ramona-quilter Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Breast Cancer Awareness quilt This quilt came from one of the local guilds. I decided to try a technique I had just learned; full float. I have always done a partial float of my quilts. Top of quilt top was floated and zipper on the bottom of the quilt top which gets zipped onto the 2nd roller. But I was noticing that some of my quilts were getting these 'dog ears' (woof) on the bottom corners. Made me crazy. Lois, one of the experienced longarmers showed me how to do the full float so the bottom corners "quilt-in" at the same rate as the rest of the quilt. So the bottom of the quilt-top now hangs (is not basted, zippered or pinned) between the 2 front rollers right on top of the batting. It takes a bit of getting used to. When I got close to the end of the quilt, I pin basted the bottom border a bit. I usually quilt the side borders as I go, anyway. So after finishing the body, I quilted the side borders and SID between the border and the body. Then I quilted the bottom border. WooHoo, no dog ears. Thanks, Lois. I used Caring Hands from Threadsongs pantograph by Lisa Thiessen. The thread is Superior So Fine! thread It's a Girl! (#418) thread on top and prewound SuperBOBs Bottom Line Light Pink (#605) in the bobbin. The back is white muslin. I knew that any thread (other than white on the top) would show on that white backing. My machine loves So Fine and Bottom Line so no tension issues. And the back looks so pretty. You can really see the beauty of the panto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Great job. Great cause!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Wow Linda, what a wonderful quilt. You did an outstanding job!! I love that panto for this quilt, it is perfect. Thank you for sharing. By any chance do yo uknow the name of the quilt pattern they used for the top? I have two women at my chuch who are battling breast cancer and I would love to make a snuggle quilt out of this fabric and I like this pattern. Thank you also for the tip on a full float. Wish I had done that on the quilt I jsut finished. it ended up with little doggy ears on the bottom. It is a granddaughter's quilt so no harm. by the way, you might get pictures from Innovations this week if it slows down some for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Thiesssen Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Hi Ramona Quilter, Beautiful work! I love what you did with that panto...you stitched it up beautifully! You can't imagine my suprise this morning to come look at the list and see this lovely quilt. By the way, have you done your foot upgrade yet? I got your comment on my blog. If you have any questions about the upgrade feel free to email me - I would be happy to share my experience. ( I think the machine is running better now than since it was quite new, and I love having the template foot on all the time). Cheers, Lisa Thiessen www.threadsinmotion.ca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrystitcher Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Ramona, good job on the quilt. I just finished a quilt with this same panto - wasn't it fun? I'm doing another baby quilt with it from a grandmother. I think the hands and hearts show a grandmother's love don't you? I have never tried a full float, but think it sounds like a winner and maybe will try it on one of my own quilts first. Thanks for sharing. Sharon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Hi Ramona - great job on this great quilt. I love the panto you chose, perfect for this quilt. And also for mentioning this "full float" technique. I've not heard of it before, but I too was getting a bit of that distortion at the bottom. I think I'll try this on one of my donation quilts that I'm getting ready to do. Thanks for the info. It was good to meet you at Innovations even though it was a short time in the lunch room before I had to dash to my 12:30 class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRINCESSTUCK Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Your quilting looks beautiful and to a wonderful cause. The question I have what on earth is SIDS? I am lost at some of the terms that are used but I can generally figure some of it out but unless it is "stitch in ditch" or something I am lost. No we are never lost we may be temporary bewildered but never lost. Not a woman! Thanks Robin:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Linda: The quilt is beautiful. I love that panto and don't have it. Are you going to do the full float on all quilts from now on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrammaJoy Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hi Linda, Thank you for the great explanation of a full float. I still am confused as to WHEN one is to baste the sides of the quilt down. Do you baste them both BEFORE you start any quilting in the center (just the distance between the rollers from front to back)? Or, do you pin the sides -- do the quilting -- baste the sides at 1/8 inch -- and then advance? I have heard it's a matter of personal preference, but I imagine it is very important with a full float to do it ahead of time. Just wondered how you do it. Also, do you have the clamps ON or OFF when you are basting the sides down? Thanks, Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrammaJoy Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Oh, Linda, Great job quilting that quilt! Hugs, Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syl Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hi Ramona, Your quilt is so pretty! What is the difference between a full float and partial float? I'm just learning but always feel confused when it comes to this. I have my practice piece just draped over the back roller and pinned to the leader (as the leader is still rolled up on pole) I was traumatized by my first machine quilt having a baggy back and had to take out 10 large stars I quilted and make it as smooth as I could. I'm now practicing alot before I put my new finished quilt top on and it's going to be a gift. Thank you , Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syl Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Sorry I meant Linda! (in Romona) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Looks great, Linda! Sylvia Kaptein Sylka-Mode www.sylkamode.