LadyAg

Happy New Quilting Year!

I hope to quilt a 95” square quilt on my home sewing machine this year. Since it is so big, I have been researching how to quilt it in sections. My quilt top is in 4 unquilted sections right now with a 1 inch overhang, with a separate large border to be created.

The excellent videos and books I’ve watched all seem to describe connecting already quilted sections that each have about a one inch overhang past the quilted area. This unquilted overhang of top, batting, and backing is then connected using various techniques to the next quilt section. This method invariably requires that the backing fabric (about 1/2 to 1 inch wide) is then folded over to butt-up right next to the quilted backing of the first block, and then hand or machine sewn down.

It seems like it would be simpler and easier to leave at least a 6 inch backing overhang, which is still small compared to a full 95” quilt. Then, just before connecting Section 1 and Section 2 top and batting, you can sew a regular seam line on the backing with no need for fold-over seams that must be sewn down.

Sorry for the long post, but since I don’t see anyone online doing this, there must be a problem that I can’t see that makes this a bad idea. I have only completed one large quilt, so far, and it was in one section.

Has anyone tried this before, or who can figure out why it would or wouldn’t work? Thank you so much for the gift of your knowledge/experience!

Tartan

I also have puzzled over the hand stitching the backing sections together. I can see sewing the front top sections together by machine with the 1 inch unquilted edges, using the batting tape to connect the batting after it is butted together but the only way left to stitch the backing is by hand in my opinion. Maybe someone else has found a solution? If so enlighten me as well!

dunster

If I am understanding the question - your method would work if you quilt section 2 after it has been joined to section 1. However, if the sections are joined after both have been quilted, then you need to hand sew the two backings together.

I highly recommend Marti Michell's book, Machine Quilting in Sections. I used several of her methods to quilt several big quilts in sections before purchasing a longarm.

berrynice

Look up "Quilt as you go". There are several different methods. One is where you do it with sashing between. Another is where you do it in sections and connect them without sashing - which is what you are describing. There are several really good youtube videos on both.

For your description, I would look up: Quilt as you go without sashing
I just tried it and a ton of youtube videos came up.

Also look up: Quilt as you go in sections - a lot of videos come up with that as well.

bkay

I can't picture what you are asking.

The only Quilt as you go I've done is where you make the top and bottom in whole pieces. I found it in a book called Divide & Conquer Quilt it your way. It's by Nancy Smith and Lynda Milligan. I bought it used from Amazon. When you make the sandwich, you layer it as usual. Which ever method of holding the sandwich together doesn't matter. (I used quilting spray.) They pin the layers.

1. Make the quilt top and backing in the usual manner..
2. Layer backing wrong side up, batting and then and quilt top right side up. Pin or spray baste center third of quilt only.
3. Fold backing and quilt top away from batting on right side of quilt. Cut batting in a gently curved line close to pins. Curves will make it easy to realign batting. Label batting "top right" and set aside. Do the same on the other side and label "top left".
4. Fold up the right and left side, then quilt center as desired. Stop about 2 inches away from the edge of the batting.
5 Add back the first side of batting using whatever method you prefer. Quilt it.
6. Add the second side and finish your quilting.

Be sure to label the sections well so that finding where it fits is easier. Also, be sure your scrim side of the batting is facing down. I used the batting tape joining strips that you have to iron.I also put my batting on backwards. The batting kept sticking to the iron. They hand baste the batting strips to the center piece. I'm sure the second time of using this method would be easier. Plus, I wasn't very experienced when I did it. The quilt turned out fine.

bkay

Quiltwoman44

some do blocks quilt as you go and ad sashings. then stitch through the sashings. This can be done with sections too. do look for more tutes out there. many, many quilters doing this in many ways. Have fun too!

juliasb

Like you, I have one large quilt now in four sections and basted together and ready to quilt on my DSM. Right now it is at a stand still so I have a good Idea where you are. I guess I am going to put it to a frame and hand quilt it to get out the bicycle clips and roll each section as best as I can. When all that is done I will put all 4 pieces together with a thin border or QAYG to bring the quilted pieces together. Right now this wonder is sitting aside. This may be the year for UFO's and if that is the case then this one will be at the top of the list.
I hope you get a lot of good ideas so you can get moving on this wonderful quilt. I have no real ideas on how much to leave on the overhang to complete your quilt. Best of luck.

Mkotch

My feeling is always, "do whatever works for you." If it ends up looking fine, then you did it right.

As for me, I don't use a 6" overhang on the back, but do make it about 3" which I sometimes trim so that I can turn it over slightly and hand sew. I don't find that complicated, and the hand sewing doesn't take me all that long to do. It ends up looking smooth. When I quilt in sections, my strips usually include sashing and cornerstones which help me match the blocks to keep everything square. I generally add the outside borders after putting the blocks together.

farmquilter

Doing a small size test might be helpful in doing a new method so you have an idea if it would work for you.

Rose_P

One time I took apart and inserted an entire row of blocks on a quilt that I'd finished but decided it had to be bigger. I only had the quarter inch seam allowance available on the existing blocks. There wasn't too much of a problem about the quilting because each block had a separate circular quilt design that didn't come right up to the edges. I first sewed the new strip of blocks to the old ones on each side by machine, using the standard quarter inch. Then used Marti Michel's iron on batting tape to join the strip of batting. For the back I had to add a wide strip of the backing fabric. I had no seam allowance at all on the original piece of batting because I'd had to cut it all the way down the quilt, so I had to hand sew the new piece, overlapping on both sides. The width of the seams wasn't very important, but of course had to be enough fabric available to allow for any unanticipated miscalculation. It helps that my backing had a busy print. Only an expert quilt judge would be likely to guess what was done. I use the quilt in a guest room, and when I make the bed a few times a year I habitually try to find that newer strip because it theoretically would help me figure out which direction the quilt goes on a queen bed, but it's too hard for me to find now that some years have passed and I don't remember which fabrics were in the new row. Also, on that quilt, the border was piano keys in a wide assortment of colors, so that was easy to add in the same way as the rest of the row. The long, narrow inner border would naturally have an occasional seam, and there are two closer together there, but they're lost in the quilting. Same with extra joins in the binding. Nevertheless, it taught me to decide what I'm doing before I proceed.