LoisN

I have quilted several quilts on my domestic sewing machine and get along fairly well with that. I've done several full-size quilts and 1 queen-size quilt. My dilema is that I have a king-size top done and am unsure about sandwiching and quilting it on my machine. I don't like the top enough to invest in having it quilted by a long-armer. Have any of you quilted something this big on your domestic machine? Have you ever done the batting and backing in 3rds, started in the middle and then added the batting and backing to quilt the sides??? Any advice is welcomed.

Prism99

There's a way to do it where you only divide the batting into thirds. That way when you are finished, you can't tell it wasn't quilted the usual way. I posted the technique a couple of times here; will see if I can find an old post. Also, there is a book out by Marti Michell on how to do it. I first read about it in a book by Debra Wagner; haven't seen the other book.

Edit: Here's a link to the Marti Mitchel book, which I haven't read. Haven't been able to find my old post. If someone else doesn't do it, I will post instructions when I have a little more time.

http://www.amazon.com/Martingale-Com...dp/B0016ZY4VO/

MellieKQuilter

You could always tie it (if that would look good..)

Scissor Queen

There's an iron on batting tape that would make it a lot easier to add the batting when you do the thirds technique. It would sure make getting it quilted a lot easier!

tangledthread

Here is a good tut on quilting in thirds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6KHUqjkW70

I have also turned my machine and quilted that way, it works well for the larger quilts, saw a pic posted here and tried it. I Love this site!

Prism99

I finally have a few minutes, so I will describe the method I like for quilting in thirds.

Layer as usual. Baste only the middle third of the quilt.

Fold backing fabric and top back about halfway so batting alone is exposed. Make a wavy large "S" shaped cut through the batting about one-third of the way from the edge. The S should be about 6 inches from side to side. (Cutting wavy like this means later on the quilt will not develop a fold line as might be the case if you cut in a straight line.)

Before removing the righthand third of batting, make registration marks on the batting with a permanent marker so later on you can re-assemble the batting *exactly* as it was originally. Also mark the top righthand side to help you later with re-positioning.

Remove the right third of batting, lay the backing fabric and top back out and pin them together.

Do the same on the lefthand side of the quilt.

You end up with much less bulk under the arm of your machine while you are quilting the middle. Leave about 4 inches free at each side of the middle third to allow space for re-assembling the batting.

Once the middle third is quilted, remove pins from right side, fold backing fabric and top out of the way again, and re-assemble the batting on that side. Best way is to hand stitch the batting pieces together using a tailor tack stitch; however, it's also possible to just machine zigzag the pieces together using a long and wide zigzag stitch.

Baste the righthand third of the sandwich together and quilt. Then do the same with the lefthand third.

dunster

I realize you already have the whole top sewn together, but you might investigate some of the methods in Marti Michell's book Machine Quilting in Sections. I think that one of the methods is the one you're talking about, dividing the batting into thirds and dealing with each third. However it might make sense to partially take the quilt top apart and use one of the other methods.

AliKat

OK. You can find a method you feel comfortable with and do it yourself.

However, down here we have some LA'ers who have decided their niche is to provide affordable overall - not custom - quilting to quilters. Their prices are so reasonable that they are plenty busy. They have a variety of designs, freehand and panto. Also, it doesn't take as long to get your quilt back.

Just a thought.

ali

Stitchnripper

I did a king size in a dinky mechanical Brother. It was stitch in the ditch and I did have to wrestle some of it, but I quilted it in quarters from the center out. Came out fine.

Lori S

I like to add the batting in sections. It works for me .. rather than stuffing all that volume through on a big quilt. I do stitch the batting , but the iron on tape would be perfect( I have not tried that yet).
I also spray baste covering the sections with an old sheet that I do not want over spray.