njquiltergirl Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Hi. I am about to start quilting an old 1930's quilt. I will be using a clamshell template as an overall and a separate border treatment. So far my use of templates has been to start on the bottom of a space and build upon it - using the template's marks to align the subsequent rows...or from left to right, building one row upon another the same way. The template is marked on the bottom to help align the next row. The approx. 80 x 90" quilt is on the frame and ready to go...if I begin the design from the top - as we are taught to do - the template markings do not help...they are on the bottom of the template, in "open space" there is nothing to align the marks with. If I quilt from the bottom up...do I run the risk of pleats and puckers? Do I NOT baste from the top down, and just quilt from the bottom up, and baste as I go up??? OR do I baste the whole quilt as usual, then just quilt from the bottom up to the top of the quilt??? Does any of this make sense?? Thanks for any experiences you can share! Lisa APQS Liberty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nora123 Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Hi Lisa, do not baste as your machine will catch on all the areas of thread and make you crazy. Start at the top(the top being the take up roller) and quilt toward yourself. Usually you begin a row in the middle of the design because when you get to the bottom almost always you will have to quilt a partial row. This gives the quilt balance. I hope this helps. Nora Millennium Washougal WA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwing Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Is there a way to put marks on the top of the template to align it from the top down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Arwing, there is no place to mark the top of the template, as that is where you stitch along. That would be the perfect solution, though! Thanks. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 May I ask what template your using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Sure Sherri, it is a clear plastic template with 3 half circles...I'll go get it and see if I can post a picture. Thanks! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beverly Imbach Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Check out the clam shell template from Circle Lord. Wonderful, wonderful. Beverly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Does the quilt have a distinct top and bottom? If so, could you load it the opposite way and use the template upside down. That way you would be aligning the template the way you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 If there are no markings on your clear template (i think i know which one it is)...I mean, who it's made by... Then do you have a dremel tool? If so, you can use that (very lightly) or a nail or something you can use to ETCH a marking line on the ruler which will indicate where to place the top of the quilted arch underneith that ruler. Let me see if I can draw with a hoot in paint.....so you can see what i'm talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Thanks to you all...I decided to mark lines in chalk to give me a "base" line, then had to eye it from there. I am trying to keep the top of the template a 1/4" below the previous stitching. Not easy and not fast...but just what the quilt needs. The first six rows of 1" tall clamshells took at least an hour. If I can only post pix!! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraG Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Lisa, I know you have already started but I just wanted to let you know that I have started a quilt and worked from the center out. I had to do a lot of rolling but I got the results I wanted. You just have to be very careful to keep everything straight and also have plenty backing. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted April 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 Hi Sandra. You started from the center and worked up to the top, then rolles back to the center and worked back down? Did you baste from the center out as you went along? I'm worried about the possibility of rolling-creasing-pleating problems. I worked on it this morning. I had to eye the 1/4" down from the previous line and keep it all straight across. I took photos and have to find out how to post them. Thanks! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted April 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 Trying to post a photo... OK, I've searched for directions to post a photo...the "copy/paste" mouse button is not enabled. Yikes...this should not be so hard! Help! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 This is what I do: I line up my template where I need my stitching to be then run a length of crochet thread from one side of the other wrapping it around a few pins along the lay and keep the template against that line. Then move on down till the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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