Need Help...First Quilt Mistakes!
 

I have never quilted before but decided to make a quilt for my grandchild. I watched my Grandma make quilt tops as a small child but never saw the quilting part of it. I ended up with machine quilting in the border where it shouldn't be. How do you get the layers to lay all flat to machine quilt them? I have all carpet floors and no table large enough for laying out a quilt. I used safety pins to pin the layers but they would not stay flat on my carpet.
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I love it;not bad for the 1st ever! you did a good job!

Thanks. My daughter said they would call it his "Linus Blanket" and he could drag it everywhere.

If you have carpet in your kitchen, you might try taping it down to the carpet. I have a vinyl floor, but I taped mine down for years with painter's tape. It might stick to a low-pile carpet. It's worth a try. BTW, your quilt is just adorable! And you can quilt in the border. I think you were probably talking about the stitch-in-the-ditch that took a little detour on the back? Don't worry about it, you've made a great start! Your grandchild will love snuggling in it!

I'm new to quilting as well and I think your quilt turn out great! I saw a you tube tutorial on the quilting board for hand basting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNy...e_gdata_player The quilt layers did not move when after I did the basting.

maybe this will help when I pin my quilt I change direction of the pins first ones are staight across next one is up and down it seems to keep fabric from shifting.

I think your quilt looks fine. But it appears you may have used a polyester batting....I find them hard to work with as the cotton fabrics of the quilt do not have an affinity for the poly batt - they don't "attract" each other, don't stick together well. Cotton batting with cotton fabrics seems to keep my quilts flatter. Sometimes, in small pieces, all you have to do is press the layers together with your iron.

Jan in VA

I've done this before but it isn't my favorite because I don't like being on the floor. Pin it to the carpet. It actually works. Just like you would use tape. Not stretched...just taut. I'll try to explain the pinning. Pin through the three layers, pull the pin head toward you and anchor the pin deep into the carpet.

Jan's comment about poly batting not working with cotton - I didn't know that. Good advice.

I haven't used it, I use pins but have a huge table. Spray basting I've heard works....might be an option and less of a pain for doing the work on the floor for one then the added challenge of carpet. Just a thought