What have you gotten sewn so far?

[karen f.]

Wow! Thanks for all the info Margo :lol: :lol: Reading your posts is as good as taking a class :lol: Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
Great info!!
Shirley, I will look for your quilt on the first smilebox, I am sure it is great though !
Barbara
Bluffton,SC

[Wendy P.]

Margo - Quick question regarding pin basting. Do you prefer pin basting to spray basting? If so, why?

I'd love to try the bias design on my medallion quilt but fear has me in its grips!

Wendy

[Margo C.]

Wendy, if you like the diagonal design I really hope you will go for it! Just be careful not to stretch the fabric as you sew, and do more than the minimum quilting! If I were doing this, I would definitely choose the diagonal lines and would stitch along every natural division.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

I have never spray basted a quilt, so I can't say how it works for me, but a lot of people really do like it. I have always pin basted quilts that I finish on my domestic machine by taping the backing securely to the vinyl floor in my sewing room., smoothing out the batting (which I have tumbled in a hot dryer for a few minutes with a wet hand towel to remove the wrinkles) and pin basted close enough that I can't put my hand anywhere on the quilt without touching at least 2 pins. I did it this way for years, but now I mostly quilt with my long-arm, so I don't often get on the floor for that process any more.

Did you know that a long-armer can baste your quilt for you? Ask him/her to stitch horizontal basting lines about 4" apart with VANISH thread, and when you wash it those stitching lines will all just disappear! No worry about shifting and no pins to deal with!

[Lois B.]

This discussion about quilting on the bias has been so enlightening to me. I have sewn all my life, mostly clothing, and I am well aware of how bias can help or hinder good fit. Being new to machine quilting it never even occurred to me that I'd need to be careful about quilting on the bias. I am wondering if you could stabilize a medallion quilt on a domestic machine with a dual feed walking foot using water soluble thread on the straight of grain. Would that help prevent stretching if you would then do the quilting on the bias? Lois

[Margo C.]

Lois, when I am only stitching on the bias, I am just extra careful about pin basting before I start quilting and seldom have a problem.
Just like any straight line sewing, be aware that if all of the seams are sewn in the same direction, there is a chance that distortion or stretching may occur. An even feed foot, or a walking foot will help minimize that.
When I sew a diagonal grid, I usually stitch about 1/3 of the lines in one direction to stabilize the area, then stitch 1/3 of the cross lines.
After that is done I go back and fill in the rest of the lines. It helps to keep the density of the quilt even at every stage of the quilting.

[Patti P.]

I'm so happy to read this discussion. You may remember I made Edyta's Medallion quilt (posted in gallery). I'm starting to quilt it this weekend & was going to use little spirals in diagonal on each quadrant. But I've been embroidering everyone's name on the back in an Ocean Waves pattern & am considering doing the spirals row on top row for more cohesion on the back. Here's a peak of the back. You can double click on the picture to make it bigger.

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[Margo C.]

WOW!! Patti that is amazing! Have you considered making two completely separate quilts? Both sides are certainly worthy to stand alone!

[Patti P.]

Yes a blue Ocean Waves quilt is in my future. I wanted to put all the participant names on the back of the Medallion Quilt & pictures of the TQS star & Rosemary's sorting hats. Alas 2 things stopping those plans. My unreliable printer would not print a good picture. I've been doing printing on fabric for years, so I went thru alot of ink trying. Also in August, I had already been embroidering all summer & concluded I'd never make the deadline when it was Dec 31. So I had been embroidering the names that I got squares from first, anticipating this bump. So as always in quilting, you make it work! I absolutely love piecing even though this kind of piecing is extremely time consuming. Can you guess why I've done a whole lot less practicing drawing & free motion sewing in the last 2 months? But gonna test what skills I've gotten so far on this quilt & a baby quilt needed for February (readers- I also have been getting the tutelege expertise this year from Margo on FM sewing - worth more than gold!). BTW Margo you also joined Edyta., Alex & Ricky as my center of the Medallion on the front & my block of honor (unfortunately withlots of wonky embroidering) on the back.

[Patti P.]

Wow Patti! That quilt is really going to be a treasure.

[Terry K.]

Wow is so right, Patti!!! That back is such a treasure; I agree with Margo that it deserves star status as a front!

[Wendy P.]

Patti - Applause, applause - what a wonderful plan!
Wendy

[Patti P.]

Thanks everyone. Happy Thanksgiving.

[Dawn S.]

Patti, I am impressed! That is a true labor of love! Nicely done!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Dawn S.]

Dear Patti;

Boy, when it works it works! You sure can tell! BE-YOU-TI-FUL !! Boy, I wish the front of some of my quilts looked as good as what you are putting on the back of yours!! WhewWho :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[karen f.]

Looks terrific Patti! Did you have to program every single name in your machine separately? Wow.