bkb

I made a quilt top 108x108 in size. I would like to quilt it on my "regular" sewing machine--if possible. Has any one done one this size? Tips and suggestions or direct orders are welcomed.

Ditter43

I just did one almost that big. I am sold on quilt basting spray..505 is my fav so far. With the spray the layers stay together so well the quilting goes so much easier.
I always start in the middle and work my way out and around. You should never have more then half of it in the neck of the machine. Keep a large area around you to work in. Your ironing board works well here on your left side.
Just take your time and relax.
Of coarse I always make a practice run first to check the stitching and practice my quilting.

Ditter

Marcia

When I am quilting on my (short arm) machine, I quilt any horizontal or vertical lines in the quilt that will help stabilize (usually they are in the ditch). Then I can quilt any block I want to, knowing the my backing is not going to shift.

Oklahoma Suzie

Yes, I too would start in the middle.

sewcrafty

I've not done that size, but I do agree to always start in the middle and work your way out. Makes it a lot easier. I purchased years ago some like round clamps that go around my unquilted area to help in keeping everything together.

susiequilt

I have heard of a technique where you cut the batting in 3rds.
Place one piece of batting in the sandwich in the center of the top and bottom and quilt that. Makes it easier to just have to get fabric top and bottom under the arm.
After quilting that to with an inch of the end of the batting then take it off the machine and butt up the next piece of batting to the batting already quilted and make a sandwich there and quilt that then do the same for the last piece of batting. Adhesive spray would be a big help.

I'm going to try it someday but it sounds doable for my short arm machine.

Prism99

To clarify, I'm hoping people understand that starting in the middle when machine quilting means starting at the middle "of an edge" and working your way to the other edge. If you start all your lines in the smack-dab center of the quilt, you will have a zillion thread ends to hand-bury later on.

When hand quilting, you start in the center of the quilt and work out to the edges.

When machine quilting, you start at an edge and work your way to another edge, so starts and stops are buried in the binding. It's best for the first line to cross the center going one direction (say, top to bottom) and the second line to cross the center going the other way (say, side to side). You then work your way out from those lines.

In both cases, working from the middle stabilizes the quilt and moves any excess fabric to the edges. (Working from the edges towards the center can trap excess fabric in the middle, where it has nowhere to go).

bkb

Thanks for all of the ideas on how to do it. now to figure out which one to do! This quilt is Dale Earnhardt and I am not a nascar fan. I have quilted crib size on my machine but nothing larger. I made Will a boyscout quilt for Christmas, had it quilted at a shop and decided then I really really want my own longarm.

bstanbro

I've never tried it, but I know two people who did. Each said this about it: "Never again."

skpkatydid

Thanks for your description of the process. It is the clearest explanation that I have seen. I have been afraid to tackle machine quilting because I was unsure of how to go about the process. Visualizing the large cross helps tremendously.