PART 1.In my case, I used the backing whole and just added the sections to it as I went. My quilt was in 5 sections, the center, 2 sides, and the top and bottom.
Actually the backing had to be pieced at the top and bottom, also, and I waited to do that until I was ready to add the front top and bottom sections to keep the size I was handling down.
Since I was using fleece for the backing, I did not need a batting for my quilt, however, this technique would work either way. The two methods of handling the quilt I used were rolling of the edges and puddling the areas where I was actually quilting. I only have a regular sewing machine so this works best for me.
The first, and most difficult, part was to center the center section on the backing accurately and get it pinned securely. I use safety pins for this, but use your method of choice.

PART 2. Once that was done, I quilted the center section leaving the blue outside sashing strips undone. This provides the area for overlapping the quilting between the sections. If the section doesn’t have the sashing, then I would quilt to within an inch or so of the edge of that area still leaving room for the overlap quilting.
After the center section is complete, spread the backing again on a hard surface. You only need an area as big as the center section and the part you are adding next.
*The part you add next depends on how your sections are set up. It’s the same as making a block. Mine was set up so I added the sides first, then the top and bottom. But you could do if the other way if your sides are longer.


Lay the next section on the center section, right sides together. Pin, matching corners and sashings as needed and being sure to pin through all three layers.

PART 3. Sew together using your 1/4” seam. You will be sewing through the side and center sections and the backing. Press to set your seam then open out and press again from the top. You now have the side section added to the center section. Lay it out on your surface again and pin the side section to the backing for quilting.

cool. thanks for the info. i'll have to try this.

PART 4. Roll the other side of the backing and most of the center section to keep it out of your way * HINT: I make elastic rings from recycled waistband elastics that I put around the ends of the rolled backings to help hold them out of my way and to keep them from coming unrolled. Now quilt this section as you wish.


Since this is an outside section (whether sides or top or bottom) don’t leave an unquilted area along the outer edges where the binding will go.


Repeat the above as you add each section, rolling and puddling the fabric as you need for access to your work area. When you add the last two sections, you will not leave any unquilted areas.

PART 5/ End... Good luck and if you have any questions, please PM me or post and I will do my best to clarify.

thank you - timing is perfect! I would love to quilt my current project (will be my 2nd attempt at FMQ) as it is small and managable. This is so handy and looks doable! Thank you

Very good luck to you! I know you can handle it. Looking forward to seeing your results!!

Great!thanks, Sometimes I get discouraged about quilting because I can't afford to send them out to be quilted. I will have to try this method.

Thanks for this explanation! Makes sense.

If you were not using fleece for both batting and backing, would you keep the backing the whole piece, and just add in the batting as you went along? Yes, I think that would work.

I did a twin size quilt in three long sections, then sewed the sections together, as in the usual block by block QAYG. I thought it worked great.

What does puddling mean? Also, when you piece one side to center or to a block, do you sew through the backing? On fleece, how far apart do you need to quilt?

Actually, I believe if I were not using the fleece, I would keep the backing AND the batting as whole pieces. I would either glue stick or baste them together before I started adding my sections.

I will answer your second question first. Review part 3 and see where it explains about sewing thru the 3 layers. So yes, you are sewing thru the backing each time.

Puddling just means making a smaller smoothe area of your fabric layers around your needle where you are sewing, rather than trying to keep the whole thing laying out flat and smoothe.
I generally try to work with about a 12" smoothe area.

On fleece, there is no set area to worry about with your quilting. There is no batting to secure and keep from bunching or shifting. So it is up to you how much or little you want to do. You could just outline the blocks, even if there were only 12 of them, if you so desired.
Personally I like to use the quarter inch outline of my block areas so they also show on the backing and give it some design also.

Thank you! I suppose if you were using batting you could add only under the section you're quilting next...then add to it before stitching the next section of top in place.

Very helpful, and a beautiful quilt you created!

I love this .And I think I could really do this. Thank you for posting.

Thank you for posting. This helps alot. Beautiful quilt too. Hugs.

Neato!

Thanks for this idea. I might even give it a try instead of having someone else do the quilting.

