tellabella

I have been asked by customer to make a bedspread for her bed...has anyone done this on the longarm...I have done a little experimenting....I would not be using 100% cotton but 54 inch wide decorator fabric...polyester...a little shine...slippery...and something similar on the back ad I don't like the ideas of the muslin...am using a green...olive - y tan thread on top so want to use the same thread on back and didn't like the idea of dark thread on muslin back so I found a similar colour fabric
fabric on clearance...
i did a little sample and fabric seems to bunch slightly...
any advice from experience with this type of project would be appreciated...

Prism99

Is there a difference between longarming a quilt and longarming a bedspread? Since you have a longarm, I am assuming you know how to longarm so I'm not quite sure what you are asking.......

ckcowl

I also am a little confused by your post what exactly your question is---and not sure how your practice piece is "Bunching" but it could be a tension issue- you might want to loosen the top tension a tad & see if that helps. I've quilted projects using some home-dec fabrics in the past and not had any problems- it's the same (for me) as quilting any quilt- choose the thread and needle that's right for the project- get the tension right & quilt away...if there is some other *question* , issue you are having please re-post & let us know we may be able to further assist- if we know what the issues are.

PaperPrincess

I'm also confused a bit by the 'bedspread'. It sounds like you are actually making a whole cloth quilt out of home dec fabric?
Are you using batting?
First of all, why aren't you using muslin (or wide cotton backing) on the back? You said the top fabric is slippery and you are using something similar on the back. I think it would slide right off the bed. If you are not using batting, a cotton fabric would go a long way to stabilize the project.
As the other posters said, please give us a bit more info.
Sounds like an interesting project!!

tellabella

Ok folks...sorry...I guess I was not too clear....i have never quilted using decorator fabric before so I was wondering if there was anything I should do differently...So yes, it is like a wholecloth quilt using decorator fabric...

i am not using cotton muslin on the back because the customer wants reversible...I never considered slipping off the bed?? But I am hoping this won't be a prob since bedspread is going right to the floor.... today I prepared backing and top...using two widths of fabric...side seams...no problem.
I am using batt...polyester bat...you know the white puffy stuff...about 1/2 thickness...and I have never used this before...she does not want it thin like a quilt...so I bought this...

now I am going to load it and quilt away....hoping it will all work out..

peacefulquilting

I've tried to quilt a reversible quilt only once; as it turns out, I ended up sewing a few small pleats on the back. It's not as easy or as much fun as it sounds . . . .

Tashana

From my experience, which is not that big, I think you can do it. Make sure to match the needle to the fabric and than tread to the needle. I would go with poly thread because it is often stronger than cotton. Check you bobbin and your top tension as well! If you need more info on tension the HQ has a great video called TNT -Threads, Needles, Tension. The reason why I said match your needle to the fabric is because the deco fabric is stiffer and quite a bit thicker than quilting cotton. I have worked with a really puffy batting, and I am not a big fan. The quilting looked great, but it was a challenge. Using a double batting would make that bedspread way too heavy. if your client would pay for it, i heard that wool batting behaves very nice when quilted. i have not tried it yet. Good luck!