Here is the pattern I have settled on for the border. I have the middle one done, and will now measure out to the edge from the center, and decide where to place the others. Not really happy with my stitches, but not taking them out :roll: I will get better as I get into the rhythm of sewing, I hope :lol: :lol:

Now why on earth would you NOT be happy with those stitches? I'D be THRILLED if mine looked like that! :-D

Love that stencil. What did you use to mark it? Ninnie, your stitches are waaaaaay good enough for me just as they are, and you know that they will only get better as the work progresses. I'm curious about starting on a border...is there a something about that decision that you can share with me/us? This is so inspiring...I think I'm catchin' a bug...maybe the hqn3pf bug? I may have to clear some room to assemble that frame I've had for a couple of years! Carry on...we're lovin' this!

Hi Ninnie I am a Ninnie too! Anyway How much do you charge to do a quilt like that or smaller with the large heart stencil or the large twist??

When quilting in a frame, you always start on the end. and then as I go along, I will roll it towards me to the next area I want to quilt. It sorta goes in rows lol. That's why I always mark the centers on the borders, so i will know I am centering the patterns.

I use a Fons and Porter Mechanical pencil. It comes with white lead , and marks just great on the Navy. I will post a picture of the next one, before i quilt it.
here is a picture of the pencil

Thanks so much, Ninnie, for posting a progression of getting a quilt ready to stitch.

Wow!---what a lot of work.

Your stitches are beautiful---don't think I would ever have the patience to hand quilt something this size. I have great respect for anyone who does!

Okay...that's one of the parts that I slept through...I didn't know that the quilting started at the end when done in this type of frame...I'm really going to learn alot here, Ninnie, and I'll be forever grateful...I promise. I love that marker...it has such a smooth lead...marks easily..I haven't had to remove it yet, have you? Wonder how that is going to work out? Will you wait and wash the quilt when it is all done? I need to let you get some stitchin' done...sorry to be such a pest...

Wow, good job. I was wondering do you use the chair that was sitting next to the frame? I noticed it has arms. I found I had to take the arms off my chair, when I use my floor frame. Do they get in your way?

Also what type of floor frame, is it a Gracie or Hinterberg? I have a frame that my husband made years ago, I still have to baste, it only has two poles and no gears. But since I don't make many bed size quilts I have not thought about getting another frame until I saw how easy it was to use yours. Mine is about 30 years old. Since I normally make something smaller, I use my PVC frame or a large hoop.

You are not being a pest! I have learned so much from all of the members on this board, it is nice to be able to give something back. :-D Most of the markings will be gone, by the time I finish, but I will wash it as soon as I get the binder on. That's what i love about this pencil. When using the dark lead, i alwyas try to mark as light as I can though.

So hear are the next steps. Once the middle pattern is quilted, I then measure from the edge of it, to the end of the quilt. It is 36 in to the edge, so I know the area i have to work with. then I measure the pattern. It is 11 inches long. So, that will take up 33 in. then I decide to leave 1 inch between each pattern, and that should work, leaving plenty or room at the edge for the binder to go on, and not loose any of the pattern.
Also, I tape my stencil down, making sure that it will not slip, and I also make sure it is in far enough from the edge that the pattern is not in the seam allowance. Each stencil will have a little hole in the end of it. For hanging I suppose, but I always mark it also, as a starting point if I have to go back and remark a line.