I am a new quilter and am just wrestling with the final machine quilting part. I have made several quilts without using this final step. Previously I have only stiched in the ditch plain squares,but would love to try stipple etc. My question is, Where should I begin the machine quiting? In the middle of the quilt? In a corner? At the side? Is there the "correct" spot to start to produce the least puckering etc?
Thanks! Jackie |
I was told to start in the middle and then work your way out.
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I always start in the center & work my way out. The first quilt I did stippling on, I started on one of the center blocks, then just worked my way out. That first block took me about a half-hour to do, but I got faster & faster as I went along...think the last block only took about 5 minutes! LOL Amazing what practice (and remembering to breathe!) can do! :D
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Iffum I were stippling, I would start in the middle and work my way out. If I were doing free motion to a pattern, I would stabilize the quilt by sewing along block lines in the ditch then work on whatever block took my fancy at that time. The ditch will keep you from bunching up long pieces of un-quilted fabric.
I plan on doing diamond pattern all over the top on this present quilt (a quilt meant as a present). I will first stabilize on the block edges with dissolving thread, then start in the middle with the diamond straight lines, a walking foot on the mighty Bernina. I don't anticipate any issues with this scheme. Good luck, tim in san jose |
so Tim, who is the lucky recipient?
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Tim, will you be doing your diamonds like crosshatch?
As far as I can see, the only problems you may encounter would be the grief you will receive from all of us if you do not post a picture of it... other than that, sounds like you have a good plan. :D |
Originally Posted by kathy
so Tim, who is the luck recipient?
tim |
Originally Posted by Carla P
Tim, will you be doing your diamonds like crosshatch?
As far as I can see, the only problems you may encounter would be the grief you will receive from all of us if you do not post a picture of it... other than that, sounds like you have a good plan. :D If I ever find the battery charger for the digital camera, you'll see a picture. tim |
:lol: Sounds like you & my Daughter #1 have a lot in common... she leaves her charger all over the country though... everytime she travels. A couple of weeks later it'll show up in the mail. :roll:
Oh well, when you get the chance, we'd love to see it. |
Hmm... guess I'll be odd man out. If I'm doing an all-over design, I like to start in the upper right hand corner and work across to the left about 14" and then back and forth down to bottom at that width. I feel more secure cramming that right hand edge under the throat area if it's already been quilted. So far I haven't had any trouble with it getting out of square, or bunching towards the center as I move left over the piece. I hand baste about 3" apart from bottom to top though, so it's not likely to shift much.
Like you tim, if I do one with a pattern in the blocks, I do ITD and then feel safe starting anywhere I want. :) |
I like Tim's use of dissolving thread to stabilize. I have a small table topper I'm going to try to get quilted this week-end while I'm at our "tree-house in the pines" at Lake Tahoe. On a small item such as this, the dissolving thread, used with a light spray of adhesive, could almost take the place of basting / pinning the 3 layers together. Right?
On the other hand, when I've hand basted the three layers together, I've discovered that if I use a curved upholsterer's needle (can find them fairly easily in the sewing notions section), the basing goes much faster and is much easier. It looks the same as it does with a straight needle, but it seems, for me anyway, that it minimizes the necessity of "lifting up" the 3 layers that occurs when using a straight needle. Once you get accustomed to using the curved needle, you may find it puts less of a strain on your hand and wrist. You can hold the curved needle in a more "neutral" position. I think it goes faster, too. As you may discern, basting "ain't my most funnest thing to do". :lol: Anyway, if I get this little beauty done (all hand-pieced by the way...but probably machine quilted), I'll post a pix along with one I made for myself last Christmas that is a Christmas motif. As my colleague's young daughter said when she saw the current project, "Oh, it looks just like summer!" If I make one for spring and autumn / winter, I can change them with the seasons! That last thought was the light bulb going on. :roll: It's almost Friday!! MHeuser |
Thanks for the tip MCH. I may have to try that needle for basting. My fingers do get sore after awhile using the long, straight basting needle.
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Lin, Happy to help. Take care. M.
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