Quilters - quilting Q

[Michelle]

I have only made a few quilt tops and I send them to a professional long arm quilter to quilt the tops and backing. I was wondering if any of you quilt on your regular machine? My close friend was just diagnosed with cancer so I am working on a jelly roll race quilt for her and would like to get it to her before she starts chemo. I am not sure if my long arm contact is available in my time frame as she has been in the hospital herself recently.

I was thinking I might just do straight line quilting since it is a strip anyway?

Suggestions?

Thanks!

[schrodinger]

I do my own free motion quilting, it's probably my favorite part of the quilting process. I think doing basic straight stitching would look fine on a jelly roll quilt and be easy to do in a short time period. If you want to get fancy, FMQ feet are pretty cheap and there are tons of resources online. I save all my batting scraps and make mini sandwiches out of cheap muslin to practice new stitches. Doing a large-scale, all over pattern would probably be as quick as basic straight lines with a walking foot.

[aprilsails]

I always quilt my own and generally stick with straight or slightly wavy quilting done with a walking foot. I've done quilts up to double bed sized this way.

I watched Jacquie Gehring's Craftsy class on walking foot quilting and I use a lot of her techniques. It's definitely easiest if you have a large quilt to set up at the end of a long table like a dining table to support the weight of the quilt roll.

A walking foot is required to prevent excess puckering. I like doing slightly wavy lines best since it goes fast and I can not be a perfectionist, but a strip quilt is perfect for keeping your lines straight and having a visual guide.

You're a very nice friend to put this together so quickly! I'm certain it will be a lovely gift!

[Michelle]

Jan 9, 2017 12:15:44 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I always quilt my own and generally stick with straight or slightly wavy quilting done with a walking foot. I've done quilts up to double bed sized this way.

I watched Jacquie Gehring's Craftsy class on walking foot quilting and I use a lot of her techniques. It's definitely easiest if you have a large quilt to set up at the end of a long table like a dining table to support the weight of the quilt roll.

A walking foot is required to prevent excess puckering. I like doing slightly wavy lines best since it goes fast and I can not be a perfectionist, but a strip quilt is perfect for keeping your lines straight and having a visual guide.

You're a very nice friend to put this together so quickly! I'm certain it will be a lovely gift!

It helps me focus instead of crying my eyes out. It's as much for me as her. Cue the water works.

[aprilsails]

Jan 9, 2017 18:29:04 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Jan 9, 2017 12:15:44 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I always quilt my own and generally stick with straight or slightly wavy quilting done with a walking foot. I've done quilts up to double bed sized this way.

I watched Jacquie Gehring's Craftsy class on walking foot quilting and I use a lot of her techniques. It's definitely easiest if you have a large quilt to set up at the end of a long table like a dining table to support the weight of the quilt roll.

A walking foot is required to prevent excess puckering. I like doing slightly wavy lines best since it goes fast and I can not be a perfectionist, but a strip quilt is perfect for keeping your lines straight and having a visual guide.

You're a very nice friend to put this together so quickly! I'm certain it will be a lovely gift!

It helps me focus instead of crying my eyes out. It's as much for me as her. Cue the water works.

I find quilting meditative and calming also. It definitely helps me during difficult times.

[mrspez07]

I've done all but 1 of my quilts on my own machine. I actually need a new walking foot before doing another. Mine have all been baby or lap size though. I do straight lines and did do a few small stars as an accent by dropping the needle and rotating. Pin the quilt well first and go from there. I've had some puckering on the back but tend to use dark flannel cotton so it's not as noticeable.
Totally doable!

[Michelle]

Here is the quilt top. Backing should go fast and then my long arm quilter said she is available.

it is literally a race quilt to get it ready before she starts chemo. She likes greens and modern prints so I hope she likes
it.

[Michelle]

Jan 14, 2017 22:42:35 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Here is the quilt top. (Jelly roll race quilt). Backing should go fast and then my long arm quilter said she is available.

it is literally a race quilt to get it ready before she starts chemo. She likes greens and modern prints so I hope she likes
it.View Attachment

Eta the instructions I followed were supposed to help prevent pooling of colors but I think it did the exact thing it was trying to prevent.

:/

[mssaint]

Oh, that's pretty! I did one and it didn't look as nice as that--I ended up tearing it apart and making something else out of the strips.

I quilt my own but the biggest I've made was just under twin size. I do free motion quilting meanders/stippling. It's very fast and I find it very easy.

[aprilsails]

Jan 15, 2017 0:04:20 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Jan 14, 2017 22:42:35 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Here is the quilt top. (Jelly roll race quilt). Backing should go fast and then my long arm quilter said she is available.

it is literally a race quilt to get it ready before she starts chemo. She likes greens and modern prints so I hope she likes
it.View Attachment

Eta the instructions I followed were supposed to help prevent pooling of colors but I think it did the exact thing it was trying to prevent.

:/

I like the pooling of colours. Since they are even it looks intentional and like a design feature. Besides, if she's into modern fabric that looks like a modern quilt esthetic which she will enjoy! Nicely done!

I will suggest you maybe try your own quilting sometime in the future. I love doing free motion on baby quilts and smaller, and straight line quilting on anything larger. You gain the skills quickly and it is much easier on my pocketbook!