custom quilting
What are the proper steps to quilt a quilt when using a long-arm? I will be doing free-hand with some ruler work. This quilt is for me, not for a customer. Is this the correct order?
1) Stitch in the first border and corners. (The first border is the first border that was sewn on, is this correct? Since the borders are basically a square around the center, how do you quilt the sides of the square as you are going down the quilt? I really don't want to have to turn the quilt if I can help it. Also, when the borders are done, should they be quilted 1/4" away from the seam line?). 2) Outline the areas on the quilt where I will put the motifs. Does everything have to be outlined? 3) Continuing doing this all the way down to the bottom of the first border and the corners. 4) Now can I go back and start quilting in the motifs? 5) There are two borders on this quilt. Do I quilt the outside border now? I am so confused as to how to go about this. Most of the other quilts that I have done, I just started at the top and went to the bottom. I was told I was doing this all wrong. I guess I was lucky because I had no wavy borders or anything. Since I have about four large queen-size quilts to do after this, I want to make sure that I don't mess anything up. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Brenda