How to make a large quilt in a small space!!!! Quilt as you go???
 

hi all,

i am from the uk so do excuse me if i sound abit daft with my questions :)

i have made small baby quilts in the past for my children and would now like to make a large quilt for my bed but i cant work out how to do it as i dont have a large enough flat open space to sandwich the quilt together!

is there anyway i can still make my quilt without needing all the space!

i have done abit of reading up about 'quilt as you go' as an alternative. but i am unsure how i get the quilted blocks joined together without bunching the batting when sewing them together?

in all honesty, i dont really like the finished look of the 'quilt as you go' quilts as much :(

any answers on this would be greatly appreciated!

Lisa x

If you don't like the look of quilt as you go, you can find a way to get somewhere that has a big enough space. A local community center or rec center, a local church, maybe even the local library. We have a small condo. Fortunately I am able to take my bed size quilts to the community center push together some tables, and baste my big quilts there.

If it was me Lisa I would sandwich and quilt just the centre of a large quilt, and then do sections at a time. Which I have done quite sucessfully.

hi, thanks for you responses

not got a community centre etc as an option :( but i could try the basting the middle section first and doing that! thanks caroyln ~ it hadnt even occured to me haha.

lisa x

I have heard of people taking the blankets off their mattress & sandwiching the quilt there. Once the center is basted you would need to move the whole sandwich to baste the outer edges. I have never done it this way & think it might be difficult to keep the backing smooth, but just a suggestion.

there are many places that could have the tables/space for sandwiching....you just need to ask....library, church basements, schools, local quilt shop....think about where there are lots of tables and you will find somewhere to get er done!

ooh another good idea! thank you! think you are right thou, i cant imagine how i would get the backing to stay smooth without it bunching up when i quilt!

you lot are great and i appreciate your suggestions ~ i am itching to get started with my quilt!

lisa x

errm buckeye rose, i appreciate your advice but i am in the uk! quilting is a not very much heard of thing here and i think i would be politely told to 'take a hike!' if i asked any public places if i could baste my quilt haha.

honestly it is not an option :(

lisa x

You can also quilt them in thirds where you pin the sandwich together than take off one third of the batting now quilt the middle then move to the other side that has batting and quilt that. Now put the batting back on the third piece and quilt that. I have also when sandwiching quilt not put borders on but allow for them when putting the front and back and batting together. You would quilt the main part of the quilt then you can lay your borders on top and sew as usual but you will be sewing thru the batting and back so that it would be quilted in the ditch already. I have tried them both and it sure does help.

If you have enough space to put tables together end to end as long as the narrow direction of your quilt you can sandwich there. It could even be outside in good weather. I also have limited space and this works for me. Smooth the back of the quilt, wrong side up, across the table with one edge near the edge of the table. Tape in place to keep it from sliding off. Let the rest of the fabric drape off the back of the table. Then add the batting (wadding) the same way then the quilt top face up. Baste the part of the quilt that is on the table. Remove the tape and pull the quilt toward yourself, smooth the next area and baste that section. I have done many quilts this way.