Need some help with this quilting question?
Question:Somebody posted this on my message board and I don't know the answer. Is posted here under ask the experts in Quilting help at www.mommyandmimi.com/forum
Here is the question they are asking:
i love making quilt tops, but im scared of quilting...i can handle it for small pieces and such. if i wanted to do a twin bed size, or queen.does anyone have any advice? im no where near ready to quilt this piece, but im getting very anxious about that step...i only want to do a stitch in the ditch thing, to really showcase the squares im doing...idk...any help would be VERY much appreciated!
Answers:
If your machine has a very small space under the arm, then you might not want to try a queen size quilt. You need to be able to bunch up half of the quilt in that space, and still have enough room to move it under the needle. If you have a larger space, it will be possible, but still fairly challenging for larger quilts. The sewing machine should be on a table with a large space behind and to the left. Use a couple of folding tables, if necessary. This is where the weight of the quilt will rest. Push the table into a corner so the quilt will not slide off the back or left side. Drape the excess fabric in front of the machine over your shoulder to manage the rest of it. The slipperier you can make the bed of your machine, the easier it will be to slide the quilt around. There are several products that are made to stick to the bed of the machine and provide a slippery surface.
You can quilt smaller sections and then join them together. This makes it much easier to quilt. There are several instruction books out that discuss different methods. I like "Divide and Conquer" by Nancy Smith and Lynda Milligan. You don't have to do each block separately - you can do strips, center sections, or even quarters, depending on how your quilt is designed.
There are many quilters out there willing to do that step for you. Some people prefer the quilting process to the piecing process. The cost varies depending on location, size, and complexity. Ask at your local quilt shop, or check the ads in the back of quilting magazines. There are both hand and machine quilters offering their services.
Stitch in the ditch is about the best bet if you don't want to put the quilt on a frame and do it by hand. You might also consider taking the quilt to a professional who has a quilt machine and they can do a pattern or do it freehand. It will cost you some money but may alleviate your fears...you could also consider tying the quilt in close proximity sometimes it can look okay. I don't like to hand quilt at all and prefer doing it on my machine as much as possible. I have done a lot of quilting free hand on my machine and then put the pieces together..it turned out great.
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