Luv2sew4fun

Longarm Quilting question: I would like to know how most longarmer’s start their quilts.
Do you baste the whole quilt first?
Do you start quilting in the center and work your way out
Or do you quilt the border first then move towards the center…..

BKrenning

I have a home system, not a true longarm, but the same principle applies--I start at the bottom, top or side--depends on how I plan to quilt it and work my way to the opposite side. I would only baste a machine quilted quilt if I was doing a very intricate design that absolutely had to be perfect--like whole cloth--or if all the material & batting has been pre-shrunk--which mine never are because I like the wrinkly look. For an art quilt or wallhanging, though, you might want to pre-baste so your calculations can be exact for the finished project.

One thing I do baste are the borders if I'm working top to bottom or vice-versa. The borders will get all wonky if you don't. I just stick flower head pins every 4-6 inches up the border though--nothing fancy. I've got a quilt on the frame right now that is a diagonal setting with motifs in the setting triangles so some of those were pin basted as I was doing other areas because I had to turn the quilt to do those areas.

Clear as mud?

Beverly

Luv2sew4fun

Thanks for the info.... and yes it is very clear.... I made a "homemade frame" myself.... very basic but it works.... Read a lot of different things about basting... I was very curious what most people do. Saving pennies for a real long arm.

Marjpf

I agree with all Beverly advised. I also run a straight line of stitching at the very top and and then down each side as far as I can before I start the design in the middle. Keeps everything nice and smooth.

Luv2sew4fun

Not sure where I heard it (on a sewing program I think), but someone said you should quilt the borders first then move into the center..... I also do the borders last.

studio-christine

I have a short arm

I baste the quilt back, batting and top at the main roller and then roll the back to another roller and top to a third

I do use clamps or pins along the side to keep everything neat

if there is a simple meander, I work left to right and back again

other wise it is left to right and then return to the starting end before I roll the quilt on

I have a hard enough time quilting continuously, that I start at a side, not from the middle.

....although I did once turn a quilt to make the border quilting follow a set design