I'm currently working on my 2nd project and I don't have the advice of my instructor and classmates anymore. I'm hoping someone can answer some questions and offer some advice. I'm working on a table runner for my mom and am trying some handquilting (because I don't have a walking foot, yet)

Question 1. I've started by outlining around my appliqued flower petals but I'm not sure what to do about the pinwheel blocks. The pattern I'm following has a picture which shows small consequtive circles quilted, kind of like grapes, but I don't know how to mark this now that I've already made a quilt sandwich out of her. Is it possible to mark it now or would you recommend something else?

Question 2. The directions say "bind as desired". Would you continuously bind around each corner or stop and do a mitered corner?

Thanks for all of the help. I'm finding this site to be absolutely wonderful!

i dont have any answers for you ,but wanted to say i love your tablerunner,did you make up the pattern?

Ohhh, that's pretty. Your work is really nice. (I have read you can get generic walking feet for cheap for some machines. I haven't checked but use the search field and you will find the post it is mentioned in I bet.)
We have tons of hand quilters and they will be giving you information left and right. Isn't this board wonderful. I love it too. I don't have the skills necessary to know the answer to your questions but I wanted to say hello and be sure I welcome you to the quiltingboard./Regards, Dorothy

Yes, you can mark after making the quilt sandwich, but it is more difficult.

I suggest you quilt on the diagonal or in the ditch for the pinwheels, it will make the roundness of the flowers pop.

I miter the corners on all my binding, it is not difficult. I do that as I go along the edge of the fabric.

This is a beautiful table runner. Congratulations!

The pattern came from a book by Kim Schaefer "Flower Festival...50 Applique Blocks to Grow Your Garden"
It's funny, I complained the most during class about appliqued blocks and now I find that the things that catch my eye the most have appliqued pieces. LOL

I agree with everything she said.

I really like this piece.

When quilting the flower block, I would stitch just to the outside of the pedals...I think you will have room between the pedals and the block seam. Then if you want, you could quilt around the center circles...that should puff up the flower and it will look 3 dimensional.

Wow, that is really pretty!

That is SOOOO cute! If you ever get tired of it, please let me give you my address....

:)

I love your table runner. I would stitch in the ditch around everything, including outlining each small block. I always miter my bindings. Here is a link that explains binding inside corners.

http://hs2o.livejournal.com/275053.html

Thank you for the site, I've only done mitered corners.....well, 4 times and that was on my 1st quilt. I wasn't sure how I should go about doing something with so many corners. LOL

No, it's not. Ask as many questions as you need answers for.

I would either quilt the pinwheels in the ditch or echo quilt them (1/4" inside each piece).

I can't help you on the binding, I've never done the inside corner thingy.

Look at the post (by Bearisgray) that just came on about binding inside corners. Scroll down and members have posted two different links to show how to do it.

Me too! I also don't think it's rude, nor is there any rule I know of that you can't ask 2 questions in one post!! :D
Good luck, it's really nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:thumbup:

I like the way Barb suggested I think it would really pop the flowers you did a beautiful job on this runner

OooOooo , I just love that pattern! Love the colors too. Great job! The mitered corners, I cannot help with. I have mitered corners but only the four in a table runner and on a small quilt... I cannot begin to imagine the inside turns.

I have a binding book. If you hang in there until Saturday night, I will look up the book and try to get an answer on the binding question. If somebody can answer before then, great but I have to work tomorrow.

I can easily hang in there until Saturday night. I'll be working on the flower appliques and then starting on the pinwheel blocks. With all that hand quilting, t'll be awhile before I'll be doing the binding

That is so beautiful! I did a quilt with a scalloped border and had to mitre the inside corners. It's a bit time consuming but not hard at all. I cut my binding on the bias to go around the curve and inside point. Also, if you're a bit nervous about it just practice on a scrap piece of fabric. That's what I did and I believe it helped me more than anything. Again, I love the runner!!! PS. I could show you how to do it but for the life of me I can't explain it! lol...

Very cute! I think I own this book. You've inspired me to reorganize so that I can find it...

Okay.....thanks for the help so far. The quick response to my questions is remarkable. What a helpful group!!! Now, question #3 (seeings as 2 questions wasn't rude, LOL)
When you stitch in the ditch....is it the inside of the seam or on the outside? Or does it matter? By the time I finish this runner, I'll be adding the Quilting Board to my label for all your assistance.

I try to stitch just beside the seam...maybe 1/8"...I want my stitches to show.

I found the book faster than I thought. There was nothing specific about inside corners but it did give instructions for scallops. You sew to about 1/4 out then stick a pin in at the angle you want and then it looks like you fold it back over the pin. I have only done it once. It took some work but I got it.

Another possibility, depending on how picky you are, is to fake the miter out like you can do when you are putting on rick rack etc. One piece goes straight, then you iron a folded seam into the other and put the first one inside. Then tack it with stitching or glue it.

Wow. very nice. I think if you are going to hand quilt, you should echo, or quilt about 1/4 inside the lines. Stitch in the ditch is better for lazy machine quilting. I also agree that you should keep the designs for the nine patch simple and geometric- just outline each block (or inline it, as the case may be.) the flowers will pop out then.

Excellent job. You should know that all of us love to look at others work and give suggestions when requested. You might get a whole lot of opinions, but you'll also get encouragement and help. The people on this board are amazing.

If you're hand quilting, is it still called stitch in the ditch? Just wondering. I'm taking your advice and outlining all of my pieces just inside each seam. So far, so good. I'm certainly not getting 10 stitches per inch but I'm staying pretty even in the length of my stitches.

Hello Lori

If you don't ask questions, you don't get answers and you don't learn, so always feel free to ask however many you like. Stitch in the ditch (SID) for hand quilting means stitching on the actual joining line of seams so that you cover the little stitches used to piece patches together - they are visible from the right side of work!! The same is true of machine SID, if you use invisible thread on top you should not be able to see the stitching at all. Echo quilting 1/4" outside petals with thread colour of choice is popular and will give a raising effect to flower. Your runner is lovely and bright.

I don't have any advice but wanted to say how nice your table runner is.

That is a cool table runner. I love the shape. Something new a different.

No advice but wanted to say I love the pattern and colors!
:thumbup: Great so far, thanks for sharing with us.

Very pretty table runner

Thank you, you answered my question perfectly. I think I've got it!