Quilting after Binding
 

Hello everyone I'm new to quilting (although an experienced dress-maker) and recently spend over a year hand sewing pieces for a hexagonal quilt for my new baby daughter (twin-sized). I spend so long on it, I got scared and chickened out completely on ANY quilting at all (!) and just batted and backed and bound it thinking that it would still look good. Obviously it doesn't look THAT good from the back and looks more like a duvet! So, six months after finishing it (and about to start on a quilt for my baby boy I'm expecting later in the year! :)) I'm regretting not being brave. So where do I go from here? Shall I try and do straight line quilting and if it puckers and bunches just cut the border off and re-bind? Should I try and hand-baste it thoroughly and see if that avoids the shifting? Is there any way to keep my existing binding!? Also what is the easiest way to quilt a "hexagonal" quilt. I've not made this easy for my first one have I?! Thank you! (P.S. photo of quilt and my baby girl attached :o)

Cute baby - cute quilt!

I would tie it - with triple tied knots - left over right, right over left, left over right (Or vice-versa - depending on how you start your knots)

You could have the ends on either side of the quilt.

Yes....tie it! That will solve many issues with quilting after putting the binding on. But the spacing between the ties will be dependent on the batting used. Unless you have the packaging from the batting to tell you the recommended quilting/tying spacing (or remember what exactly you used and can find it again) I would put the ties fairly close, probably 3-4 inches apart. With all the work you put into the quilt, you certainly don't want the batting to fall apart inside the quilt! Very nice quilt....bright and cheery!

Tying it will work. To quilt, SID is often used, or a design in each hexagon.

what an impressive undertaking for your first! Pretty top! I too thinking tying it would be sufficient!

I agree with tying -- it won't give you the risk of puckers that stitching would, in case there is any extra fabric on the front or back (or if it stretches with the quilting). Honestly with this kind of pattern I prefer a tie anyway. Lovely quilt, and beautiful daughter!

Welcome to the QB!

Wow thanks guys :) Just looked into tying and that seems an AWESOME idea! And so pretty too. I could use all different coloured threads.......BUT I've no idea on the batting. I got it from a generic fabric shop and I'm pretty sure it's polyester and it's fairly thin-ish. Is closer always better for spacing of the ties?

And thanks for all the lovely compliments about baby/quilt too!

Closeness of ties (or quilting) depends on what the manufacturer suggests as a minimum. You can always do more. You also have the option on knots in the center of a block or at an intersection. Do what pleases your eye! And congratulations.

You can also do charm tacks, which are little shapes, like hearts, bunnies, etc. You can place them a few inches apart here and there. I have seen people use make a star (like the ones we did as kids with the 5 sides using one continuous line), make squiggly flower shapes, use cookie cutters, wooden shapes you get in craft stores, coloring book characters, etc. Just draw a chalk or pencil line around the shape or freehand on the machine and do them here and there instead of tying.