The Quilters Thread

snoozer

Rosy,


I have used the floor for a really big quilt, I usually use a king-size bed. I don't hold the backing fabric down with anything, just smooth it out really well and the same with the batting (I use thin 100% cotton batting). I also use the gun with the tacks to hold the layers together and find it works really well so that I don't have to unpin to sew over them.


I have quilted a large quilt on an ordinary machine and it is do-able. I would say keep it as simple as you can and just scrunch, scrunch, scrunch. I did try rolling it up but found it didn't work as well as just scrunching it up.


Good luck.

System

Thanks both for your replies, I've had a look at some tutorials too and I feel a bit better about it now
I think if I tape it down to the dining table in thirds starting in the middle, and pin it, then I can use the gun when I've taken it off. I don't think I'm good enough to sew round the pins so they'll need to come out - and the basting spray sounds too good to be true :rotfl:
Might buy some at the weekend to try on smaller projects though
Thanks again for your help
Rx

RosiePuddingPaws

I'm another who has used the floor to lay out the quilt ready for basting. I don't like the guns with tacks (personal choice) but used to just work from one side to the other and pin together with safety pins.

I am really lucky at the moment as I have a long arm quilting machine (not a computerized one though), although it may have to go soon as I am thinking about moving house and doubt I would find another house with suitable space for it (it lives in one half of the garage at the moment). I must admit I hardly use it now as I had an oil leak (following the boiler being serviced) and the smell of oil is unpleasant to work in for very long. I don't do dense quilting though as I prefer a more open quilting.

Patches41048

Rosyq, another here who has used the floor when the project was too big for my work area (very easily done!) but my knees grumbled a lot so the last was done on a table but I basted the middle first and worked out. Seemed to work ok.


I might have worked out, with help ... thanks everyone, what I was doing wrong fmq, I tried again and it worked better. I may not have had the 'darning' foot on correctly??? I still need to practise though as looking back I really must unpick most of it and do it again. I know I wasn't aiming for really straight lines but it looks like I was halfway down a bottle of southern comfort doing some of this!! Still its all practise!

Patches41048

I am looking for advice on yet another project ...

I was given some silk by a friend who had it brought from India but didn't know what to do with it. It is beautiful and I have only just got up the nerve to put the cutter on it!

I want to make a cushion for her, using the silk and hand quilt the front using the trapunto method, maybe using a tree of life design.

As this was a gift and there was nothing in the bag saying what kind of silk it is I am guessing a bit on the best way to do this.

I have prepped the silk by prewashing in tepid water to preshrink it and wondered if I need special batting? Can I use a cotton backing for the quilting?

These ideas seem so good in your head but when you try to get them out it gets soooo complicated!

snoozer

patches, I've never used silk but I've just looked in a book I have on making and heirloom quilt which recommends 100% cotton batting and pre-washing.

Patches41048

snoozer wrote: »

patches, I've never used silk but I've just looked in a book I have on making and heirloom quilt which recommends 100% cotton batting and pre-washing.

Snoozer, you are a star! Thank you.


I will see what I have in the stash .. I may have to go shopping. :j

System

I'd agree with using cotton wadding - if you're going to the trouble of using silk and doing trapunto, why spoil it with polyester wadding?
It sounds like you're going to have fun
I can't do any quilting today cos I have to work! It's a hard life I'd much rather be playing with fabric :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I only have a small table to work on and I use the basting spray, it does work, very rarely use anything else now.

I lay the backing down and put the wadding on, fold it half way back and spray, check the edges and jut a teeny spray if it is not anchored. Turn it round and do the other end. Place down the top and repeat.

When I have finished I turn the whole thing over and check that the backing does not have any wrinkles in, if it has you can gently draw the backing back and reposition. Then I smooth it out with a heavy hand pressing well down so the back is as smooth as possible.

I have spray basted a quilt and put it away, gone back to it and it has still been firmly anchored. The spray base dissolves when you wash the article and does not 'gum up your needle.

If you should find you needle slightly tacky, run a cotton bud soaked in meths up and down it. Remember to switch the machine off before doing this, then dry with a non lint duster.

If you use a stick back stabiliser when doing fancy stitches you may find this does leave gum on the needle, meths is the way to go.

System

Thanks Deleted_User that's really useful
Can't wait to get to the K&S show now and get some pins and basting spray to try this out! DS quilt is spread out on the table at the moment and I don't want to move it as it's lovely and flat - looking forward to getting stuck in on Sunday
This thread is a really useful resource
Rx