Dunsters idea sound good, and I work in sections too. I can't handle the physical aspects of shoving around a monstosity, and all of our family's beds are big...we're not, lol...just dreamers and movers :wink:
It is really pretty, and will make a great winter curtain. Then, lol, you could make another, to keep in the a/c, for warmer seasons. :D
I really like it...probably gonna make one, next year, for my pantry area. Our back door doesn't seal tight. Thanks, k, for showing us, and thanks Moonpi, or j pegging :D

Thanks Mousie!

Looking at it again, I'm thinking if I spit it vertiacally into three - strips of 2 blocks - 3 blocks - 2 blocks, then SITD only down either side of the centre strip/three patches of each block, then I won't have to worry about the joins. So now my only question is this - when I SITD the horizontal lines, how much fabric do I need to leave at the points where I'll be joining the sections? Does the 1/4" of the seam allowance give me enough room to manoevre? I've only ever QAYG by hand and then I left tails of the quilting thread hanging and finished off after I'd joined the sections. Obviously I can't do this by machine.

moonpi, that is simply beautiful, wish you luck on whichever way you decide to quilt it.

One way to do it is to go ahead and quilt all the way to the edge of one of the two sections to be joined (section 1), but leave 1" not quilted on the edge of the other section (section 2). When you join, make your .25" seam with the backing from section 2 held back so it is not included in the seam. (I usually also cut away the backing of both sections so it is even with the .25" line; that way the backing doesn't get caught in the seam.) Now you can fold under .25" of that 1" that was held back, and hand sew it down. I do the hand sewing with the quilt laid on top of an ironing board or table, so the two sections are out flat and I can tell that I'm getting the seam straight.

That's just one method. I have Marti Michell's Quilting in Sections book, and it has been very helpful in explaining several different methods of quilting in sections. It gives good examples of when you might want to use one method rather than another, and also gives helpful advice on how to break the quilt down into sections. Hope this helps.

Thanks Dunster that is really helpful. I was just ironing my specially bought extra wide backing and thinking how ironic now I'm planning on quilting in sections, I could have gone with regular width... :shock: :D

That is one pretty quilt and one big door.

One big COLD single glazed door! :lol:

Thanks Renee - everything is washed and ironed, now I just have to get cutting! :shock: :D

Well, whatever you will do...This door will look nice ....However...diferent machines have diferent space in the throat space....
From my own experience I know that squeezing a big quilt under a small throat space can be done fisically, but the results of the stitching won't be so nice..... working by sections is the right desicion...

Good luck... :lol:

Okay I just can't wait to see this door quilt.

Thanks ania - I'm really torn about what to do - your point re the stitching was my worry BUT I feel really bad about slicing up my lovely backing fabric! I'm wondering if maybe I lay out the backing and batting together with another large piece of fabric, kind of like a 'dummy' and roll it up and see how it goes through the throat! OR I could just buy a new sewing machine! Now THERE's an idea! :lol: