank you and that all makes good sense. I have a very small area since I just have the machine cabinet and no way for a table but I really would like to find a link to the Leah Day or anybody. When I google puddling nothing comes up for me. I would like to watch to see how I can adapt in my small space. I have machine pulled away from the wall so it can go down behind. I may go to goodwill and try to find a table that would be flush with the machine on left side but can't be very wide or I could not sit at it lol

QuiltE

Yes, chances are that google does not give you info about quilt puddles! All we mean is that we do not roll it up, and just bring the quilt in under our needle/foot and go at it! And then let the rest fall where it does, on the table or into our laps. Thus puddling!

Your quilt draping off your table will be heavy ... and cause you problems when FMQ. You would be better to let it bunch up on top of the table you are working on than for it to fall off. Likewise it draping off the table into your lap can cause some resistance and prevent it moving easy for you as you work.

Leah Day has videos for you to watch ... and of course, many more other sites have videos.

What is helpful to one person, makes little sense to the other!!
(ask me how I know that one!)
... so Let Google be your friend to find what gives you the ideas and info you want and need.

Prism99

If you had that much difficulty with a double, I would definitely split the batting for the queen size quilt. This will make it much easier to fit under the throat of the machine.

Basically what you do is layer the backing and batting as usual, but then cut the batting into a middle piece and two side pieces. Layer the top on this. Quilt the middle section first, leaving about 6" on each side so you can re-attach the batting later. Reattach batting using iron-on batting tape or zigzagging the edges together (by machine or by hand) and finish quilting the sides. This results in much less bulk needing to be crammed under the machine throat while you are quilting the middle. Be aware that there are some tips that make this easier. Search here, or check out Marti Michell's book on the topic. For example, you want to make sure you create registration marks on the batting when you cut it, so that you can re-attach the batting exactly as it was. You also want to be sure and label the top of each piece. The end result is that no one can tell you quilted in sections!

Oh, and I tried the bicycle clips years ago. Useless. If there is too much quilt to "puddle" or accordion pleat under the arm of the machine, it's much better to split the batting so you can quilt in sections.

Here's a link to Marti Michel's book:
http://www.amazon.com/Marti-Michell-...dp/B0002J5GX0/
I don't have it. I learned the sectioning method above from one of Debra Wagner's books.

deedum

Yep, puddle! Only way I do it. Works great! I got bicycle ankle clamps I can send you. Not worth it in my opinion.

I have puddled queen size quilts. I put a table behind my machine and one to the side to support it. works great. I am doing a King size this winter.

barny

Do you have an ironing board to use to hold part of the quilt.