Straight line quilting question
 

I don't do a lot of straight line quilting but want to. How do you do that on a full size quilt with all the turning in so many directions? I have a Pfaff 3.5 Expression. Thank you

Quilting at Home
 

I mark with Fons & Porter Chalk Pens on some of the fabric in the quilt and roll the quilt up in the arm of the sewing machine and I use a big table and my hangers using clothes pins to support some of the weight of the quilt. I usually only do straight line or shadow. And I allow myself to send out to the long arm quilter every 5 or 6 qullts.

You mark your quilt and try to be accurate because if not, it will look wavy. I do stack my larger 24" rulers together every third row I mark to be sure I still lined up properly I use either a Hera marker by Clover or blue tape making tape. You roll up you quilt from the outside corner to the center and start from the center quilting, working out to the corner. As long as you have support for the quilt on you left side and behind you machine, you will have no problem. You do all four sides that way and then you are done.

If you do straight line quilting you will eliminate a great deal of the turning if you learn to stitch in reverse. Then you only have to turn it 90 degrees and do the forward, pivot and reverse stitching. And, remember to make some rows in opposite direction so that it does not stretch out of square as you work. This happens because the feed dogs are engaged.

See if you can map out a quilting route that will take you from one edge of the quilt to the other. As mentioned, you need to try and make your quilting passes varied. Go from top to bottom, left to right, bottom to top, and right to left.

ManiacQuilter2, I am not getting the picture. In my mind, I see an angular roll from one corner to the center, then quilting on a line that is diagonal to the squared quilt.

I straight stitch 3-1/2" finished squares quilt. I start in the center at top or bottom, stitch all those rows, then onto the other half. I do the other way the same way. I just finished one and starting to sew on the binding. I am donating quilts.

I don't turn. I work from the center out & use reverse when needed.

Hmmm - I have an old Pfaff 1471 that I stitched straight across - always in the same direction - and it turned out fine.

My thinking was that if it was going to pull - it would all pull in the same direction and I would not have a "wavy" look on the back.