So I have 3 quilted now. The most quilting is on the yellow one, and it's very pretty, but just too much starting and stopping. I knotted off and cut more threads off the ends than are in it. The other two, I've used the middle of the strip like the pictures above. I took someone else's suggestion and SITD next to the skinny border and in the middle of the wider borders. Then I made a square template and put it on point and there are repeating diamonds in the fat borders. I'm really happy with how they are turning out. I wish it didn't take so long to mark them, but I couldn't find my tape. I'll post pics as soon as I can. My batteries are recharging so I can take more pictures! I would have never thought of going down the middle of the piece without starting this thread! Thanks guys!

We R waiting with bated breath for the pictures. I want to start a log cabin & am anxious to see how yours is turning out.

Thanks Amandasgramma and Jerry for the idea on quilting log cabins. I like the way the beginning centre block is done, I would never have thought of that. I am a grandma, have taken up quilting again, but sewing straight lines quilting on a cot border was beyond me.

I was nervous about the water soluble fabric marking pens I've had for years, I tested some hoping they would also be "air soluble" by disappearing overnight, but those pen marks were still on the test piece of material three days later. I was too nervous to use any marking pen by now. I was stumped. I seized a roll of masking tape out of the drawer, laid it down on the quilt border where I wanted those straight lines, sewed along the edge of the tape (it was the right width) with the walking foot, giving lovely straight lines. By the way, I have never been able to sew straight.

I enjoy the tips in this forum.
Anna

This is a trick I use often and which works well - I also like the economy of using a quilting "template" I can use over and over. I especially like the no residue factor of the painter's tape.

I want to see pictures, too!!!!!

Thank you Amandasgramma (and Jerrie) I would never have thought to straight stitch a log cabin like that, and I would never have figured out how the quilting is started in the centre square the way it is in the photo.
Anna

Here are some pictures. Sorry it took me so long. Been wrestling with the setup on the new camera.

Aqua/orchid top:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...XmasRunner.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z.../Ruthblock.jpg

Quilting on the aqua/orchid runner:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...hquilting1.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...hquilting2.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...hquilting3.jpg

Here is the red and green one. It was looking too Christmasy and it's not supposed to, so I added a BRIGHT lime backing to give it a bit of a kick. The recipient loves green and red together, so I know she'll know it's not just a Christmas decoration:

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...XmasRunner.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...DonnaBlock.jpg

Here is the quilting:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...aquilting2.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...aquilting1.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...aquilting3.jpg

Here is the pastel yellow and green one. I did the most quilting on this one, and realized I cannot put that much time and thread and starting/stopping into one small runner. I'll never get them done! This one creates flowers on the back (if you look really close) and repeated melon shapes in the borders. Again, you have to look close. The picture stinks.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...XmasRunner.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...1/JoyBlock.jpg

The pictures of the top didn't come through I'll try to take some more that don't stink.
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...yquilting1.jpg

I would probably quilt the log cabin runners in a diagonal grid, so there's no threads to tie off and no stopping and starting. Its so much faster.
Sharon W. in Texas

What is a diagonal grid?