HELP! I've been quilting for about 3 years now, but have yet to actually quilt the quilt. I've made a King size 9 patch variation, a Queen size Dresden, a Full size Snowball, and now, a Sunbonnet Sue / 9 patch combo for my DGB. I'm terrified of the quilting process :-o Where do I begin??? how do I begin???any help / ideas / suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Beckie

Hi Beckie...

Start small. Finishing a few small projects will make you comfortable and give you courage. =) You can do it!

Are you talking about machine quilting or hand? For hand I chose small-doable projects on a large round hoop. My stitches aren't perfect or small. Machine quilting is fun and easy....pin sandwich, walking foot, start in the ditch or diagonal if there are lots of squares. FMQ can be done with the right machine. I do all my quilting, never have sent it out. King quilts can be challenging, but not impossible. i have large harp old black singers for those jobs. Next, I'd like to use a template for my machine quilting. Have fun!

Quilting a quilt is not for everyone.

I would start by making a sandwich (12" square) and practice quilting on that. If you like what you're doing, then go onto bigger things. If not, you may want to send your quilts out to be quilted. I don't mind doing the quilting, but I absolutely don't like doing the binding - I can do the front by machine, it's the back side by hand I don't like doing. Instead, I trade with a friend to do mine.

You may find that you don't like doing the quilting part at all. It can be very intimidating. Only practice will let you know. Wishing you luck as you try with a practice piece! {{{hugs}}}

If you've been piecing for 3 years, you're ready for the plunge!

Start with a small project and a walking foot and/or stitch in the ditch foot. Once you are comfortable with that, you can try some FMQ. I prefer a spring foot for that. Make some practice sandwiches if you don't want to risk your other projects. There are lots of quilting videos on YouTube.

I found that the large wandering stipple was pretty easy to do for me. Then I added wandering loops, hearts, leaves, and marking and following lines.

You can do it! Find out what works for you and enjoy the process.

Definitely start small and gain some confidence before you start in on a larger project!

I agree with all that has been said. YOu can do it.

I am new at the quilt part the problem I am having is the thread to use. Say it is orange and white or black and white if I meander what color of thread. I am reading that the clear thread may not be the best in the long run and some groups don't what it.

Unroll some thread over the fabrics and see what look you like better. When I first started, I liked blending the thread so my mistakes didn't show as much. Now I'm braver! I love variegated threads and often use those. I've used clear poly thread, it was ok, but I like regular thread better. When in doubt, white or off white often works.

You would use white on a dark color? I am thinking it needed to match like clothes but with different colors it isn't going to match them all. To keep changing thread or rolling to the next section with that color and back I didn't see how you could do a large pattern. I have only done one and I used clear and SID. I am thinking of crosshatching this next one.
This might just be me making a mountain out of a mole hill.

I practiced by making 9" square pot holders in different quilt blocks. Folks at work got LOTS of pot holder Christmas presents that year :)

Depends...I'd have to try it out first, but I have used dark threads on light colors mostly. Do you have any scraps left of the same or similar colors that you can test the threads on? You might be pleasantly surprised at the way they look. I rarely change thread colors within the same top. Don't make too much work out of it...it's supposed to be a fun hobby! :)

by the way...black on black is very hard on the eyes!

All righty then, I think that I'll do like Nike says, and "Just Do It"....after I practice that is. Thank you all so very much...for the encouragement and the words of wisdom. I really do appreciate all the help.

Beckie, I had the same problem and this is the first year I ever tried to do more than Tying off a quilt. All these good answers are a help. I hope you find a lot of support from reading the Quilting Board, like I do! It also helps to get a good book on the subject. Are you interested in machine quilting or hand quilting?

Oh my, are all those big quilt tops just sitting around waiting to get quilted? Poor things! ;-)

My first quilt was in a class at the LQS. It was a lap quilt, simple patches, and the class included learning to pin the top, batting, and back together and quilt it. The quilt wasn't perfect by any means, but it got done. If you are really squeamish about this, you might look for a beginner's class at your LQS and talk to the owner about the fact that you don't need help with piecing, just with the quilting. Perhaps she could let you work on that throughout one of her classes. Unfortunately most of the "machine quilting" classes I've taken have concentrated on free motion, not on the basic mechanics of actually quilting a quilt, "getting 'er done".

Good luck, and be sure to post your quilts! Completed!