I am a longarm quilter but I did a lot of FMQ before getting my longarm.

If I have a specific design on the quilt, I usually mark the whole quilt first. Another thing is to use a very thin paper, I prefer tracing paper, draw the design, and stitch the drawing. After removing the paper, you may still have tiny bits caught up in the stitching but washing in the machine will remove those.

Hope this helps!

i can't tell you how to quilt it, did you lengthen your stitch and use a walking foot?

Yes, thanks.

Thanks to everyone for the different options. Now, can someone make up my mind?

I would stitch in the ditch. If you want decorative stitching you can then go behind your stitch in the ditch with the decorative stitching. When you finish your stitch in the ditch you may feel the quilt speaks for itself and needs nothing further. Now, please tell me why I didn't do it that way myself on mine!!!!!!!!!!! I am still ripping stitches. I didn't follow the rule and quilt from the center up, center out, center down, etc. I have a wave that runs through the quilt. I pinned and used decorative stitching on the full wave. I was off 1/2"!!!!!!! That's all. So I am ripping the decorative stitching out to work the 1/2" fabric ripple out. Middle out, middle up, middle down, etc. Won't happen to me again!

I use SID on many of my quilts (because I have not figured out the FMQ process to a point past sucking). Now I may sound a little touchy, but none of my quits look like they came from WalMart.

BTW, I start in the center row - but not in the center of the quilt. I start at the top of the center row and work the rows of one side. Then I flip the quilt and starting in the middle, work the other direction. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat. As long as the sandwich was taut - NO puckers.

I'm pretty excited because I just signed up for a series of classes on machine quilting.

SID works best with a walking foot and for me, the stitch length needs to be increased a bit.

Thanks Crashnquilt, I would have picked at the tiny paper. It comes out in the wash :shock: :lol: :lol:

I've done it this way also, SITD is not easy. I usually just do FMQ or large meander or large stiple.

Well, I have discovered that machine quilting is not for me for several reasons. First, I am a hand quilter, I do not enjoy sitting over the machine so much. I cannot relax when I am on the sewing machine. I can relax much more with the quilt on my frame the living room while hubby watches TV. I did not have a good time trying to machine quilt and will hand quilt my bargello. Granted, it will take much more time, but I have a lot of time. So, it will be a while before the finished is posted.

I am sure it will be beautiful when you get it hand quilted. I love hand quilting, just can't get the hang of doing it.