FIRST quilt, need a little advice
 

I've quilted many small items - table runners, placemats, hot pads, tote bags, that kind of thing - but I've never made a quilt of any size until now. It is basted and ready to quilt, and I figure straight line quilting is the safest bet for a first attempt (I DON'T want to pay to have it done on a longarm, the whole point to me is DIY)

I don't have my pictures loaded up on a photo sharing site, so I can't post them, but it is the pattern Super Zig and I added a 3" border.

My main question is whether it matters if I DON'T quilt the border. I just don't see any way that would look nice with straight lines on it. My batting says 4"-6" so it seems like that would be fine.

And also, I'd like suggestions on HOW to do the quilting. I could stitch in the ditch around every single block (which sounds tedious). Or since the quilt is constructed with diagonal rows, I could stitch in the ditch on the row seams and then come back with lines going down the middle of the zigzags and across (horizontal and vertical against the diagonal lines)

I'm not wanting to be super ambitious here, I am just wanting to get it DONE!

I would follow the colors along each side top to bottom. As for the border jus do a 1/4 inch from seam

Quilting pattern can be anything you like. I usually extend the pattern all the way to then edge of the borders. Edge to edge is what I do the most. I don't pay any attention to the block design, I start at one end and go to the other. I would put more quilting then the 4 inches apart. Over time it makes a difference in the sag. And being your first quilt you will appreciate it holding up over time.

Welcome! Cute pattern! I consider myself beginning at quilting. I used SITD (stitch in the ditch) a lot.
1. I start in the middle and smooth outward.
2. I would follow the lines from joining strips first, then same thing in opposite diagonal direction.

I looked at the pattern. It's a nice design. The question is, how big is your basic block? By basic block, I mean one white rectangle sewn to one colored rectangle. That will tell you whether your plan will work. Your batting says you need to sew every 5 to 6 inches. If the remaining unquilted space exceeds 6", your plan won't work.

If I were doing this, I'd save that batting for another purpose and get one that gives you more unquilted space, although 8 inches is about the maximum.

Another option is to tie the quilt. Jordan fabric has a video on how to tie a quilt.

No, I would not leave the border unquilted. If I were doing stitch in the ditch, I'd just keep going on in that straight line right off the edge of the quilt.

bkay

Another thought, as you you just want to get it done, is to stitch in the ditch and then go back half way and stitch on top of the block. so all of your quilting would be on the diagonal. I often use clear thread. (I've found that Gutermann color 111 (no color) works best on my machines, which are vintage Singers. It's available at JoAnn's, which is not too far away.) I use a regular thread in the bobbin. To keep your stitches straight, you can use strips of masking tape and sew along side them, not on the tape, as it is really hard to remove if you sew over it.

I hope that makes sense. If not, let me know, and I'll try to explain it better.

Each block is 8"x8", so I'm thinking if I sew at least once across each block, that falls within the 4"-6" allowance.

So you think it would look fine to just stitch straight across the border? I'm not picturing how that would look, but of course I've never done this before!

You could also do edge to edge gentle waves. This could be done with a walking foot. You don't have to make them exactly even with each other. Then you could do the borders last just waving your way around the quilt. That will give them a sort of modern quilting effect.

I would do all straight lines, as I think it looks more intentional. It looks planned.

This is what I would do if I were in your situation. My picture was done quickly, so I mean I would take all the quilting lines off the edge (or to the edge).of the quilt.
bkay

Although I didn’t add a border on this one, here is a link to my previous post, showing how I quilted a zig zag one a few years back. I would do as already mentioned, just extend the stitching line right through the border to the edge, either mark it, or use tape to keep your stitching line straight.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vbulle...y-t239632.html

Stitch in the ditch is a good option but I prefer shadow quilting--quilting 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the ditch. It is much easier and faster, especially if you are using a walking foot. Definitely quilt the border. It could easily be done with a couple of rows of straight stitches, about an inch apart. The border gets the most wear and tear. It needs quilting for strength.

You can use chalk to mark a section. It rubs off easily but only use white, not coloured. Some coloured chalks will stain your fabric.