jillaine

I baste using Sharon Shambers "tailor-style" hand basting with boards. Not only do I no longer have to work on the floor when sandwiching, this approach to basting holds the sandwich very nicely in place. The results of my machine quilting are SO Much better. Far less puckering.

See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA

pumpkinpatchquilter

Oh - one more thing! I looked at your picture (your quilt is beautiful by the way!) again and, do you have an extension table for your machine? I have a very inexpensive (try $100) sewing machine and quilt everything but King size quilts on it. The extension table which adds maybe, 5 or 6 inches to my sewing space makes a HUGE difference. It's more than possible to free motion without it, but it makes things much easier. Another option, is I bought an old cabinet that didn't have a sewing machine in it at a thrift store for $2. My dad built a little "cradle" (or shelf) in it to hold my machine so I could drop it in, and it would be flush with the table. I then butt that cabinet and table up to a dining room table for BIG quilts.

Here are a few pictures just to remind you there IS hope for a person who is motivated to do it, to quilt on their little domestic sewing machine...and it doesn't have to be a fancy two-thousand dollar one either!

Jingle

I put safety pins about every 3-4" and that works great for me. I have made lots and lots of quilts this way. Works for me. I don't have a long arm machine. My machines have a 9-91/2" throat space and I have made lots of big quilts, mostly what I make..

CAS49OR

I bought and tried those clips, they didn't hold. I did get advice from my friend who said to pin 3x more than I did, but it really is hard to quilt on a regular size machine. I decided not to do such a large quilt again, (lap sized, but was 3'x5') or if I piece one I will let someone with a longarm quilt it. The same friend suggested and let me borrow those large hair clips, the round ones with a grip. They didn't hold either. Basically, I just had to muscle through. I did a minimum amount of quilting, using Warm and Natural that is supposed to stand up to 8-10" apart.

I have neck and back issues, so it was NOT fun!

btw, DH made an inexpensive extension for me and it really helped, not having to hold all the weight up.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-121567-1.htm

callie

I can see by your machine you don't have a super amount of room to quilt and that is part of what is making it so hard. Definitely work from the middle out and roll each side as tight as you can keeping as much to the left or outside as you can. I am in amarillo, wish you were closer - I'd sure be glad to help you out. Good luck and don't give up! You are doing a beauitful job.

callie

P.S. Before I had the grace of having a friend with a long-arm, I started doing my quilts in the "quilt as you go" fashion....

justme CA

I found that I felt just as you are describing and so never do anything bigger than a baby quilt or table topper. It isn't worth it. I send out all larger quilts for machine quilting and don't do hand work ever if I can avoid it.

I have made more than forty queen sized quilts over the years.

Margie

Put some card tables or other small tables around your machine to support the extra fabric/weight of the quilt as you sew and move it. If you havent used spray basting, maybe you still can because I think it really helps to avoid puckers when moving the quilt.

Mad Mimm

I agree. I started out with baby quilts and will be doing a lap-sized and a twin-sized next. Leah Day's website also has a unique method of suspending the quilt's weight from the ceiling (using some cording and things she picked up cheap at a hardware store) to help off-set the drag that happens when a large quilt is done a home machine.

Don't give up. Take a deep breath, take as many breaks as you need and don't give up. What you are doing is akin to taking up jogging as a hobby by entering a 5k marathon. And it will be worth it when you are done! So hang in there!!!! :thumbup:

Debbie C

First, DON'T roll the quilt up - rather bunch it and, of course, you do have to keep moving it. I start at the middle and work my way out slowly. Make sure you have a gazillion pins (I do every 3-4 inches) to insure it won't shift and bunch.
It is so worth all this effort. When you get tired, walk away for a while. Please don't get discouraged.