Gotta try this! Thanks

Great tute.

Thanks for the great tutorial. I'm definitely going to try this.

Perfect timing...thanks for posting! I'm planning to do my Affairs of the Heart this way and I just finished the center section...so I think I'll wash my backing fabric today so I can get started!

One night while laying awake trying to figure how to put my quilt together without having to sew back panels, I thought of this very same idea! I was so excited that I couldn't go to sleep! In the morning I started my wonderful plan. A couple of days later, I found a site online (can't remember whose) that gave directions that were basically the same idea as mine! And now here you are doing it the same way! I have to say it's the greatest way to get your quilt together and quilted if you are using a regular home machine. It goes along so smoothly and when you are done, it looks like it was done on a LAQ! I had done a QAYG some time back and had quilted 12" squares and then had sewn them together in the usual manner of QAYG. Didn't really like it. This new way is super. (If I do say so myself! ;)

Just goes to prove that great minds think alike, right? And where was your tutorial to save me all this thinking??? LOLOL Just kidding, my brain needs it's exercise more than ever these days.
Hugs and smiles...

Now my face is red
:oops: What a twit I am. I never gave it a thought - I was so excited about working on my OWN quilt. Whew, I'm ashamed.

I used the method where you did one block at a time. I learned the hard way not to FMG to the edge of the block. I like your method better. I must try this soon.

Just goes to prove that great minds think alike, right? And where was your tutorial to save me all this thinking??? LOLOL Just kidding, my brain needs it's exercise more than ever these days.
Hugs and smiles...[/quote]

Now my face is red
:oops: What a twit I am. I never gave it a thought - I was so excited about working on my OWN quilt. Whew, I'm ashamed.[/quote]

Awwwwww, noooooo, I really was teasinggg.. Please don't feel badly. If you had posted yours first then I would have been deprived of my 15 minutes of feeling like Columbus discovering the new world!!! It's such a great feeling when you figure out a solution to a problem, you just didn't want to take that away from me. Huggggggs and smilesssssss and happy quilting!!!

I have seen it done that way, but i don't believe it was started in the middle. the botton was rolled while they added each row starting at the top.

Actually I start quilting from the left.
1. I divide the quilt top into even sections. That includes
left and right borders in the appropriate sections.
2. I then cut the batting into sections about 1 inch larger
than the quilt tops, (except the top and the bottom
where I cut the batting longer to accomodate for the
borders.) The batting is the bulkiest part of the
sandwich and by doing it this way, the only
fabric you have to worry about while you are quilting is
quilt backing.
3. I then spray baste one batting section and apply it
to the left side of the quilt backing.
4. Then spray that batting again and apply the quilt top.
5. Then I quilt to within 1 inch of the edges of the section,
except for the border, I do all the borders at the same
time at the end.
6. Then I take the batting for the next section and spray
baste that and apply it to the next section of the quilt
backing, butting the edges against the first section. I
iron batting tape over the edges.
7, I then stitch the two top sections together, and hold it
back while I spray baste the top of the second section
of batting. And them smooth the second quilt top
section over the batting and then quilt that section.
8. For a large quilt I usually divide it into 3 sections.
9. When all the sections are done, I add the top and
bottom borders and then proceed to quilt around all
the borders Then I finish with the binding.
Hope this is clear. I am not at a point on my present quilt that I can take pictures, and I'm not sure I would be able to figure out how to add the pictures if I had them. :-(

I think I should have checked my spelling etc on that last post! :oops:

Thanks. I will have to try this.

I think it would depend on what kind of sections your top is divided into. Some come naturally into nice even rows so you could do side to side or top to bottom. Mine often come into other kinds of sections due to my "unique" creativity. LOLOL
The main thing is that you are only making one long seam with each addition.

Thanks, that is a great way to do it. Very clever to think of that way of doing it.

Thank you

Wildyard, I like your way of quilting your quilt. I'll try it for one of my quilts. Thanks for sharing. Eiltcoq.

Happy I found this tute again - I feared I had lost it...It is getting easier to find my around this new format...:)

Judy in Phx