can a REAL QUILTER help me please?

**mema2dandk** · 02-26-2003, 02:20 PM

ok here is the problem, as many of you know i quilt but have only tied them never quilted them. well last night i decided to do it. i drove my little machine all over the quilt, was haveing so much fun thinking this isn't so bad. then i turned it over, hmmmm what a mess, i had a clump of quilt here, a clump of quilt there. so 2 hours of ripping it out i thought i better ask how to do it the right way. i don't want any thing fancy, just simple. now i will say i did this, i made my quilt the envelope way, then tried to quilt it. someone please help me. TIA

**homesteadmamma** · 02-26-2003, 02:36 PM

Here is the right way to do it.

- lay our your backing on a kitchen table (or floor). The table works better though.

- place your batting on top, making sure both backing and batting are at least 2 inches wider than your quilt.

- place your quilt top on top of that.

- From there, you need to pin your quilt, about every 5-6 inches apart. Starting from the middle and working your way out. The pinning stops the quilt top from moving and helps to keep all 3 layers in the same place.

- You then can quilt your quilt, but you'll need a walking foot for your machine or a darning foot. A walking foot will keep the quilt from bunching up and giving you all types of wrinkles and puckers. If you have a darning foot, you can do the "meandering" method but you have to drop your sewing machine teeth. As you come to each safety pin, you take it out before sewing in that spot.

Now if your just want a simple pattern, I would use "quilt in the ditch", which is using your sewing machine and your walking foot, you just outline your blocks, either right in the seams or just outside the seams. Thats the easiest way to do it. Make your sewing stitch just a bit longer than you would normally use to sew with.

Meandering all over your quilt takes lots of practice and you absolutely must have a darning foot to do it with. Its not something that you do with your first quilt. I love the effects of it though and I decided I was going to learn how to do it, so made a couple of pot holders and practiced on them first.

HTH - if you have any other questions, just ask.

**Missy** · 02-26-2003, 03:42 PM

the few I have done, I have used " stitch in the ditch" Stitching in the seams. I have not done meandering yet, but will try some day.After basting or pinning the quilt, I have found that for me, it works out best if i start in the center and work my way out to the sides. I don't know why, but it eliminates a lot of the clumping and puckering on either side. Hope that helps.

**mema2dandk** · 02-26-2003, 04:18 PM

thanks so much. i am going to go buy a foot tonight. i NEVER would have thought that the thing had to be pinned. hmmm, goes back to reading directions, or asking, what a pain in the butt to rip out. thanks again

**mema2dandk** · 02-26-2003, 04:20 PM

coul the fact that i used the envelope made a difference?

**mema2dandk** · 02-26-2003, 05:15 PM

ok another question, am i right in thinking you don't sew it together you quilt it all? before you do the binding? oh maybe i should stick with tieing. lol

**homesteadmamma** · 02-26-2003, 07:10 PM

Envelope?????

Thats right, you quilt the quilt and you do it before you put your binding on.

You can't just sew the 3 layers together, it doesn't work.

HTH

**mema2dandk** · 02-27-2003, 06:03 AM

envelope is what you do if you are going to tie it. i guess some might call it turning it right side out. lol i had it all done then tried to go back and quilt it.

**mema2dandk** · 02-27-2003, 06:07 AM

cj, i think an envelope is what they call it when you don't have a binding? you turn it right side out after sewing it, then all you have is a corner to sew. i ahd my quilt al sewn then went back and tried to quilt it.