Edge to Edge Quilting
 

Can someone explain to me what exactly is edge to edge quilting and when do you use that technique?

I have my LA quilter do edge to edge quilting on my quilts all of the time. It is a design that just goes from one edge of your quilt to the other edge. It is (I am assuming) much easier than custom quilting. The LA quilter that I used to use had a computerized quilting machine and just set the design I picked and the machine would automatically quilt. I think she was close by and watching it tho'

Edge to Edge (aka E2E) quilting is using the exact same quilting design across the entire quilt top as opposed to quilting a unique motif in each block or doing one design in the center of the quilt and a different design in the borders. E2E quilting can be an all over meander, straight lines, swirls, pebbles, clamshells, baptist fan, an all over cross hatch design or an elaborate design like the kind offered in Pantographs that LA quilters use. Basically the quilting pattern ignores the piecing all together. It is ideally used on very busy fabrics or patterns where the quilting won't really show. It is also a very economical option when using LA quilting and it is fast and easy.

I use my walking foot to quilt---mostly straight line, wavy lines or variations of these. I always thought of this type as edge to edge quilting as each line or pass over the quilt starts and stops on the outside edge of the quilt. This way I have no thread stops to bury knots in the body of the quilt.

I crosshatch most of my quilts stitching from one corner to the opposite corner edge to edge and then reverse and go from corner to the opposite corner edge to edge until the whole quilt is quilted.

It is done on a long arm, not a domestic sewing machines and usually involves using a Pantograph design to follow.

I do it on my regular machine. Start at one end or corner and go to the opposite corner or side. Either follow a pattern I marked or a straight line. I always start in the center edge of the quilt.

No, any method of quilting, even hand quilting, can be used to do an edge to edge design. I used my DSM to do edge to edge cross hatch with my walking foot with a piece of masking tape as my guide. Many people will do an all over meander E2E with their domestic. I have even seen people do all over baptist fan or even feathers all over with a DSM. A pantograph with LA is a type of E2E but certainly not the only type. E2E means the same quilting all over the quilt top ignoring the piecing, it is in no way a reference to methodology.

Not true you can now do it on a regular sewing machine that can embroider, there are edge to edge embroidery designs that you can but for your embroidery machine as well

Meandering or any other "all over" design is edge to edge, whether done by hand, dsm or longarm.

How do you afford to send your quilts to a long arm quilter?

I'd like to know that too. I sent one out. It is gorgeous. but it cost 500 dollars. I'm not saying she didn't earn her money, but I can't justify doing that except for something very special. And even then it "hurts". I can buy a lot of fabric for that much money.

There are very inexpensive LA sources out there. The starting rate for an all over meander at many LAQ is .01 per s/i. There are even some still out there that do panto for .01 if it isn't too intricate. For an average queen size quilt that comes to $100. There are many starting out who are willing to do it for less for the experience (like getting your hair done at the cosmetology school). There is a place in Kansas(called Happy Crafter) that I can't even begin to compete with that does end to end designs including poly batting AND Backing for insanely low prices (about $100 for a queen size).

Not all people incomes are created equal as well. $100 to some is a lot of money and to others is pocket change.

The lady who does my quilting charges $45 for a king size pantograph and includes poly batting. I cannot get her to take more. And I have tried more than once. We also attend church together but she charges everyone the same amount.

The shop where I do the long arm quilting, she charges $100 for King/Queen, $75 for Full/Twin, Throws and baby quilts depends on the size... and it is all pantographs...we average 3-5 quilts a week....very reasonable... and it is all edge to edge...