Marylou
I could sit and explain, but I would take up alot of this space, There are several books listed, under this topic if you'll scroll back to pages 1 and 2. They explain the best way, One of the authors is Cotton and she has a techniqe that can explain it. Please check out the books, also see if any of the books listed are at your local Library,
Happy Quilting

Becky - thanks for your suggestion - I plan to head to the library as soon as the weather gets out of the single digets. Marylou

Several different methods were demonstrated on a Simply Quilts episode

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_quilting/article/0,1789,HGTV_3298_1507325,00.html

There are probably a bazillion more methods in use out there. I use a few different variations of the SQ demonstrations. The method I choose depends on whether or not there will be sashing between the blocks, whether or not I want sashing to cover the seams on the back, finished size, type of batting I plan to use, etc, etc, etc.

I never hand-stitch any of the closing seams. Waaaaay too much like work. Why stitch by hand when you can use an embellishing machine stitch? Faster and fancier - like you "planned" it that way. LOL

I'd be interested in trying that technique. What books did you buy?

Kim
Betty Cotton uses the 80- 20 batting because the 20% poly helps keep the top and bottom pieces sandwiched together when ironed before stitching them. Makes it easier to handle when working with the top, batting and the bottom pieces all at one time. The iron melts the poly just enough to keep them together while they are being handled. It looks good when finished. Her book is really good with the directions too. Hope this helps explain why she uses that batting. I've done a few of her projects in her book and also took her class at Sewing with Nancy. Lot's of fun.

Suzy

I am new but I like this way of quilding I like to quild blocks one at time with a difrent back on each them when I put them to gether it has a peaced back I have all ways hand quilted I am learning to do them on machen Neva from Oklahoma

I am new here I read and you name is Addlee that is my middle nane a small world NEVA

Hi Norma, I would love to have the names of the books. I really enjoy hand sewing and if I could do my quilting in this manner I thinks it would be a real bonus for me. Thanks a lot. Judith

Norma

I don't know if she "invented it", but I remember seeing Georgia Bonesteel on TV and her books on lap quilting. Here is the part of her site which has all her books for sale http://www.georgiabonesteel.com/store.html I did a small lap quilt a long time ago and was easy to do and the results were good, although I still prefer "regular" quilts. The lap quilting was neat because you could take it anywhere and be able to quilt.
Chris

Hi all, I'm new to writing in response to messages but I wanted to let you know what I've discovered re quilting in sections. Years ago (hate to say how many, it was during the 1970's) Georgia Bonesteel wrote several books using the quilt-as-you-go method, she called it Lap Quilting. Recently Marti Mitchell wrote a great book on this subject. She explains it very well, and offers several patterns that are adaptable to quilt-as-you-go. Nancy Zieman tells how to do a reversible quilt done in strips, in her book 10-20-30 Minutes to Sew for Your Home. She recently demonstrated this on QNNTV. Hope this info is helpful.

Good morning Norma. I have tried what you call "quilting in sections" and I really like it for some situations. I have always heard it called "quilt as you go". I was always one of those quilters that pieced the top by machine and hand quilted because I had so many disasters at machine quilting. I am making a bedspread right now for a king size bed. I just cut out 12" blocks for the top colors, 12" blocks of the bottom (in my case muslin, but you can make it reversible with any colors), and 12" blocks of quilt batting. Machine quilt any pattern in the middle but leave at least 1" open all the way around. There's some websites that can show you how to proceed from there (I'll try to find the one I used to learn on and send it to you). That is the hard part to describe how to do. write me back after you have some practice blocks made and I'll try to describe it to you if you can't find the website. Stay in touch- and happy quilting!
Beaker

I do all my quilts in sections, no section larger than crib-size. Any larger and it becomes difficult to manage through the throat of my machine. Smaller is better. A quilt that is in the works now, has 40" square sections.

After the quilt sandwich is made (backing, batting, top), I machine quilt it, leaving a 1" or so perimeter where it can be attached to its neighbors.

This is only the sixth quilt I've made. I'm retired and can procrastinate as much as I want, which is why there's a Log Cabin UFO in my workroom now.