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onesewise Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Linda...looks so pretty...you always do great work! Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted October 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Syl and FrammaJoy, I don't think that there is any right way to quilt. We all have ideas and methods for quilting. I just decided to try these new ideas I got from my class with Lois. What I learned was that when I baste the sides or SID my inside borders, I am restricting the quilt size in the body of the quilt. I was also doing a partial float which means I had zippers on the bottom of the quilt top and just laid the top of the quilt top on the batting which had already been basted down. I then basted the top about an inch down from where the batting was basted on top. That anchored my quilt. I am still doing this on the top of my quilts But the zippers on the bottom were sewn (zigzag) on the quilt top which had not yet been quilted. You know how a quilt gets smaller as you quilt... Well, my quilt top was nailed to the zipper at the bottom while the rest of the quilt top was quilting in (getting smaller). That's where the dog ears came from, my bottom corners really stuck out. The other thing I was doing wrong was the SID on the inner borders before doing the body. Now I quilt the body, then SID the inner borders, then quilt the borders as I go. Lois taught us a new sequence. A better sequence for me. Remember you have to do what works for you, though. And it doesn't hurt to be open to new ideas. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrammaJoy Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Makes PERFECT sense. Thank you so much! Hugs, Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Bekah, The pattern of the quilt is similar to Warm Wishes at: http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/patt83/ The stripped blocks have 3 strips in the Warm Wishes blocks, though, and the one in the picture has 4 strips. I don't know if there is another pattern like that or if it's just a variation of Warm Wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingupastorm Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 When I first got my machine a friend loaned me some videos on useing a longarm. They were useing a Nolting for the video and they were generic for basicly any longarm (I have a Gammill). In any case one of the things that the lady demoed was that you measure your top across the horzontal. Then you take half that measurement. Now fold you quilt in half and place a pin. When you put your top on the roller you start at the center and place one pin in the middle. Now measure out from each side and put a pin in your leader to the half mearure. You then pin your top edges to that exact line. Now you fill in the rest of your pins on the top. Then when you pull to top to attach to the backing and batting at the top of the quilt you again put your center in center and measure out from both sides and pin the edges to this measurement. This might be old infomation to you but I have found that if I pin my tops in this manner instead of how the guy that delivered my machine showed me that when I get to the end of the quilt it lines up just right with the sides......................no dog ears. This has become habit for me and I just do it on all my quilts. This is what I find works with my frame and my setup. I do a full float on the small art quilts I do as they are too small to put on bottom roller. Those I pin to the batting and back and that works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrammaJoy Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I quilted two baby quilts using full float system yesterday and today. I had problems with the bottom not staying pulled down (since it was floating), and I was getting pleats under my stitching. What do you do to hold the bottom -- or the part under where you are working -- to stay taught? Do you baste across the whole thing as you go? Do you pin to the backing and batting? Still confused on this part. Both sides were basted or pinned. Thanks, Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syl Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Hi Linda (in Ramona Ca) Thank you for the information on floating. The way you describe your quilting technique is similar to Donita Reeves in her video. I'll try that on my soon to be quilted quilt. happy quilting, Sylvia B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted October 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 FrammaJoy, When I get down to the bottom, I pin the bottom edge thru the batting and the back. Sorry about your pleats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrammaJoy Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Linda, Thanks. I figured out to pin the bottom edge before I did the bottom border. I'll post some pictures for you in a day or two of my first full float project. Thank you so much for your great description. I actually removed the top roller from my Millennium table yesterday. Only problem I had with that was I kept thinking I had a lot more room to sew at the bottom of the quilting space than was there. Lots of frogging there! I finally got the idea to put a piece of masking tape at the point I could not sew past. Worked out great after that. Hugs, Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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