Not really a quilt - help

[Mona C.]

Making a banner for a friend to use in a fancy dress parade -
Its a metre square in ecru which I appliqued on local "things" which had been photocopied on to cotton sheets

I plan to surround the pictures with the decorative stitches on my sewing machine - enhance the pictures
and maybe look like it was all sewn including pictures - an impression of it really

my problem - do I decorate with all the stitches before I layer with batting and backing and then quilt ??
or do I put the batting in and then fill up with decorative stitches as holding layers together not quilting stitches
which might not be needed
No time for it all to go wrong and redo, my inclincation is to layer then decorate
Would it work??
Back not important probably will be covered with other notices in card

[Nancy R.]

I would probably layer, then decorate. If it's a banner, you'll want a lot of quilting to keep it stable, so that'll help. But you'll want the quilting to be fairly evenly distributed, so if you have some small areas that would have a lot more stitching than the rest of the quilt, you might want to do those before sandwiching.
'

[Nancy R.]

For a banner of this size quilting is not strictly necessary. However some quilting just around the motifs of the embroidery can enhance the look of them. I would suggest doing the embroidery first - probably with an extra layer of muslin underneath if parts of it are going to be densely stitched. All banners I have seen do not have quilting detail showing through to the back lining. Then construct the layers, this can be done at least 2 ways that I can think of,

1) mostly hand work - lay out the 'top' face down on a table, cut your stabiliser/batting to finished size and place in position. Th top needs to be a good 1.5 inches larger all around (more is good). Fold in the edges, pin,then herringbone stitch in place. Mitre fold the corners. then take your backing/lining, centre it up, fold in the seam allowances so that they are just short of the edge (1/16"-1/8"), pin from the centres to the corners and work from opposite sides evenly so that it is laying flat. Stitch together, using slip stitch or ladder stitch. If doing it this way, you could incorporate a hanging sleeve under the lining.

2) Mostly machine work - Lay out the backing right side up. Lay out the 'top' right side down on top of it. lay out the stabiliser/batting on top of the 'top' smoothing as you go. Pin it together around the edges. Machine together leaving a 6"-8"gap (at the top would be least noticeable in this case). Trim the batting only close to the stitching line. Fold the corners neatly and turn it through, 'roll' the edges between your fingers, so that they are neat & the seam is on the edge - you could press it at this stage. Machine edge stitch it all the way around. The sort out your hanging sleeve.

If the banner is going to be hung by tabs these will need to be added before the lining is stitched into place.

Hope you show us the finished piece

[Mona C.]

Never thought of your method 2) for joining layers - it saves a binding too mmm mm..?? what to do...
oh dear.

It occurs to me for another project making a book - both these methods are ideal , glad you posted them
Cannot show my effort until after the fancy dress parade in June -

[Mona C.]

Yes I agree all the stitching would add weight- thanks for taking the trouble to reply.
I will think of these two replies for a couple days before deciding - then go for it thanks

[Mona C.]

The second method is know as 'bagging out' ideally you will try and have the lining a fraction smaller - say 1/8" in each direction, then when it is hanging ,it won't droop and show along the bottom edge. Prewashing the fabrics will also help. Which ever method you use, a table large enough to lay it out flat on makes it so much easier. (helped my Mum put together an alter frontal some years ago, so I have some experience in this)

[Jules M.]

I am just seeing your thread and am curious how the banner for the parade turned out! :cheer:

I liked the ideas of decorative stitching w/ muslin if needed and then layering. Cutting the lining/backing 1/8" smaller on every side is brilliant.

If you are able to post a photo, I'd love to see it.

[Mona C.]

Forgot I did not get back to add the picture which turned out well- just made it like a small quilt

[Mona C.]

do you want to know the story behind it? - Local parade, topic local. which is - Council passed the propose to spend 3million I think to make a building to hold the famous new Scottish Tapestry - to be repaid over I dont know 70 years maybe. The councillor proposing is said to quote * if other councillors did not agree they had "tumshie heids" scottish for Turnip heads!
picked up as amusing . Many local voters thought the money could be better spent in the Region not that we all do noy like the new Scottish Tapestry which is amazing - google it. My brother is famous for entering a local topic thing in the parade , thanks to his wife sewing and me this year making the banner.

[Jules M.]

I'm glad you shared the story too!

I like your quilted banner. It looks like you figured it out just fine. It is flat and not ripply as well as lovely quilting around your designs. (applause)