Long Arm question - controlling fullness
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
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Long Arm question - controlling fullness
Hi, I don't do quilting for hire, but do quilt for friends and family. From this board, I've learned how to handle fullness in a border, but what do you do with a wavy block or center? I'm doing a top for a friend. Don't have the top yet, but saw it last week. It's a 60" throw, 48" pieced center, 6" borders. The center has about 1.5" to 2" that was eased into the border.
Other than having her take the borders off (new quilter, thrilled with top, not much border fabric left) any suggestions? I was going to use warm & natural and was thinking of putting a piece of fluffy poly just in the center.
I was also going to see if I could just quilt the border and have her tie the center...
Other than having her take the borders off (new quilter, thrilled with top, not much border fabric left) any suggestions? I was going to use warm & natural and was thinking of putting a piece of fluffy poly just in the center.
I was also going to see if I could just quilt the border and have her tie the center...
#4
In the past I have used canned vegetables on either side of my needle to control fullness. I believe I actually read the tip on this forum. My cans are now so dented that I worried about leaking. I told a friend this trick and she uses the small water bottles. That seems a little safer however they are not quite as heavy and sometimes I need the weight of my vegetable cans. This works quite well.
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Yes, I would try a section of high loft batt in the center. I would also try to quilt motifs with space separating them so the extra has a place to puff rather than advancing ahead of the stitching. I would try to diplomatically discuss if she would like an extra puffy center to use up the fullness.
#6
I was going to suggest quilting with a larger motif with lots of separation, easing the fullness into the areas as you quilt across them.
Plus, when the quilt is washed - with the fullness 'spread' around, it probably won't even be noticeable!
Plus, when the quilt is washed - with the fullness 'spread' around, it probably won't even be noticeable!
#7
a quick session with some steam might help too. I think someone (sharon Schamber?) uses soup cans to put tension on the fabric. That helps even it out. I cannot find a link, but will post here if I can find it. Ditto what Crashnquilt said about the batting.
#9
There's an article by Kim Brunner in the latest issue of Machine Quilting Unlimited called Taming an Unruly Quilt - Eliminating Fullness in Blocks and Borders. She talks about this problem and how to deal with it. I just scanned through the article (but will read it in more detail later). She didn't use extra batting, but she did anchor with pins, smooth the top out carefully, take care in loading, emphasized keeping the lines of the quilt straight. I learn a lot from each issue of this magazine and highly recommend it for longarmers especially.
#10
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lived in San Diego now retired in Eagar, AZ.
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In the past I have used canned vegetables on either side of my needle to control fullness. I believe I actually read the tip on this forum. My cans are now so dented that I worried about leaking. I told a friend this trick and she uses the small water bottles. That seems a little safer however they are not quite as heavy and sometimes I need the weight of my vegetable cans. This works quite well.
And after weighting each side of the offending square, I try to determine the middle of the block, pin, determine the point midway between edge and center, pin again....keep splitting the fullness in half and then use a design or panto that is a bit 'open'...that allows it to evenly distribute the fullness so it doesn't pleat anywhere...
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