I am in the process of making a quilt which I will be using to cover a sofa bed, the size will be a standard size bed quilt. Since this is my first full size quilt, can anyone give me any instructions or guidelines on how to do this on my domestic sewing machine..Thank you,
Kathleen in PA

Um... I'm no expert but I find that it helps if you have a lot of table next to the machine, or a chair to hold the weight of the fafbric you are not quilting at that particular moment. Also if you roll up the end that that will be "in" the machine- not what you are quilting on, it makes it fit under there better.

Sorry, I suck at explaining but I hope you can interpret *something* from that.

Oh- and don't let the kids anywhere near your machine while you are quilting...trust me :roll:

I have quilted a queen and boy was that hard to do. I now send mine out to a long arm quilter, but it gets rather expensive, so I don't make them that large anymore. I rolled the quilt as tight as I could and struggled with it. So I really cannot give you any suggestion..except to get a long arm machine( ha ha). Good luck, its hard to do. Next one that size will be hand quilted by me.

I cloud the quilt all around me and fluff it up when I move to another section. Place your machine on a table set in a corner of the room really really makes a difference in keeping the drag weight off the quilt.

It helps a lot to have a large flat surface even with the bed of your machine. Here is a link on how to make a custom table top without spending much money:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g14go...os=55QRg2W_NIs

Start at the middle of the top and work to the bottom, if possible. Then do the same starting at the middle of an edge and working to the opposite edge. The middle is the hardest part to quilt because there is the most fabric under the arm. I have found that loosely accordion-pleating the sandwich under the arm is better than rolling (provides more flexibility).

You can also split the quilt into 3 parts (without the division showing later) to make the bulk easier to handle. To do this, you layer the sandwich as usual, pin back a third of the top and backing fabric so it is out of the way, then cut the batting only in large S-shaped curves. Mark both sides of the cut so it is easy to reposition the two pieces later. (The curving cutting line helps with the repositioning later and also hides the join.) Pin the top to the backing fabric. Do the other side of the quilt the same. Machine quilt the middle section, leaving a good 4 inches or so free near the cut edges. When the middle is done, re-attach one side of the batting with hand tailor tacks (or some people do it with a long and wide machine zigzag) and re-position the top and backing over that section. Complete the machine quilting on that side. Repeat with the other side. Marti Michel has a book on how to do this, but I first saw this process described in detail in another book by another quilter (whose name escapes me at the moment).

Thank you so much for directing me to Marquerita's you tube video of quilting and setting up a quilt table....she is loaded with so much info...she gave me alot of ideas.
Thanks again.

I always use quilting gloves to. They help me move the quilt.