Where to start quilting if you are doing an all over design?

[Cath P.]

I want to do a practice quilt but wonder how to start. Or rather where to start.

[Teri L.]

General rule: start in the center and work your way out.
If I spray baste then run a line of long basting stitches through the center of the quilt vertically and horizontally i can start stitching anywhere.

Have fun!

[Margo C.]

All over designs are easier to do on a long arm machine than on a domestic because you can see where you've been and where you are going.
If I were going to attempt an all-over design on a domestic machine, I would draw the entire design on the quilt top before I layered my quilt sandwich.

If you are just interested in practicing machine quilting, it would probably be easier to just divide the quilt into manageable units and quilt each one with a different motif. The "turning twenty" quilts are great for this kind of practice. Just assemble the quilt top and quilt each block differently.

Something like this: (click on the photo for a closer view)

[Kathryn S.]

Hi Jan, I quilt on a domestic machine. I always safety pin baste, which clearly shows where I haven't quilted yet!
If doing an allover design, I often use water soluble thread and sew lines of basting in a loose grid up and down, and back and forth. They don't need to be closer than 8-12 inches. That will stabilize the quilt more because allover designs can distort things some.
I start in the middle more or less, and work outwards toward one side. Once the middle is quilted it's all easier and just a matter of going whatever direction is not quilted yet. Have fun!
Kathy