Please forgive my ignorance, I am pretty new to quilting, although I am completely addicted to it. What is the cotton method?

I have almost finished a "quit as you go" quilt using the method on a Craftsy video, will post a picture when it is finished. I am very happy with it. If you don't have a long arm and don't want to "wrestle" with a large quilt on a small machine it is the way to go.

You have not found the fight method yet, it is the only kind of quiltilng I do, the Jenn join I do not know, but the 2nd one is not something I am fond of.
Pat

The Cotton method is named for Betty Cotton who developed it. A lot of folks don't like it because the joins are thick and stiff. My sister took her class. I can see using it for a runner, but not a quilt. Not cuddly at all.
here's a video. I had to laugh at the title... "Learn the original quilt first then assemble quilting method"
Don't really think this was the first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_uDhKTSQB0

Which method do you use?

Did a DWR ways...never again

It is a combination of several methods, but most closely resembles marti michells method although hers is not qayg
Pat

I really like this one. Not too complicated. using wash away stabilizer keeps it soft after washing. Super cute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWKVNQTG-74 (Linda Goodall's method.

There is a book called crazy shortcut quilts by Marguerite Mcmanus, that is worth taking a look at, this author was a longarm quilter who decided that she needed to come up with another way to do it. Like all the other methods this is not for everyone, I believe that she has some tutorials on U tube as well you might check out.

I have made a few QAYGs and I was happy enough with the methods and with the way they look (especially one that reverses to different colors) but was not thrilled with their stiffness upon completion. Definitely not cuddly, but probably okay for a bed or wall hanging. However, I have not washed them...so there's a possibility they will soften up.

Basically this is how I do my QAYG too. You just have to find what works for you.
a couple of years ago we were at our cabin & I had just seen a method like this here on the boars.
I layered my quilt sandwich on a queen bed, the quilt top was in rows. The batting was fusible.
I had the ironing board in there & a sewing machine. I pressed down the center row with steam to fuse.
then I took 1 side, put it face down on the center row with seams alined.
Lifted the sewing machine on the ironing board & sewed the seam. Put the machine on the floor, pressed the seam, then did the next row.
after the side rows were on , I attached the long side borders. Next came top & bottom borders with corner stones. Forgot to mention that the side rows already had the sashing attached to 1 side & the center had sashing on both sides.
Anyway, easiest quilt I ever assembled. But then I had to quilt it. So the next time I changed the method & did it at our main home & with each row did the quilting before adding the next row. So now that's how I do it.
good luck, and just keep trying

I am so wanting to try QAYG but don't have the nerve. Can't afford the books. Is there a video that you can watch?

I QAYG in strips. Sometimes the strips are only one block wide other times they are several - just depends on what the design is. I like working the sidth od the quilt by about 18 inches deep. Seams that join the sections are not really too noticable once the quilt has been used & washed. At least I've had no complaints :)

Someone at sometime in the past was talking about a QAYG method that sounded very much like foundation piecing only using your backing with the batting over it as the foundation. I'm thinking if trying this and seeing how it works. I'm supposing this method was done as either individual blocks or else as strips.

I have seen this video, however the draw back is that you are doing it a block at a time, however you can adapt this concept to larger units and then hand join the backing which is what I usually do, however it sometimes depends on the design of the quilt, those on point present a different challenge.
Hugs Pat

Leah Day has a good tutorial on her website, daystyledesigns. I just finished a t-shirt quilt using her method and it turned out beautifully. No bulky seams or problems covering edges.

i just love love your avitar.. was it difficult and do you now the name... beautiful....

There are many videos for QAYG, just "Google" Quilt As You Go Methods, Craftsy have a class by Ann Peterson, a lot of people say that their quilts are too stiff, the reason is all quilts will be stiff if you "Overquilt" them. I am doing a quilt re the Ann Peterson method from Craftsy very happy with it, will post a picture when I have completed it.

I have done a couple Log Cabins this way. Yes, individual blocks. No sashing. Made the back of each block larger by an inch or so, and turned it as if hemming a garment. Did the "hemming by hand, Was easy to do.

I've made 3 quilts using Ditter's instructions.......Getting ready to make another one.... So much faster....
Thanks!! Ditter 43...........

I;'ve made more than one quilt using that method. I agree that the largest one is heavy, but I thought that it was because of my choice of block. I used a crumb block, which has the extra weight of the foundation.

ok, for scrappy baby quilts I think. I have done several of these but wouldn't be fond of anything bigger.

Did a fun and done - got tired of burning fingers trying to press fabric on top, said to heck with it and finished quilt by ignoring instructions and doing sashing strips on front and back. It is heavy, I can't brush the cat hair off, and it fights with the electric blanket. I changed mattresses, and it's now too long.
It's sitting in a closet, unused.

Now I just do the backing larger, trim the batting and front to the right size, and make the backing 1/4" larger. Sew backing, then add strips to the front. I refuse to hand sew.

I took a class at quilt festival where the technique was sashiko by machine. She had us do it block by block, and it could be joined together and made into a quilt.