Making the sandwich: IMO safety pin basting is easier because you can slip
the pins out just before you come to them. As you gain more experience, you
will be able to place the pins in spots where you don't plan to stitch. But
use lots of pins. Start with twice as many as you think you need.

I normally hang up a finished top and look at it for a long time to decide
on a quilt design. That's really the hardest part! Can't help you too much
there. Ecery quilt's different.

But let's say you have blocks with sashing and a border. I would start with
an all-over grid, possibly SITD down each side of the sashing strips. Start
with a middle strip, stitch from one end to the other. Work out to one side,
turn the quilt around and work out to the other side. Then turn sideways and
do the same for sashing going in the other direction. Then I would
completely quilt the border. Sew on the binding and trim away excess batting
and backing. The final step is something attractive in each block, either
outlining the design or some kind of medallion. And more stitching in the
sashing if needed. The idea is to quilt about the same density over the
whole surface.

Start with a smaller project, like a WH, that doesn't need a lot of control.
Don't try bed-size until you feel comfortable. And do lots of practice
pieces until you like the way your stitches look. Everybody has a
comfortable normal sewing speed at the machine, and you will develop a sense
of how fast you need to move the fabric with your hands to keep pace with
the needle.

I don't like to roll the quilt because it turns stiff and unwieldy. YMMD I
have quilted up to queen size, and so far never had one that couldn't be
mooshed through the harp. Remember, only about half the width needs to go
through that space. You are fine as long as the little piece you need to sew
on next is clear, and the rest you don't need to worry about! Make sure you
have tables to the left and behind the machine to take the weight of the
piece.
Roberta in D

"~KK in BC~" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1oPIe.171419$9A2.126409@edtnps89...
I need HELP. I have never actually MQ'd anything. I have done SITD and I
have tied and I have done QAYG but never have been able to quite figure out
where to start and how to do it and what is the easy way and how to develop
a technique for any kind of MQing.

What I need and cannot find anywhere is a step by step from the sandwich
to the stitching to the finishing of how to do this.

How do you get yourself in order to MQ? What steps do you take? How do you
tame the beast roll the thing, do small parts, etc? Since everyone has a
different way of attacking this I thought maybe some of us could benefit
from your helpful ideas and tips for this?

~KK in BC~ who is willing to bite off a new chew in the quilting world

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