ScubaK

OK, here's the deal...
I haven't machine quilted a quilt in forever (that's why there are so many on my shelf) but I started one.
I did the center, that went great but when I went to do the straight stitch in the ditch along the first border, then the outer border...I end up with a bunch at the end of the seam. Does this make sense?
I start at one corner (upper right), SID down seam (bottom right), pivote to other corner (bottom left) SID, pivote to come up (upper left) and I have a "bunchup" then I turn to complete the square and end up with a bunchup where I first started.
I am using a walking foot...I have pinned and basted...
Should I go down both sides, in opposite directions then finish top and bottom in opposite directions?
Please help.
Kirsten

Shemjo

Don't know what to tell you. This sounds like a real good reason for using basting spray.

How close are your pins and basting lines?

Miss Purple Shoes

I don't know if this will help but when you put the quilt together (layer) really stretch the backing - I tape it tightly to the table or floor, I then baste spray the batting and then put on the top stretching that too with tape and spray. Then I either pin,pin,pin with safety pins or baste baste baste!

Lacelady

Since you have done the quilting in the centre, then I think I would start in the centre of each line of quilting, and stitch to each corner. It's a real phaff to do that, but it might avoid so much bunching. Your walking foot should have sorted that, but obviously not, in this case. Best of luck.

thimblebug6000

After you take out your stitching, I always need to remind myself to just slow down. Not sure if that might help you? The walking foot is feeding the top fabric through, the feed dogs move the backing through....and they need to work a little harder to keep the batting sandwich all going through at the same time. I also keep my hands right next to where I'm stitching and kind of smooth the fabric to the side as I go along. It's worth fixing, you don't want a bunch up on a lovely cuddly quilt.

Dodie

How did you measure for your borders maybe they stretched when I measure for borders I measure through the center of the quilt cut the borders that size , pin them on then sew them on then repeat measuring
through the center of the quilt and using that measurement for the borders should stop all puckering

MadQuilter

How did you measure the border? Did you measure across the center of the top to get the correct length? This has happened to me when I did not use the correct border length. It can also happen when the top is not flattened out fully on the batting. (The trick is NOT to stretch but pat it down flat. Hard to describe)

When it has happened to me, I simply accepted the "kisses" in the corner and went on to the next line. Once washed, the puckers tend to blend in a bit more.

SAHM

I'll be watching this thread, as that has happened to me. Two things I've found help some - first, as mentioned, basting very very well. The second is to machine quilt with a longer stitch (on my crummy machine, I piece on a 1, but quilt on a 3.5). Also, I try to move the fabric top and bottom though together by grabbing it, not just relying on the feed rails. I do not have a quilting foot though. I think different battings are more likely to bunch than others, but I don't have enough experience to know which would be better.

ScubaK

Thanks for all the help.
My guess is that somehow on that border seam that I was quilting, the top and bottom were not feeding along together.
Wish I had a picture.
Kirsten

kathy

I have heard that you should do all you SID first, is helps stabilize the quilt for whatever else you're going to do, and the "whatever else" things you do tends to draw up the fabric so then the outer portions may be distorted and hard to make fit.