Now the hard part starts....
04-17-2009, 07:29 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 3,007
Originally Posted by mamabird3
I finished my little ones lap quilt top tonight. I love love love it. Now the problem is, I am going to machine quilt on it. I haven't done much of it before and I am a bit intimidated by it. Sure hope I don't mess up to badly! Any advice would be appreciated! Please....
Your quilt is just darling. I think the pattern is called a "Double Pinwheel." It looks so complicated. Great job.
When I asked for suggestions on how to machine quilt I was told a few really good suggestions:
1. SLOW sewing- Don't RUSH the job
2. WALKING FOOT really helps make the job easier without puckers and wadding on the backside of the quilt.
3. Use a longer than normal stitch length
4. Nobby quilt gloves ...can also use those little garden gloves with the little nobs on them. These help you keep a grip on the quilt and your hands don't get so tired. I bought my gloves at a quilt store class for about $9 a few years ago but tried the garden gloves ($1.99 at Bi-Mart) and they work equally as well. Just need something for traction.
5. Enjoy the experience and LOVE the results. I'm a novice quilter but when I do a machine quilting I always feel like "I've arrived!" in the REAL quilting world. :lol:
04-17-2009, 08:04 AM
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Fairfield, CA
Posts: 680
I started quilting this week. I have been stitching in the ditch, and only have two blocks left to do, a run around the border and binding. Hoping to be done by the end of the weekend.
My machine quilting is definatly not perfect, but it isn't to bad of an eyesore either. I do have a problem "not rushing" and I think that is a pparent when I look at it. But all in all for a quilt that will be drug through the yard, picnics being had on and snuggled daily it will be just fine. She is very excited about it I will post pics when all is done.
My machine quilting is definatly not perfect, but it isn't to bad of an eyesore either. I do have a problem "not rushing" and I think that is a pparent when I look at it. But all in all for a quilt that will be drug through the yard, picnics being had on and snuggled daily it will be just fine. She is very excited about it I will post pics when all is done.
04-17-2009, 08:05 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 1,266
Love your quilt!! Love the pinwheels!! Great colors!! I am no help with the quilting part at all. I simply can't master wrestling a quilt on a regular size machine so they usually get taken out to LAQ or I hand quilt them. Beautiful quilt :thumbup: Look forward to seeing it when you finsih :D
04-17-2009, 08:25 AM
#26
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 16,518
I love the colors you chose. Very nice quilt top. If you are nervous about quilting it, take it over to the local quilt shop with you. The ladies over there will have tons of ideas and give you some good advice on designs.
Like the girls said, stitch in the ditch is a very good option for this quilt. You will be surprised how much confidence you will gain just in a short while playing aroung with another sample cloth first.
I started out playing around with a pot holders to see what I could do. Then graduate to a table runner size and so on. You will find that it is fun! Just a different process than the piecing.
You could check out a book from the library on machine quilting designs and learn that way too. Just don't get intimidated. HAVE FUN! That is what it is all about. Some people find that they love the quilting better than the piecing. REALLY!
Like the girls said, stitch in the ditch is a very good option for this quilt. You will be surprised how much confidence you will gain just in a short while playing aroung with another sample cloth first.
I started out playing around with a pot holders to see what I could do. Then graduate to a table runner size and so on. You will find that it is fun! Just a different process than the piecing.
You could check out a book from the library on machine quilting designs and learn that way too. Just don't get intimidated. HAVE FUN! That is what it is all about. Some people find that they love the quilting better than the piecing. REALLY!
04-17-2009, 10:48 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
okay .... I have some advice for you!
First ... take a pen and paper and practice meandering a design around on it, so you have an idea of how you want the quilting to show up.
Do you understand about feed dogs down, darning foot on, stitch length down to nothing, sew fast, and move moderately, start in the middle and then move to the right side, so that you will be having less quilt in the throat of your machine?
Some things to remember about quilting. The goal is: three layers of fabric held together so that the lap quilt can be washed without the batting all floating down to the bottom or one end. Check out your batting wrapper to see the MAXIMUM spacing for best use of quilting. Some batting has to be quilted at least every two inches or it will fall apart.
That will determine part of your quilting.
If you are going to be "stippling" - - DO NOT put it too close together - - I have "control issues" and it is very hard for me to loosen up, and I quilted a queen sized quilt so stippled, that I swear! It was like a board! So the secret is real open stippling, meandering lines.
So, you are quilting along and darn! You run out of bobbin thread. Now, what do you do? Simple! Load your next bobbin, and line your needle up with the last five or six stitches sewn. Stitch exactly over those stitches ... VIOLA! The stitches are anchored and you may continue on merrily on your way. Almost every item of clothing we wear, every stitched item in our position has this technique for beginning or ending a stitch line ... A really good machine operator will do it so well, you almost can't see it, but it is there.
If you have more questions, I may be able to help you more.
Oh, and one more thing .... your hands ... best opened and fingers spaced on the quilt to help it move.
As far as setting your machine up, if the bed of your machine is level with a table, grand! If not, put a table in a corner of the room, with the wall running on your left side, and in front of you. This will hold the quilt on your table and will be one less thing pulling on your arms and shoulders and hands. You can do this, and you will do it great! :thumbup:
First ... take a pen and paper and practice meandering a design around on it, so you have an idea of how you want the quilting to show up.
Do you understand about feed dogs down, darning foot on, stitch length down to nothing, sew fast, and move moderately, start in the middle and then move to the right side, so that you will be having less quilt in the throat of your machine?
Some things to remember about quilting. The goal is: three layers of fabric held together so that the lap quilt can be washed without the batting all floating down to the bottom or one end. Check out your batting wrapper to see the MAXIMUM spacing for best use of quilting. Some batting has to be quilted at least every two inches or it will fall apart.
That will determine part of your quilting.
If you are going to be "stippling" - - DO NOT put it too close together - - I have "control issues" and it is very hard for me to loosen up, and I quilted a queen sized quilt so stippled, that I swear! It was like a board! So the secret is real open stippling, meandering lines.
So, you are quilting along and darn! You run out of bobbin thread. Now, what do you do? Simple! Load your next bobbin, and line your needle up with the last five or six stitches sewn. Stitch exactly over those stitches ... VIOLA! The stitches are anchored and you may continue on merrily on your way. Almost every item of clothing we wear, every stitched item in our position has this technique for beginning or ending a stitch line ... A really good machine operator will do it so well, you almost can't see it, but it is there.
If you have more questions, I may be able to help you more.
Oh, and one more thing .... your hands ... best opened and fingers spaced on the quilt to help it move.
As far as setting your machine up, if the bed of your machine is level with a table, grand! If not, put a table in a corner of the room, with the wall running on your left side, and in front of you. This will hold the quilt on your table and will be one less thing pulling on your arms and shoulders and hands. You can do this, and you will do it great! :thumbup:
04-17-2009, 10:52 AM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
And, then I scrolled back and found some answers to your question ... I don't know how I missed them!
I forgot to tell you to pin baste and remove as quilting. It is a bummer to have to stop and remove the pins, but it is the only way you can ensure that your backing stays straight/level/not bunched up (kisses are what they are called if the back buckles and you quilted it together in places).
A walking foot is indeed good for stitching in the ditch ... the darning foot is for free motion quilting.
I forgot to tell you to pin baste and remove as quilting. It is a bummer to have to stop and remove the pins, but it is the only way you can ensure that your backing stays straight/level/not bunched up (kisses are what they are called if the back buckles and you quilted it together in places).
A walking foot is indeed good for stitching in the ditch ... the darning foot is for free motion quilting.
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