newbie with a question

[Cindy Manchester]

Just wanting to get opinions on the best order to quilt. We have loaded a queen size quilt, and have stabilized it with stitching in the ditch on the borders, and basted outside edges.

Question is....what's the best next step? Quilting designs in the outside border then moving to the inside of quilt, or starting the free motion designs in the center and working outward?

Thank you for responding. ; )

Cindy

[Butterfly]

After stabilizing by stitching around blocks and borders and pinning a lot, then I start wherever the inspiration hits me. I have started in many different places. There have been times when I've started with the border design. Usually, however, the body of the quilt is where I begin. I think you'll find that its different with every quilt. Have fun.

Jess

[LibbyG]

Since I've just returned from MQX, and everyone asked the teachers this question, I can safely say that you can do whatever you want. Some teachers never stabilize their quilts, others do in the ditch for everything, some do both as they work down. It's basically your preference.

Try different ways and see what you like best. However if you do ditch everything and go back, make sure you pin, pin pin or baste. You can't leave the spaces open. Good luck with your choice.

[quiltmonkey]

Originally posted by Cindy Manchester

....Question is....what's the best next step? Quilting designs in the outside border then moving to the inside of quilt, or starting the free motion designs in the center and working outward? Cindy

Hi Cindy, be careful stitching down borders first before quilting inside the quilt. If you do it in that order, often times you will get puckers or pleats in the borders caused by the movement of the fabric and quilting.

If you are going to do free motion designs in the center, I would do that first (and only pin around the outside borders). Then I after finishing the center, I would remove the pins from the borders and quilt those areas last. Most times I work from the center out.

But, if you have a lot of blocks and will be doing custom quilting in the center areas, I would stablize those areas with either SID or pins. And when using pins, they should be minimum 5 inches open space. Otherwise, you could get puckers.