In the mid-'80s of the last century ( :lol: ) I met a woman who became my sewing mentor and she directed me to Georgia Bonesteel's lap-quilting books and videos. My mentor's lessons are still the most vivid, because they were personal. Our friendship lasted until her husband died; she moved away and we lost track of each other. I think of her often when I use a tool she gave me, or complete a corner the way she showed me.

By all means, try the method; you'll enjoy it. You could make a small project first. A crib-size quilt divided into four sections is big enough to make mistakes on (learning experiences) and small enough to be easily fixed.

I have found that quilting in sections works very well if you're using your regular sewing machine. Look at the way you can divide the quilt into sections that will fit and will be easy to work with. Divisions do not have to be of equal size. Marti Mitchel's book is my most usable reference as to how to work it out. I've been very satisfied that now I don't hesitate to do a king sized quilt.
E. Margaret

It is just so darn much easier, and faster. And they are real pretty to. It works for me real well. I love it, I Love It.

Hi Everyone in Quilting in Sections...

Golly, when I started this subject, trying to get some idea of what Quilting in Sections was all about, I never thought so many people would have both tried it already and knew what it was!

Thanks, so much for all your help. I agree that, for me, Marti Michell's book has been the easiest to understand and follow. Sure wish I had bought her book first!! Oh well, we all like to have big quilting libraries, don't we?

Thanks, again, to everyone that contributed their ideas and know-how.

Norma

Be sure to read what Marti Mitchell has to say. She explains several ways to join your sections together and some pros and cons of each. You can do the backing in sections,too. something I've done when I didn't want to do the backing in sections is to quilt my sections without a backing, or with a thin, lightweight muslin backing, sew them together to make the full sized quilt, and then added the backing in one piece. Then I quilted in the ditch vertically and horizontally to hold the backing. Consequently, you have more quilting on the front than shows on the back, but I have liked my finished product. Sometimes when I do this I use fleece for the back, and don't want to do a lot of quilting on it.

Hi Margaret,

I like your backing and quilting idea. Do you not use and batting between your square and backing fabric? Do you mean you use fleece for the batting and then use the large pieces of backing fabric you can now find in most fabric and internet stores?

Norma

I do use a thin batting behind the sections I'm quilting. Sometimes I put a lightweight mustin on the back of this so that it moves smoothly when I'm quilting, especially if I'm free motion quilting. Then I sew the sections together and put the fleece on the back, and connect the layers with several lines of in the ditch. The binding can be fleece carried to the front, or you can make it like a pillow case and turn it with no binding, simply stitching around the edge, or you can add a wider binding. I don't find it too easy to hand sew the binding to the fleece, so I machine sew the binding to the wrong/fleece side, and do the hand stitiching to the front/cotton side.

Hi, again, Margaret,

Wow, what a great idea! Boy, I learn something new every day. Sounds like you have been quilting a long time. Do you or have you ever used Marti Michelle's book on quilting in sections or do you have one you prefer?

Just started on an Underground RR quilt in a local quilting guild. Finished my first patch yesterday. Had to cut out the pieces twice because they came out too small! What a waste of material. The second time around I cut everything 1/8" more than was called for so I square up everything to size needed.

I'm doing the 12" square and I'll be darned if when I went to square up the unfinished square, it was 12 1/2" on 2 opposite sides, & 12 1/4" on the other 2 opposite sides. Figure that one out!! I did square up each of the individual (9) squares at 4 1/2" each. I guess I'll just wait until all 15 squares are done before I do any squaring up of finished squares. Very perplexing, indeed!!

Any ideas as to how this problem is coming about? We are to wait on buying batting and backing until we're done with squares, so I think I will try the quilting in squares method. The finished quilt is supposed to be 60"x90".

Norma

I first got the idea of quilting in sections from Barbara Bonesteel's Lap Quilting. But Marti Mitchell's book helped me by showing several ways to do it, and I have used her ideas since.
I think that usually when it comes out a different size its partly due to not sewing truly accurate seams. I do sometimes have that problem, and have sometimes cut larger, especially when dealing with triangles. I'm still working on accuracy, and I think it comes from careful cutting and being sure that your 1/4 seam is true. Try your needle position out using some graph paper (for example) to find out where your true 1/4 position is. Sometimes I move the needle to the right 1 notch to sew just the teensiest bit less than 1/4 and I can usually get the patches to match. Be sure to match seams carefully, too. I think its something all of us beginners struggle with until we get it down. I have only been quilting for about 4 years, but I really enjoy trying new things. Right now I'm working on purses as a break from a large project.

