JuneBillie

I thought I would ask you girls to give your input on this. I sew right now on my brother machine with the regular size neck area. It's not wider like some machines for quilting. I am getting ready to quilt on it, and do you think I can do it successfully? I have quilted by hand, and enjoy it, but I need this one done by Thanksgiving so I need to use my machine.

Also, any tips on how any of you have rolled it as you go along to be able to get it fully quilted on a regular size machine? I have it tacked down, so I won't be doing any quilt as you go, because I had to keep the top as it was made by my brother in laws grandma who raised him.

Thanks to all!

Susan

patsan

I did numerous quilts on my regular Brother machine. I just had to roll the right side to be able to fit it thru the machine. It's not super easy, but it can be done.

NZquilter

I have quilted several quilts on my small Brother machine. It can be harded with larger sized quilts. Lap quilts are the largest I don't mind quilting through the small neck space but there are quilters here who have done queen size quilts in their small DSM. First of all, how big is your quilt?

I find it easiest to quilt over all designs on larger quilts. Both of these are about 60"x80" and were quilted with a walking foot.

Peckish

I found it easier to accordion-fold rather than roll.

NZquilter

I find it easiest to "shove" and "puddle" the quilt

QuiltnNan

i don't roll, i 'puddle' it as i go

PaperPrincess

You don't need to take the top apart or split the backing to do a QAYG. Before i got my long arm, I would put the top & backing together, but cut the batting in thirds. Sandwich the first piece of batting in the center, roll the excess top & backing up to keep it out of the way. Quilt to within an inch or so of the edges of that piece of batting. Join another piece of batting on by whip stitching or using one of the fusible products made for this purpose. Quilt this section, then repeat for the other side. Rolling just the top & backing up makes a much less bulky object to get under your machine arm. As you add the other pieces of batting, you will only have 1/3 of the quilt under your machine arm at a time.

Sewnoma

I don't roll either; I "puddle" (or, I think Leah Day calls it the "smash and flatten" method) - for me that's easier than trying to deal with a roll. You'll figure out what works best for you once you get started, though.

The largest I ever quilted on a small machine was a twin size. It really wasn't bad at all. I didn't have the machine flush in a table or a supreme slider at that time, either, and I still got through it fine - in fact I was really proud of it because the quilting turned out so good! (It was maybe my 3rd quilt.) I did SITD with a walking foot.

The biggest challenge I had was that the machine I was using was too light and kept scooting away from me! I finally used heavy duty double-sided tape to stick it down to my folding table, LOL. (Hey, it was all I could find. And it worked!)

JuneBillie

I sure appreciate all of your comments.

I have quilted small things on my machine, and up to a lap quilt. This quilt is probably a twin size, because it will lay across a full size bed of mine, but no over hang at all.

Later I will be attempting to use this machine to quilt a queen size quilt on it even if I have to do the quilt as you go.

I do have two other machines that were my mother's. They are the older heavier machines. One I need to oil, etc. and I have another dad gave me after mom died in a case. I need to look it over good to see what I can do with it.

On this quilt I am just going to do simple straight lines or stitch in the ditch.

NZquilter

Susan, I would definitely look into maybe quilting on your mom's old machines. I am now quilting on a vintage singer and love it with the extra couple of inches of throat space. So much easier!!