I got the book on the Cotton Method but after much reading and practicing, decided it was too detailed and complicated for me. I have also quilted a king on my regular machine. No fun. There is a method now that I have tried. You cut your backing an inch larger than your block. Cut your batting same as block. Sandwich them and do your quilting, embroidery or whatever. Then sew one block to another, backing to backing. This puts the backing on the front where you fold and stitch it down to form the sashing. I tried it on a small throw and it works and is soooo easy to do.

Yes, I have tried this method and it is by far my favorite method.

I understand cost. I never buy fabric, batting,or anything else unless it is on sale. I am buying Christmas fabric now for next year. Joanns and Hancocks offer coupon sales. There is a lady in my quilters quild that bought a Juki and a frame for around $1400....(of course, not knowing your budget) and she quilts like crazy with it ( she has to reposition more often because the throat of the machine is smaller). I am with you, I don't have the patience to sit and do it by hand either. Some other ladies quilts a square at a time then puts them all togethet. Some quilt shops have a long arm they allow their customers to use or rents time for use in their shops. Good Luck!!

I have the same problem. I have not taken a class yet, as the funding really isn't there, but I have checked out books from the library, and used those, and then I practice different techniques on hot pads, and use for gifts for my daughters. I also wanted a set of machine quilting frames, and I found online an e-book on how to make some for less than about $250.00. It is done by a guy named Richard. Hopefully my dh gets working on those soon. As for know, most of my projects have been crib size or smaller, but I have read that you can do any size on a regular sewing machine.

I used to hand quilt large bed quilts that were too much of a physical struggle to do on my Bernina but my hands are not what they used to be (pretty much like the rest of me). I will probably finish the one I have started though it may take me a couple more years to do it. Now I make large quilts in manageable sections and quilt them on the machine, they turn out great. It takes some hand sewing on the back but they look good, lay flat and hang straight and from the front it is impossible to tell where they were joined.

Hi, I am just finishing a rail fence -king size quilt. I made the top in 3 sections and quilted them each on my regular sewing machine. Now I am putting the 3 pieces together. It is working way better than I ever dreamed it would. I even machine sewed the joining seam cause it fit right in with the rest of my quilt pattern.

Please tell me more about that machine with the larger throat, brand & model #, plus more.

Hi Tina,

I homeschool as well. it is fun, isn't it? and we sure do learn a lot. You have gotten some great suggestions here. I hope you enjoy this new hobby.

My friend calls them "cuddle quilts", they are my favorite to make. I do my own stippling and free motion, while not perfect, I am getting beter at it as I go. I can't seem to have someone else do my quilting, then it wouldn't really be mine. I may have to get over that, but I doubt if that will happen at least for now.
https://www.baysidequilting.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=284]https://www.baysidequilting.com/stor...idCategory=284[/url]
website for fun and done - one way to complete a quilt

When I first started, I had a starter sewing machine. It was pretty cheap but it did what I wanted and all I needed at that point. But I wanted a better one. So what I did was I set up a "fund". Every time I machine quilted on my little machine, I put $50 into the fund, since that's a lot less than what a long arm charges. So then once it built up, I bought me a big sewing machine and love my Bernina and don't know how I survived without it.

But this could apply to anything if you're saving $. Look at it that you're learning to FMQ and saving money, and use that for new fabric/etc $$

'Joe the Quilter' has a video out on how to make a quilt frame for around $25. This is for a hand quilting frame that can hold up to a king sized quilt. His method was very easy & I was pushing my hubby to make one but my mother beat him too it. :lol: Merry Christmas to me!! :-D

Lucy: What an excellent idea! I wonder if I could convince hubby to do that. It'd have to be at a lower price since $50 is waaaay out of our budget, but still, even $10 would add up over time. I drool over the thought of a Bernina with a stitch regulator!

I am going to have to look more into the quilt as you go :D:D:D

cost does hold me back some, but if you asked my husband he wouldn't agree :lol:

Yes, you can quilt a large quilt; however, start with lap sized quilts first, to get the hang of things before you attempt a large quilt. I would also like to let you know about 'quilt as you go', there are many different names, but it's all about the same. If you visit www.baysidequilting.com. The system is called fun & done, there is a short video that shows you how. Bascially you do each block to completion, then stitch them all together- it's an easier way to tackle a large quilt.
Yes, quilting can be expensive or not! Buy fabric only when it's on sale, check out your local fabric shops for 'deals', or online. And don't forget about thrift shops. Also check out 'superstar quilter' Bonnie Hunter's website, www.quiltville.com, she's frugal and she's even made quilts from her husbands' old shirts! She gives tutorials that you can download all for free.
Hope this helps!
Kind Regards,
MaryAnna

How do you know where to divide the quilt into 3rds? I've thought of doing this myself, but I suppose it depends on the pattern.
Kind Regards,
MaryAnna

I lay my backing down, put batting down the middle and lay the top down, then pin. Start sewing in the middle and work your way out to about 6 inches from the edges, then lay batting over the edge of the existing batting, cut thru both layers and remove the small pieces and stitch the battings togeather by hand, pin the top down and stitch this. Then do the other side. It is no problem to get the quilt top and back in the throat of the machine. The batting is the major bulk. If it isn't there it is simpler.

I would love to learn more about this method.......does anyone know where I could find more details about this?

My DH would agree with your DH!! :lol:

BarbS, just go to quilt as you go and they give you a basic instruction with pictures.

I googled "quilt as you go" and got a ton of results.......not sure how to find the website you are refering to........:(

Thanks for any direction you can give :)

Try www.secretsof.com. I think that is it.

Thank you so much.

Yes, you could! I've done quilts by stitching in the ditch using my own machine; youjust have to roll the quilt tight to fit the opening, and, as others on the board have said, use the dining room table to support he quilt as you work.

What is cotton method? I've made a couple of throws -machined quilted myself -- also made some toppers using the flip and sew method. This is how I have kept the cost down. Sending out projects to be quilted can be costly -- usually it depends on the pattern used. I'm realitively new - when I improve(a lot) my aim is to make a Queen size -this will have to be sent out. This hobby can be addicting! Good luck.

I'm not sure that I understand the cotton method, either. I'll be eagerly awaiting an explanation.

You should just quilt t yourself. I though I could never do it. I actually use an old singer and still quilt my own quilts. You just have to find your own way of doing it. It might now be perfect but much cheaper and you DID IT YOURSELF.
Judy in Ohio

Try Quilt as You Go. That way you can machine quilt smaller sections but still end up with a full sized quilt. I believe there are instructions on line, failing that, you can purchase a book at a reasonable price. Good luck with your quilting

The Cotton method is: Betty Cotton's 'Cotton Theory' method. It's a 'quilt as you go' type method, similar to www.baysidequilting.com 's 'fun and done' method. You cut your backing, batting and quilt block and top quilt, the backing is bigger than the block & batting, then you stich together the blocks, bringing the backing to the front, then folding down the backing and stitching. I have her book and dvd, but I think her quilts are a bit stiff, and fun and done seems much easier. Betty Cotton's methos requires alot of stitching- making the quilt heavier. Check out bayside quiltings fun & done, they have a free video at their website.
Kind Regards,
MaryAnna

Thank you.

Thank you. The largest I have made is a throw. Someday I would like to attempt a queen size???