I am going to be doing trapunto for the very first time. Does anybody have any advice or know any tricks to help me along. Any and all are appreciated. :-)

Look for some tutorials on the board or google and find some tutes there. Also look for a book on trapunto. People on the board will get you started!

I have seen a method where you stitch your trapunto design through your fabric and a layer of batting, and then you carefully cut away the excess batting from the underside, as close to the stitching as possible. Repeat for all areas you want to be "trapuntoed". Then you proceed the same way you would with a regular pieced or appliqued top- top, batting, backing, quilt together and there you go!

Seems like it would be much faster and easier than the traditional method, but I understand that some things, like thin stems, don't work as well with this method and that couching piping or going with the traditional method is best for those kinds of things.

I like Patsy Thompson's videos on youtube.... like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_wgE74Mro4

Holice, here at the board, is an expert with trapunto

If you use the washable thread to roughly secure the first layer of batting MAKE SURE TO LABEl YOUR BOBBIN. I have Ws all over both sides of the bobbin with the washable so I would never mistake it for real thread.

This is a really good tute on board for machine trapunto. I read it and did it the first time quite easily. It uses water soluble thread so you don't have to pick it out when you've finished.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-105039-1.htm

Hari Walner is terrific with machine trapunto - here are two of her books on the subject - one of them is even downloadable! :)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...alner+trapunto