I am starting a lapquilt that will have directional quilting, meaning left to right or top to bottom. I know you are supposed to start in the center of the quilt, and I might still do that, but... what is you were to start at a side and work to the middle, then start the other side and work to the middle. I will be doing loop de loops.
Also, has anybody found that after FMQ for awhile, it is hard to start piecing "accurately" ?
Zimmy in sunshiny midwest
If you can go from top to bottom (with you directional design) then I suggest you start in the centre of the top and go down to the bottom; then, if your design is columnar, you could move towards one die and do the next alternate column as far as one side. Then back to the middle and go from the top to the bottom, again alternate columns. The turn the whole quilt round and work the columns in between from the bottom to the top. That should give you a nice even distribution, density and direction.
Would that work?
I don't think I have ever gone straight back to piecing after doing some quilting! I almost always (or even 'always'?) have a rest between pieces. . In message , Zimmy writes
Start in the middle and work to one side. Then turn it around and work to the other side. But you are certainly allowed to begin the stitching line at the top (or bottom) edge. Even better if you can alternate the direction with every row, but that's not always possible. So best use a walking foot. (I do hope we are talking about the same thing!)
Hmm -I never found that FMQ >I am starting a lapquilt that will have directional quilting, meaning
Hi, Zimmy, and welcome to rctq!
Well, it's *your* quilt and you can do anything you want to do to it! If your quilt sandwich is very well basted with absolutely no wrinkles and perfectly smooth you should be fine.
BUT... few of us are that perfect. VBG The reason you are advised to start in the middle and work your way out (checking the back side periodically for any folds/pleats or problems with the tension, thread, etc.) is that you can smooth any excess fabric to the sides or adjust the sandwich as you go- if necessary.
Many folks start with quilting a grid pattern over the entire quilt and then fill it in with additional quilting. (The grid would be- possibly- quilting in the ditch on the sides of each block or something- it's not a secondary basting so it needs to be planned to fit into the overall quilting scheme.) The grid will secure the layers and the added benefit is that you can remove most of the basting or pins- and that makes it a bit easier to quilt.
Good luck with your project!
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
Zimmy, unless you have *really* basted well or have a guardian angel, quilting toward the middle that way can easily lead to puckers in your backing. For the sake of keeping things easy, I'd work from the center (or close to it) to the edge that started out under the harp of the machine.
Second question: nope. FMQ and piecing are so entirely different -- feed dogs up vs. down, straight lines vs. curves, etc. -- that the two don't seem to conflict. That's my experience, though, and YMMV.
Good luck! :)
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.