I recently finished a tumbling block quilt top and I wanted to put it all together myself. Course the cost of $200.00 does come into issue. Anywaty, what are some ideas on tieing the quilt together? Do I finish it completely, with binding, before or after tieing? Thanks in advance.
Rita

Tie it first. I tie many of my quilts. I use Perle embroidery thread. Tie about every 6 inches. Make a double knot.

I use embroidery floss, a small curved needle and I tie about every 2 inches is my personal preference.

Tie it first. Then bind it.

I would tie it and then bind it too :D:D:D

Yep, tie then bind. :)

I just finished 2 for DD's. Tie first. I used crochet thread (the kind on the balls used for tablecloths, etc.) Worked great on 2 flannel quilts. Be sure and check batting for maximum distance between stitches.

I just finished my second tied quilt. It was a simple scrappy quilt made from charm packs. I tied it using Pearl cotton in the center of each square - approximately 4.5 inches apart. It is so snuggly!

Can go from one end to the other and check to make sure layers stay tight, or the center out, 4-6 inches apart then bind. Happy Quilting

Tie first....and I've used yarn to tie one that's still going strong after 30 yrs!!!! And if I remember right, I tied it in rows from the top corner....may not be the way everyone recommends, but it worked.

It depends on your batting. The package should recommend max spacing.
I like to stitch the thread through the quilt TWICE in the same plack, then tie the knot. If it comes untied, the thread is more secure.

This is the way I do it. Tie First. But once I did tie it after I put the binding on. I just left the pins in. I check the package for the distance to tie.

This is the way I do it. Tie First. But once I did tie it after I put the binding on, it came out just fine. I just left the pins in. I check the package for the distance to tie.

All of my quilts have been tied. Can't afford to send it out to be quilted and my machine can't handle I mostly use embroidery floss and do a double knot, I tied first then binded

I'm pretty new at quilting :-) and I had never heard the expression "tieing a quilt".... :?: The other day I had seen on the quilts this lovely lady from Poland posted pictures off, there were little threads here and there all over the quilt.... is that what you call tieing??? Does that replace the quilting??? Thanks for enlightening me :wink: :lol:

I'm really lazy .... when I make children's quilts I use a simple embroidery design to tack (such as a small heart) rather than tie by hand. At my age this is easier on the arthritic fingers & is sturdy & looks cute.

Yes, that is tying and it does replace the need to quilt

You can cut the threads shorter than I did (I'm the lady from Poland... :)--am an American living over here--) but you don't have to. They last and last. We double knot with perle cotton or embroidery floss or even yarn, but yarn frays after washing and is harder to put in the quilt because of its thickness.

My grandmother always tied her quilts and when I used her cross stitched centers, I tied them. One of the advantages of tying is if you ever have to redo one of the blocks or one of the ties, it is easy to do. Match your tying thread to what affect you want to achieve.

Oh yes, just thought I would mention also that in the Nursing home where my mother lives (at 91 years old) they have a group that makes quilts (lap size) and they tie all their quilts. :)

I would tie first, too!

I usually use floss with a surgeon's knot but I have also use the stitch for sewing buttons on my machine. Serves the purpose and isn't as noticable.

I recently made quilts for 3 of my grandkids. The first I tied using yarn. Then I decided to try bartacks instead of tying. It works great, is faster and easier on the hands.

bartacks? can you explain that please?

It's just zigzag stitches with very tiny stitch length, like what is used for sewing on buttons.

A tip for ties----use a drop of Fray Check on each knot. I have been doing this for 25 years, and it works great.

I tie all my quilts. Do you have the old fashioned quilt racks? 4 boards, wrapped in material so you can pin the bottom to them and pull them tightly and clamp? Then add the batting and then the top, pinning each layer either to the boards or the backing. I tie at least according tot he batting directions, but usually to every sewing line intersection, center of block, etc. I tie quilts because my gramma, mom and sisters do. I have a sister who also LAQ. I, too, can't afford the cost of having them long armed, so tieing works for me!

What a wonderful idea. The tumbling block quilt is from scraps and of course many different colors. I have a ga-zillion colors of embroidery floss. So, will use the cordinating color for the block. Oh, thanks so much!! Am anxious now to get to it. Suppose I should get Christmas behind me first. Also, have to make woodpecker food. Then to the quilt. Thanks again.
Rita

No quilting rack. Just the floor. Or bed.
Rita

I need to get my nephew over to set up a quilting frame for me. I live in an efficiency apartment so it will take up most of that. No room on floors either. It is for twin size but has an attachment for queen size. Hopefully he will get it up before I have to go back to work. LOL.

before finishing. I tie first in case there is some shifting.

To all of you beautiful quilter ladies, thank you so much for all the advice, ideas, etc. and to you dear lady "justflyingin" you're doing a marvellous job and I know the Lord will reward it a thousandfold, as you're blessing so many people. I know how hard life is in Poland, I have polish friends and I hear of the hardships from them.
All the best to all of you!!!!

Tie it first. I use crochet thread and tie a square knot (right over left, then left over right) so that it won't come untied. Or . . . . if you have fancy stitches on your sewing machine, you can use a little round buttonhole or a star. I've done that before and it really works well. If you'd rather not have the ends of the ties (and--just as an aside--Downy quilts won't allow it) sticking up, it's another good option.

If you don't tie first it may pucker on you.

I tie some of my quilts when they are a bit too thick to hand quilt easily. I put it on my round quilt frames and work out from the center evenly so any puckers will work to the outside, then bind.

I have tied a lot of quilts, but mostly baby quilts, and I use yarn. I've not even thought of using crochet thread.
I'll have to try it. I usually mark my quilt at 4 to 6 inches. And I definitely tie it first before binding. Otherwise it may pucker.

I love to tie my quilts. They are beautiful. You can really use any kind of thread, embroidery, yard, and crochet thread. I'll attach a picture. Tie before you bind and let the quilt determine where you tie although the more ties the better the quilt. Something I just learned is tie the edges of your quilt as close as you like. Then when you are putting on the binding it makes it much easier, your layers stay together and don't bunch in places. Happy tieing!!

Should say yarn,, LOL

It does look pretty and interesting when they are tied. As I said at the beginning I didn't even know it could be done. So I will definitively try it with tieing on the girly quilt I'm just making, the pattern (pinwheels) seem to be just right. It's done with all sort of scraps, I wonder how it will turn out at the end, I will post a pictures.

Tie then bind.

One advantage of tying is that you can use thick batting. It is really hard to machine quilt batting that is thick. I like warm, fluffy comforters, so tying works great for those.