Originally Posted by Prism99

There is a way to make quilting a large quilt top much easier. How is your sandwich basted? (Hmmmm....that sounds kind of funny.....) If you've already spray basted, I'm not sure if this would work. However, here's the process.

Basically you divide the batting into thirds. This greatly reduces the bulk you need to deal with while quilting the middle section.

Take the quilt and pin one side of the top and backing back, so just the batting is exposed. Use a rotary cutter to cut the batting in a curvy line (about 6" curves) from top to bottom. Mark the top and right side of the batting, or make registration marks so later you can fit those two pieces of batting back together again exactly as they were. Do the same with the other side. Now, when you quilt the middle, there will be much less bulk under the arm of the machine. Roll and pin the top/backing so it is out of your way.

When you quilt the middle, be sure and leave 2 or 3 inches near the batting unquilted. Attach one side of the batting back to where it was. Some people will machine zigzag the two pieces together at this point, but I think it is better to hand tailor-tack the two pieces of batting together. The reason for cutting the batting with a curvy line is twofold: you can match the pieces back up more accurately, and the cut will not provide a straight-line weak point in your quilt if it is folded.

When you are done quilting that side of the quilt, attach the other batting and quilt the remaining side.

With this method the top and backing stay intact and no one ever knows that you quilted the quilt in 3 sections.