It's me again- with more newbie questions.
The top of my quilt is 6 long strips, 9in wide, which, in retrospect, I would never do again, but didn't really happen on purpose... I can't tell if I'm getting them lined up correctly. How can I line them up to be straight not just to eachother, but as a finished product?
pins, pins, pins - pin like crazy before you sew
Next. Once I get that all sewn together, my batting/backing all lined up, where should I start pinning? in the center? I got basting pins- do I really need to pin every 4 inches or can it be further apart?
no (not further) - you need lots of pins. Start in the center and work your way out. Klue gave us a great tip a while ago to roll a marble around under your quilt as you pin to help lift it to make putting the pin in easier.
Here's a link to the picture she posted:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-20874-3.htm
-I am machine quilting it, down the ditches between the 6 strips, then the plan was to ditch again every 9in or so (because of my blocks). That's why I'm wondering about pinning. Once that's done, I was going to do a little hand stitching, but not much.
Next next. I found pre-cut/rolled binding today at JoAnns in a patterned-not-plain-fabric. I believe it started at 2 1/2 inches wide, is rolled and pressed in half with one folded edge and one raw edge. I obviously have to fold the raw edge under- is there a 'set' size that my binding should be once it's finished? Do I fold and press that raw edge into itself until it touches or just about touches the center fold, or further out? Do I leave myself some extra batting/backing to fold in there, or not so much?
cut your quilt edge flush once it's quilted, then match the raw edge of the binding to the raw edge of your quilt and sew on the binding. Bring the folded edge around the quilt edge and hand sew it down. Some people like to machine stitch this as well.
Here's a link to a video that is easy to follow and will give you a finished continuous piece around your quilt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7Trk6J2Vw
Thank you all. Sorry for all the questions, I know I'm just in the new-quilter-panic mode, but I am such a perfectionist. I don't want to find out later, DOY- wish I would have known that!- about silly, simple things.
THANK YOU!!!!