I always thread baste, then I can off and on to the big frame or hoop at will. Long stretches and straight lines are easiest on the frame, and the roundy-roundy bits are easier in a hoop. If I've got to go somewhere, or I'm dumped in hospital again, it gets unceremoniously screwed up and stuffed in a bag, then I can work on it on the Ward, or wherever.
My question was whether to do the fiddly bits, then the filler or the other way around. I'm working inside out, and round and round rather than end to end like you would if you did it on the big frame, but with all that basting it doesn't move much. Just need to check the underneath at regular intervals.
With the Welsh quilts that works well, a North Country one would be easier side to side. But I can't get good stitches going the wrong way, I prefer top-to-bottom and right-to-left. I can wriggle for a little way away from me, but it feels all skew-iff and is sooo slow. Hence the on-again/off-again method.
But it seems from all the replies that it matters little, but I do like the idea of the quilting-out of lumps in the details. That makes sense.
Oh, it's a sort of dried plaster rose on one side and a celtic knot pattern on the reverse, with the plaster colour running through it. Hang on, may have a fotie...
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There. Nel (GQ)