I have used this method of pieced quilt as you go. I think it is called Cotton Theory Quilting. It works great. I would love to learn from the expert. I live in the center of Wyoming, Rolling Hills, but would not mind traveling to Salt Lake City. Do you have any information you can send me on the next class? [email protected] if it is not appropriate to post on this medium.

This process was easy to use and I think everyone can do it. I was impressed how easy it was to handle lots of material. It is also very easy to use if you start with a quilted pre-purchased panel and want to make it larger.

Happy Quilting, Ramona

email Becky I would like the directions on that quilt you mention Cotton theo
my email Monday49@aol com

Becky, I think a lot of us might like those directions. Will you post them if you can? Thanks :D

Mundy

I got your message and I will send you an e-mail with how I do it.

Norah

I will send you the info, but it is quiet lengthy, So if you will send me your e-mail I will write you and tell you how I do it. But it will be in alittle while, I've got to do my Bible study right now. But I've got to wait for your response anyway. ok

Thanks, Becky. And you go!! Bible study is much more important.
[email protected]

I'm new to this project?? I wanted to know how you get the instructions to do quilt as you go. I must have missed something????

Quilting in sections sounds much easier, but how do you finish the seams on the back once you put all the quilted blocks together?

Marti Mitchell has several ways. One is to turn under one side (which is a little bigger) and hand sew it. Another is to add a strip that covers the seam.

Thanks - I may have to try it. I really like the idea of quilting in sections. One of the problems I have is not having enough room to lay the entire quilt sandwich out on a hard surface. I have problems with my back and therefore, I have problems placing it on the floor. :)

Hello Becky, I doing a search on the cotton theory after Janie asked for info. I had never heard of it. I had long ago thought about doing my own thing, as you said you did, on putting blocks together. Esp. for smaller quilts to be used as throws or cover-ups. That's what i liked about the rag quilts. You sound like you are an adventurer, me too. Email me and i'll tell you about a friendship quilt that i thought of 2 weeks ago, that's i've never heard about anywhere else. I've told Janie. [email protected]. I just bet you'll like it. You go girl.... liz

What about quilting by splitting the batting into thirds, has anyone tried that? After reading the newsletter last week I've been interesting in trying it. I have a queensized top ready to quilt, but dread trying to do it on my regular machine.
Thanks for any helps. I love reading all the advice and tips!
Lynn in Las Vegas

split it any way that makes it easiest for you. the "trick" to successful quilting in sections is more about the way you put the sections together than it is about how you divide them up.

I did mine in thirds going lengthwise . I have a regular sewing machine so this worked very well for me.

I have to do a king sized quilt soon and have bee dreading it becuase it will be so hard to quilt. I also plan to purchase John Flynn's machine quilting frame but quilting in sections, evn using his frame sounds like the way to go. One reason I was hesitating to do it in sections was because, before today, I thought the back had to be slipstitched together and I don't like to do hand stitching. But next time I go to the library, I will see if they have any of those books.
I like the idea of a fancy machine stitch where the pieces come together. that seems to be a great idea! :D

becky would you please send me the directions on the cotton method my e-mail is [email protected] thanks dorothy from tenn

Vicki, I am quilting in the mountains. That's my house, except the hills are farther away. And my house is an older mobile home. And my yard is a MESS. Well, I do have the snow and the trees.....and a good imagination. :roll:

I have a john Fry quild frame I dont have a place big enofe to use it you need at least 9 foot Neva

That is a picture of our retirement house to be. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we hav the important things like a TV and a porch swing :!: :D The closest town is about 15 miles away is the county seat and has not one but @ quilt shops :!: So it was meant to be :D Now I am not against going to Wal Mart either, but my sister lives in a town of 10-15,000 and they have none! So I think God had a hand in helping us find this house in the country. :D