Quilting technique question

I was always taught to do the marking before making the sandwich, because it is easier to draw on the single layer of fabric. It could depend on what you are marking with - if it is a chalk-based product, which is easy to erase, it is probably easier to draw with, too, and so you could mark after basting. I don't now mark my quilts at all! If I need to use a template, I'll draw it onto fine paper, pin that on (or stick it with Press 'n' Seal) and sew through. Or, if you have a pen that will dry completely and not rub off on the quilting thread, you can draw it straight onto the Press 'n' Seal. We have had several discussions on the use of Press 'n' Seal, so if you had a quick check in the archives, you would probably find something helpful.

Your question often has the 'piece of string-type' answer! . In message , John writes

Easy...don't mark! If you're going to do background feathers, do 'em freehand. Way way way easier than you think. Sketch it out on paper first to get a "feel" for the kind of feather you're doing, then put some music on and let it happen! WAAAAY more fun than 'stitch in the ditch'. I SO hate stitch-in-the-ditch, which is what I'm doing right now. I do love feathers, swirls, curlicues, McTavishing, and even in a pinch some stippling or meandering. Have I mentioned that I hate stitch-in-the-ditch?

That depends! Mostly I avoid tracing like the plague, my least favorite thing about quilting. Just plunge in, feathers are surprisingly easy (with a

*little* practice :-). OTOH, sometimes it has to be done. Several methods, depending on whether it's dark or light fabric, what sort of template I'm working from, etc. The purchased cut-out templates can be pounced, traced with a chaco liner, or traced with some kind of marker -wash-out blue, disappearing purple, chalk pencil, whatever works for you. The chalk ones are all strictly as you go, trace one and quilt it before you do the next. Obviously, this must be done on a basted sandwich. Another method I like is to quilt over Press & Seal or tissue paper, especially if using designs from a book. Again, the sandwich is already basted. Once in a blue moon, with light background fabric and an actual Plan, I might use the blue wash-out marker on an unbasted top, either tracing through a plastic template or from a paper design (use a light box). But I'd rather not! Roberta in D

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Carole D. - Retired and loving it in the foothills of NW Georgia

My quilts, crafts, QIs, and more -

Haven't tried it yet, but isn't a feather just a series of "half a heart' OR a candy cane? just draw a page full of them before you start and then a 'page full' with your SM without thread (use a set aside needle for this) change your needle and have at it.

I always thought it would be a day of practice before I could start one. So far, I haven't taken the plunge.

Butterfly (or am I making it sound easier than it really is????)

There are pros and cons to both. I often haven't decided how I'm going to quilt until I get into it. I'll baste and do the planned ditch stitching before I've completely decided how to quilt the background. So I usually end up marking after basting. It also depends on what you are using to mark. Chalk rubs off pretty easily, and on a large quilt, you probably would want to mark as you go, a section at a time as you quilt. If you are using masking tape to mark straight lines, you don't want to leave it on for longer than necessary, so again that would be mark as you go.

Julia in MN

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John wrote:

Yup, I agree. Figure out generally where you want a feather and then do it freehand. Do a little bit, stop to breathe, figure out where to go next, do a little bit more! And do some warmup feathers on a piece of scrap batting before you start on your quilt just to get in the right rhythm.

I find that the problem with marking is that I get all stressed about following the line exactly when it really doesn't matter so much.

Allison

John, I always did the tracing BEFORE sandwiching the quilt. I didn't find I lost anything in the handling.

John, try both ways on scrap sandwiches. see which one you like best. FM is just that, no pattern, etc. but it takes practice. Hand Q is relaxing, like applique. (for me anyways!)

good luck, let us know what you decide!

amy in CNY

I appreciate all the input. I have ordered a large slide on table for the Bernina and it won't be here for a couple of weeks. In the mean time, I will use the small table that slides on to the machine that came with it. This is small compared to the one I ordered so I probably will only use smaller practice pieces to get my game on with the different approaches to this free motion thing. I also just took possession of about 70 board feet of White Oak lumber which has CD case storage unit written all over it, so I don't know how much time I will have to devote to this project. Maybe a spare 1/2 hour-1 hour as the time goes by. If I get good enough at it I may build a sewing cabinet for the Bernina which has one of those height adjustment apparatus' that allow you to adjust the machine within the cabinet so that the needle plate height is level with the surrounding surface and still utilize the free arm, when needed, by jacking the machine up to the proper height. I may not have to do that if I like the large sewing extension table when it comes. Anyway, thanks for all the good ideas.

John

I'd trace *before* sandwiching, John, for the very reason you give. You will need to use some sort of pencil (or whatever) that won't degrade too much during the sandwiching, which is what leads us all on the never-ending search for the perfect marker.

You're very right, Sandy! It's a never-ending search for me too; but I got some good ideas from this thread. I loved the "pounce" thing--a chalk that does not rub off. But that limits me to stencils. I never had much luck with tracing, either. Especially with darker fabrics. I really dislike marking to quilt. It's the only thing about quilting that I don't enjoy, isn't that odd? I love to cut out, like to baste, even like the handwork. I just hate to mark quilts. Which led me to some really unimaginative quilting sometimes.

Sherry

Everybody's feathers are as different as handwriting. I think of them as sort of parabolas. The angle where they meet the spine is the important part, the rest will flow off that point. Roberta in D

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I appreciate all the input. I have ordered a large slide on table for the Bernina and it won't be here for a couple of weeks. In the mean time, I will use the small table that slides on to the machine that came with it. This is small compared to the one I ordered so I probably will only use smaller practice pieces to get my game on with the different approaches to this free motion thing. I also just took possession of about 70 board feet of White Oak lumber which has CD case storage unit written all over it, so I don't know how much time I will have to devote to this project. Maybe a spare 1/2 hour-1 hour as the time goes by. If I get good enough at it I may build a sewing cabinet for the Bernina which has one of those height adjustment apparatus' that allow you to adjust the machine within the cabinet so that the needle plate height is level with the surrounding surface and still utilize the free arm, when needed, by jacking the machine up to the proper height. I may not have to do that if I like the large sewing extension table when it comes. Anyway, thanks for all the good ideas.

John

I have to say that I do love my Bohin mechanical pencil with the different colors of skinny chalk refills available!

I have a pouncer, but I rarely have a stencil to use it with! LOL!

LOL! I don't mind cutting out, but I'm not wild about basting at all. Marking is sometimes okay -- if I can see the design well -- and sometimes painful. ;)