I just finished fusing the bear applique from Bigfork Bay. I have been searching on the board, and it looks like most of you use a narrow zigzag stitch with clear thread to secure the raw edges. I had planned to quilt this on the longarm, which of course doesn't do a zigzag (but I can make quick turns in any direction, so that is kind of like a zigzag I guess). So my question is, have any of you quilted something like this on the longarm? I'd love to hear any and all hints on how to do it successfully.

I'm tentatively planning to use a wool batt (leftover pieces from another quilt). I don't know if I did this right, but the top is laid on top of (and hopefully fused to) plain black fabric, then there will be the batting, then the backing. Do I need to stitch the raw edges down before I put all those layers together, or can I quilt through everything at once?

I enjoyed doing the bear, so now I'm starting on the moose.

Oooo what a dramatic quilt! I love it :D:D:D

I just finished one with giarffs on it and I did a back and forth motion. Be sure you get the edges down tight. It turned out quite nice. It was all sandwitched on the long arm. Have fun with it.
I started out with circles, but it was harder to do.
Marilee

I did the Eagle pattern & everything was sandwiched and stitched on my regular machine.... The wings extended into the border etc. I did a straight stitch quilting line just inside the edge of each piece

Dunster, that is awesome.

Yes you can!! When I made this quilt (link follows), I used the wrong fusable stuff. I had to quilt all the edges of the ultra-suede. For really small pieces, I covered with a water soluble stabilizer and stitched over it, so that the little pieces wouldn't come back up with the needle. I later washed the quilt to block it for quilt shows, so the stabilizer disappeared.

Take your time. This is doable!!

http://wheatridgestudios.blogspot.co...-in-woods.html

Shelley, your quilt is gorgeous. I love the quilted bear paw. I used (mostly) batiks in mine, and steam-a-seam lite. The water soluble stabilizer is a great idea if I have problems with the needle sticking - and I think I even have a little bit of it on hand. So you quilted through all the layers at once, without first stitching down the fused top??? I actually took a class when I started this quilt, but we never got to the actual quilting part.

What do you mean about starting with circles? I've seen the giraffes pattern, and I love it. Can you post a picture of yours?

I just looked at your eagle wallhanging, and it is awesome! Wow, stitching every piece - that is going to take a while! Some of them are so small.

Beautiful