Originally Posted by JenelTX
I had been planning to hand quilt, but mostly because I didn't think machine quilting would be an option. I have a very basic sewing machine, and I thought it would be too small for me to fit the quilt in to get all of the pieces.
Oh, one other question I forgot to ask - Should I start quilting in the center of the quilt, or the edges, or doesn't it matter?
Please start quilting in the center of your quilt! I don't want to tell you how awful it is when you don't...but that quilt never did get finished!
Do have at least 3" of batting and backing sticking out on all sides - no matter how well you have pinned and/or basted, quilting makes things move in unexpected ways.
If you want to mark your quilting design, use Mark-B-Gone (blue color) that is easily removed in cold water. The air-erase ones don't last long enough. Do mark your entire quilt before starting.
One other thing I've learned - don't leave your quilt in a hoop when you aren't quilting it...it stretches all the layers and they don't want to go back to "normal".