Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)
-   -   I am about 2 seconds from going back to sewing doll clothes (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/i-am-about-2-seconds-going-back-sewing-doll-clothes-t105270.html)

suern3 03-06-2011 02:59 PM

You might also look at LeahDay.com. She has a website, a blog and tutorials on youtube that will give you great tips for FMQ. One of the things she does not recommend is the big roll over your shoulder or in your lap. Since you were able to finish your quilt yourself, I would say you are a natural at quilting. Please look at Leah's site for all her great ideas and keep on quilting! Good job!

basketcru 03-06-2011 03:02 PM


Originally Posted by LMB
I dont know. The quilting part is what I wanted to do. Thats what drew me to this site, and I think I will keep trying for awhile longer to see if I can do it myself. I hate for anything to get the best of me... if someone else can do it, why cant I? If I have to let someone quilt it then I do all the baking and they get to put on the frosting and I just dont like that idea...

I have to say--those were my thoughts exactly when I started out!! So far I have finished one twin sized quilt and have another 3/4 done--but I am quilting them by hand!! I have done numerous baby quilts and quilted those by machine and did stitch in the ditch with very few problems, but size is key!

I am now working on a queen size top--and I truly believe I will have it quilted by someone else!!! It's a lot of fabric to toss around--not sure I can handle that! So my advice is get your kicks out of quilting the smaller pieces like table runners, baby quilts etc....leave the big ones to someone who has a long arm...and take that time to CREATE more tops!!

llcathey 03-06-2011 03:24 PM

you did a super JOB!! it turned out awesome, I sent mine out to be quilted because I don't have the patience to do it on my Janome machine , I don't mind tablerunners, placemats smaller items but boy not the big one's

penski 03-06-2011 04:16 PM

from what i can see in the picture it looks like a prety quilt, i would rather watch paint dry than do stitch in the ditch , i do FMQ i think it is easier, also i saw where you said you had the quilt all over the place, do you have a large table to the side of your machine that the biggest part of the quilt can lay on mine is on the left hand side of me and it helps alot to have the bulk of the quilt there instead of bunched up on your lap or under your arm,,, hang in there, i once mentioned a way to quilt in sections , i do that with very large quilts on my sewing machine it is easier, you dont have all that bulk

grammysharon 03-06-2011 04:29 PM

Maybe you used too thick of batting. Try a thinner batting and there is not so much to move around. It does get better but it is tiring for me too! Hang in there :-D

FranCFries 03-06-2011 04:56 PM

Remember, each time you do it - it get easyer. If you still fill out of sorts - then YOU need to remember how much JOY others get from YOUR work. They don't see the miss sews (new work), they don't see all the hair pulling - They see the TIME, THOUGHT & LOVE you put into this (and any), quilt.
Keep going girl.
Franci

LMB 03-06-2011 05:05 PM


Originally Posted by suern3
You might also look at LeahDay.com. She has a website, a blog and tutorials on youtube that will give you great tips for FMQ. One of the things she does not recommend is the big roll over your shoulder or in your lap. Since you were able to finish your quilt yourself, I would say you are a natural at quilting. Please look at Leah's site for all her great ideas and keep on quilting! Good job!

Thanks. I didnt remember the name, but when I got to the site, I knew I had been there before. She makes it look so easy. I made it look harder than hard. I guess it just takes pratice. Man I want to do this soooo bad. Guess we will see if my "Want to is stronger than my bear quilt. hahahaha. Seriously, I have allready decided the next one I make will be smaller and FMQ. Think I bit off more than a newbe should.

Grandma Peg 03-06-2011 05:16 PM

Quilting can have it's bad moments but they are fewer than the good. For me, quilting will never be something I will master. Have tried so many different things from great quilters but it just didn't work for me. So my quilts go to a quilter and then I like my quilt with almost no frustration.

Stitchit123 03-06-2011 06:04 PM


Originally Posted by thepolyparrot
Every time I see someone say, "It's just stitch in the ditch," I think, "There's no "just" about it - stitching in the ditch is HARD!!!!"

I'd rather take a beating than try to stitch in the ditch - I only do it when I absolutely have to. With all that quilt pulling and tugging against you, your stitching wanders around all over in the vicinity of the ditch. Keeping it straight is insanity.

Yes, you'll feel like you're wrestling a grizzly for a while. And dealing with a large quilt on a domestic machine might never become a walk in the park, exactly, but it does get easier. Instead of trying to sew straight lines, use a serpentine or rippling stitch to wander back and forth across the seam - that's what it wants to do anyway, so make it look intentional. ;)

The only time you can't get away with that is when you really need that straight line - to stabilize borders before FMQ, for instance. Then, you just have to bite the bullet and sweat it out.

Good luck - I feel for you!


bigsister63 03-06-2011 06:06 PM

You do not have to like/love every aspect of quilting. If you have read this board a lot you will find that there are many people who do not like picking fabric or machine quilting, etc.. In fact I know a LAQ who loves quilting with LA but hates actually piecing the quilts. Do the part that you like and if you are able to afford it then send out your quilts to be quilted. That is OK. You are still a quilter! (actually I have made doll cloths, doll etc and find quilting more relaxing)


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:14 PM.