Where do you start?
 

I finally finished piecing a top and back. Now I am planning how to quilt this top.

Question....When quilting a top set with sashing strips,and NOT doing an all over meander,do you do the blocks first or the sashing? I will probably do feathers on the sashing.

Just wondering how others would do this........

Glad you asked, this afternoon I was working on the backing for a top I want to sandwich ...the top has 12" X 18" blocks with sashing...I was thinking I would "Sid" and then down center of the sashings and then work the large blocks. Will watch to see the other suggestions. No feathers for me....to scary for me. ;)

Judy in Ph, AZ

I have never done anything but an all over pattern, but if I were, by some miracle, to do what you're asking about, I think I'd start with the sashing. I think of it as basting to ensure the blocks inside the sashing are not distorted.

But, of course, i may be 100% wrong!

I agree with cathyvv. SID will anchor most of the quilt. Then you can do the feathers.

I start on the middle and do a little of both. When I get tired of doing the blocks, switch to the sashing and visa versa. But I go from center outward in all directions and leave the border until last. That way, if there's any slack anywhere, it's worked its way out as I go.

I would most probably do the blocks first. I was told to always start at the center and work my way out to the edges.

i do mine the same way, from the center of the quilt out. it's how i learned from books & i've ne er seen any other method in a book. i learned before there was a youtube :o

Thats how I would do it also, less risk of having any extra fabric anywhere

I did SID the quilt. Than did the blocks followed by sashing, quilt one.
in quilt 2 I quilted blocks as I did them so I only had to do sashing when all joined together.