Quiltingboard Forums - Hello & Question from Grandma Moonchild

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I am a mother of two daughters and grandma of 3 handsome boys. I have sewed to make clothing and most especially costuming for the past 37 years. I remember my mama quilting on a big old wooden thing that took up the whole living room and she made beautiful (necessary) quilts for us. [I have this wooden thing in my garage but it is missing all the c clamps and one leg thingy.] Mama passed and I want to take all her polyester pants and turn them into a special quilt for each of her 4 grandchildren. Now heres the problem... I watched mama quilt, but never did any. I dont have room to set up that wooden thing and I was thinking I would make a bunch of 12.5 squares that were a sandwich of backing, batting, and the pieced square design which I would machine quilt; then join the quilted squares into strips binding the joints on the back with a decorative fabric which would make a block design on the back of the finished quilt. I have been avidly reading books, this site, all sorts of things, and formulating my "strategy" in my mind; but making the first cut has just left me with fear that I will mess up and waste my materials. I had just about got up the nerve to start cutting, when I read that I need to have a 3 inch bigger backing and batting if I am gonna machine quilt.... now I assume that 3 inches is for a full quilt, but wonder how much if any extra I would need if the pieced block is 12.5 to sew up to 12. Any help, comments, or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the Board Grandma Moonchild! (What a great name!) :wink:
If you are going to "quilt as you go" on each 12.5" square, I would probably just cut the batting not more than 13" square, probably less even. Unless you're planning to do some really major quilting on each block, that should be plenty.
I think those grandkids are so lucky to be getting such a great memory quilt! :D
Good luck!

sue

Hi and Welcome Grandma Moonchild,
Haven't done the quilt as you go but thinking on it as there's so many that do it. Hope you enjoy it!

Sharon

Thanks for the help and encouragement. Now I feel better about starting the cutting.

Welcome!

Hey, every beginning quilter gets at least a little scared about making that first cut into fabric. I sure was when making my first quilt. So you're not alone.

That first step is alway a doosie!

Welcome Moonchild,
There was a quilt as you go web site that was on another post. I'll see if I can find it and post it. It was very detailed and had lots of info.

One of the websites that another member just e-mailed me is a quilt as you go hhttp://www.secretsof.com/content/194. I hope this helps.

Thanks, that info was definitely very helpful.