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Loaded my first quilt, now what?


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hi, I'm a new lenni owner, and have been doing sample projects for the past month. But now ready to quilt my first quilt. I use leader grips and float my top. I have it all loaded, not sure if I'm more nervous or excited! My question is can I move around to different areas of the quilt or do I start at the top and work down. I'd like to do the borders last if possible, and I have a couple of areas in the centre of quilt that I would like to start first? Any help would be very much appreciated, thanks!

Gail

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Gail

You are the boss. Do whatever works for you. It might help you if you baste or pin the areas you are not quilting before you advance the rollers. Some people will do all the quilting that uses the same thread and then go back and change thread and do all with that thread and repeat. I know Brenda likes to start at the top and work her way down regardless of how many thread changes. And sometimes we move the quilt from machine to machine, she prefers to freehand on the Millie if there is a lot to do. Just go for it and you will find your comfort level.

Nigel

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I learned the hard way that when you want to start in the center and work out, you must baste everything above pretty well before rolling it.  At least around the edges and across in one or two places horizontally (parallel to the rollers).  I usually stitch baste the edges and pin across the middle.  Do this with each section before you get to where you want to quilt.  

 

Too little basting leads to a saggy bottom....that's the quilt bottom, not mine :lol:  :lol:

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I echo everyone's great advice. I pin-baste like crazy when I need to advance and leave an area unquilted.

 

Some advice if you're planning to leave the borders for last, especially the first border---pin the edge every two inches, SID or pin the first seam the same, and pin the interior really well, staggering the pins so they're not in a row all across. This will hopefully keep the border from creasing as you advance the top. Staggering the pins will keep the border from creasing in a horizontal line. That dreaded crease, caused by the compression of the top as it rolls to the inside, sometimes doesn't come out easily, even after it's quilted. 

 

You'll soon figure out "your way" to quilt! It's an adventure!

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Hi Gail,

First of all, I love your subject line and I also like everyone's answers. 

I just took a class from Jamie Wallen, and he says that practicing motifs with paper and pen for 15 minutes is worth doing it at the machine for 3 hours.  So I'm doing a lot more practice that way than I used to, even though I've been told that by this forum more than once. LOL

Don't forget to show us your photos when you like.

Welcome aboard!  Sometimes the seas are calm and sometimes there are whitecaps but this forum will keep you from capsizing.

Joan

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  • 2 weeks later...

I do the top border first, and the side borders that are showing as it lays on the machine.  Then I go to the center and quilt out.  I do not do the background quilting at that time, because it will pull the quilt in.  I'll do a couple passes before I go back and do a background fill.

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