Beginner quilting a large quilt?

[BETH F.]

I am a new quilter and would like to make a queen quilt. What is the easiest way to quilt it?

[Nancy R.]

By credit card :lol: :lol: Sorry, I couldn't resist...

The first quilt I ever quilted was a king size. I didn't know that was supposed to be really hard, so it really wasn't bad. So, first think positive thoughts. To make the quilting a bit easier, use a thinner batting to reduce the bulk, if that will still give you the look you want. Also, I find that cotton battings grab the quilt top fabric better than other kinds of batting, so they can make for a bit easier quilting. At least for me. Also, baste the quilt well. If you are pin basting, you want to balance out having sufficient basting with the weight and bulk that the pins add to the quilt, so don't go overboard. (I once told a friend that you couldn't overpin a quilt and then saw that she was pinning every inch or less. That's when I realized that you CAN overpin!) Lastly, if you can, use a quilt design that you can complete in smaller sections. That allows you to not have to move the quilt as much and also allows you to feel like you are making progress with each motif that you finish. My first quilt was a rail fence and I quilting a freehand flower in each square and that felt really good while I was doing it.

There are as many opinions about what is easiest as there are people out there, so listen to the advice and follow the pieces that make the most sense to you.

Hope that helps!

Nancy

[Rita C.]

Hi SONCLUB and welcome to the forum. If you are new to quilting are you sure you want to start with a queen size quilt? Like Nancy, my first one was a King Size quilt and it was a monster to quilt. But if you must begin with a queen size then I suggest that you do what Cindy Needham would suggest which is to quilt in the ditch 'every stinkin' seam' to begin with and after that you have already stabilized the quilt all over so then you would only be working in blocks. (That is if the quilt is in blocks.) Photos always help us to give better ideas as to what would work and what wouldn't.

[Lotti D.]

I was certain there was a lesson by Sharon Pederson where she shows how she quilts her quilts in blocks and then assembles the blocks into full sized quilts, but can't find it in the classroom anymore...
But, be sure to check out Sharon's tips and tricks in the classroom section. learn/classrooms/
And the all the tips, lessons and ideas that Margo Clabo gives are also absolutely and totally invaluable: learn/classrooms/
As are so many of the lessons you will find here

[Susan B.]

Bite-sized Piecing under the Bernina videos, shows how to quilt a block at a time and then attach the blocks. If you like this style, it is easy to do, especially on a home sewing machine.

The biggest concern with quilting a large quilt is that you have to have support on the left side and on the back of the machine. Easiest with a cabinet, this can be done with portable plastic tables.

"Quilting by credit card" means paying a long-armer to quilt it. It's not a bad option while you learn to quilt smaller projects on your machine, and if the price doesn't put you off.

I agree with Rita, that after the basting is done, ditch quilt Every Stinking Seam. Your quilt will look more polished.

[Susan B.]

I just did a full sized quilt, was the 2nd thing I have quilted on my home machine. Some things I learned that helped me....

--definitely to the stitch in the ditch like they say. That helped so much, even though it was slow and with not much to show for it, I didn't have to worry about the quilt shifting around after that.

--I used just simple straight line quilting for the most part, with the walking foot, which helped a ton. I used a decorative stitch to add visual interest instead of "just" straight lines.

--play around with how to support the quilt -- books, etc. to make the surface on the left and back even with the machine, so the weight of the quilt is not sagging down and pulling the quilt as it goes through the machine. But then play around with how to hold the quilt, how to smush up the part that goes in the neck -- will you roll it? Accordion it? Hand under the excess? hand holding the roll? The excess to the left, over your shoulder? hanging down onto the floor? Over your arm? It took me a few passes and trying different ways to figure out/find the best way of holding & manuevering the quilt that was most comfortable for me. Even things like when the excess is all in your lap, and as you move the quilt through, don't forget to scoot your chair in closer as you gain more room.

--Don't be afraid to do free motion stuff in small sections. I did very basic free motion (I was outlining a comic strip drawn by my son, so just straight lines but in different directions) in the central blocks. Once I got the hang of moving that heavy quilt it was easy and fun, and did feel like it went faster because it was visible progress.

--I did read something on a blog, but haven't tried it yet, where she makes the full quilt top and back, but puts the batting in as thirds since you have to usually piece the batting anyway. So, say you are doing all horizontal straight line quilting; she cuts a batting long enough to go the width of the quilt, puts that (and bastes it in) in the middle horizontal section of the quilt, quilts all that (first the stitch in the ditch, then the quilting) and *then* puts the next piece of batting; she secures the batting to each other with that batting tape/sewing thingy and then bastes the top/bottom to that section of batting and then quilts. And so on until done. This way, the excess quilt is just top/back, not batting layer, so much less bulk and weight.

I haven't done it that way yet, but plan to on my next quilt. here is a link with helpful info, including explanation on the quilting in thirds bit; I can't seem to find the blog I read which had pictures, but this explains it very well.

http://www.quiltuniversity.com/batting_a_quilt.htm

Have fun!

[Susan B.]

--I did read something on a blog,... where she makes the full quilt top and back, but puts the batting in as thirds since you have to usually piece the batting anyway.
http://www.quiltuniversity.com/batting_a_quilt.htm

Have fun!

Mari Michell has a book called Machine Quilting in Sections which may help.
There are some for sale in used books on Amazon.

http://tinyurl.com/d2kvhee

[Susan B.]

I agree with what everyone else has said. First and foremost, baste to your hearts content. I use Sharon Schambers method with the boards and it workds really well. Next main thing is to support the quilt. I have plenty of table room to the left and back, but I also add extra support directly to my left by pulling out the drawer. I have piece of cardboard that covers the drawer contents and i can rest the extra bulk on that. With the machine I have tried a few different ways and like Ricky's method of accordian and then "tunneling" the fabric over your right hand. Start quilting in the center of the quilt and work you way out to the edge. Think of the quilt in quarters and like stated earlier work with what's right infront of you then move to another section towards the outer edge. Put on some good music and maybe have a glass of wine to help you relax. Take breaks every 20-30 minutes. Get up walk around stretch, or whatever. oh, what I also liked was to either use machingers, or that stuff tellers use to grip money. You can find it in office supply stores and is really cheap. I tried that Halo thing from Sharon but didn't like it. Well that's about $.50 worth of advise. Good luck.

[Susan B.]

petsy's blog has a good suggestions how to quilt a big quilt (in quarters)- see her video- she show how to devide the quilt to area's and the direction of each area - that makes a world of a difference!

sharon schamber suggests after basting with 2 wooden bar you can quilt from the top to bottom (that is in domestic machine!!! )

what you use as badding makes a difference (volume)

i use Geta quilter from Romania method of quilting - your hand is in differnt position! then usual - i feel more in control, in addition i dont mark my quilt but put on it some papers with printed quilting pattern so i follow the lines.

if you need more information please let me know. success