I know this has been a topic several times and I have read back through them but I still need some help comprehending. I get how you quilt your top, batting, and backing together and let the batting lap over but I get confused and can't visualize how you actually connect the sections without the overlapped batting hanging out or looking like you have big bulky seams. Am I missing something? Sometimes I need to be hit over the head with drawn out facts before it sinks in.... :cry: I am interested in this just need some guidance from some patient friends. Can you help me understand? Maybe if I don't at least I can let my hubby read and explain.... :)

I always quilt in sections. Right now I am making the yellow brick road quilt. ( You can see my latest pictures I just posted under UBR) Ok. I sew my rows together. Then join either 3 or 4 rows together. Also adding the side border and the top and bottom border where it is suppose to me. You sandwich it together but add extra backing to the top and bottom of the section. After the sections have been quilted roll back the batting and backing and sew the top pieces together. (make sure you do not quilt to the ends of the section where you have to join them.) You quilt that when it is together. Then work each section 1 at a time. laying it right side face down on your table top. trim you batting so it just meets. I usually cut it with a pinking scissors then it will blend in nicely, you can also use a regular scissors. just have it meet. then hand whip the two pieces all across so it lays nice and flat. next. take one section with the backing, just crossing over the batting stitching and lay it nice and flat. THEN, take the other side of the backing and make a nice smooth fold, and lap it over about an inch and a half. and hand stitch it real well, taking back words stitches every once in a while. It will lay flat with no bulges. Then on the top side you can continue to hand quilt what is needed. I find if I add the border as you go it it a lot easier, then adding the border after it is all put together. I hope this is helpful to you and that I explained it ok. It is not hard . I always do my bed quilts this way. Good Luck

How would you finish it off if you machine quilted it? Would you just quilt almost to where the seam is going to be and not worry about putting any more quilting in it. I will be doing a king size quilt, hopefully later this year and am trying to get a good understanding of the technique so I won't make big mistakes and ruin the whole thng.

In answer to your question "If I was machine Quilting" I just hand quilt, BUT Yes, I would end machine stitching before the quarter inch. Leave yourself enough room to be able to join your seam. I believe the lack of a few stitches on the finished front would not show an problem.

Thanks. That what I was thinking and hoping someone would agree with me.

hi toni i think i see what you need to do next,sandwich your quilt with all three pices here you can pin or tie your quilt block,by tie i mean a circler needle and some embroidery thread oh use saftypin watch quilters tv.com i,ll see some shows that will show you what i mean hope this helps nellie

If you still have any questions, just send us the pictures of what you have ....and what is the exact part that is less clear to you....
We all have a bit different way of finishing quilts....I prefer to add double bies strips, Once The quilt is done.....

I understand how to sandwich a quilt and do all that. I use the double bias strips too. What I was wondering about is the technique of quilting a section or row or block singly at a time, and attaching them as you go instead of sandwiching your quilt then having a big piece of work to put through the machine as you are actually quilting it together. I just can't figure how you attach block or section to section without having a big seam showing either on the front or back. I don't know I have a hard time visualizing....lol. Maybe this can't be done I don't know.

I've only done one quilt as you go project, but here is what I did. I pieced each block, then I sandwiched it with a batting block cut the same size as the pieced block and a backing block that was an inch bigger (10" quilted block/11" backing block, for example). Then I quilted sandwiched block. When I joined the quilted blocks together, I put them backing blocks together, sewed along the raw edges of the pieced/batting blocks, but not through them. When I opened them up, the blocks layed flat and the seam allowances came up between them. Then I folded the seam open, tucked under the raw edge, and hand stitched it down. It ended up looking like sashing between the blocks. I thought it turned out nice, but it was more handwork that I liked :) I'm so slow at the hand sewing, it took me forever. But I don't have a machine that accomodates large projects very well, so it was the only way I could figure out to do it. I did like the finished product.

marti mitchell writes a great book using this method the book is called week-end log cabins by marti mitchell.I made 3 of them 2 king size bed spreads and 1 couch throw. instead of every block i devide my quilt up in 3rds and do this method this way i can machine quilt all i want with out fighting the whole quilt.i always admired the quilting but always seemed to get puckers so i tryed this way and haven't gone back to usins full backing since. hope this helps. patty