Ready to jump in!

[aktbone]

Ok there -

I have been doing edge to edge pantos and am ready to venture on. I would like to do some borders and alternating (change) pantos on the same quilt. Dell has inspired me as well as the rest of you talented longarmers

Questions:

1) What is the best way to start and stop at the beginning and end of a pattern?

2) How to set up for borders? Do I quilt the top border and corners, then quilt in middle and work my way down, alternating between border and fill? In what order do I do the quilting for a separate border and a panto inside of the border?

Boy, I hope I am making sense. I feel like I am rambling!

[ffq-lar]

If I was trying this technique, I would pin pin pin everything in the borders very well (in the quilting field), use my laser to determine with every pass where the seam/stop line is and mark it somehow on the panto plastic, and quilt the entire body of the quilt first. Anvance, pin the borders, mark the edge again on the panto (those can shift a bit as you roll) and again quilt in the body. As you get to the bottom border seam, pin the border well and again mark on the panto plastic where the seam/end of the pattern will be on the panto plastic. Do a dry-run with your laser--machine not on, just a pass. You will want to stitch the partial pattern and then sneak up the seam with SID to catch the returning panto line. As you do the dry run, stop the machine as you get to the "out" spot (off the panto) and move the machine down to where the "in" spot will be. Go to the front and place a pin just below the seam to mark where you will be re-entering the body with your stitching. Do that all across that partial design.Then as you stitch (do you have your running shoes on?) stop the design as you get near that outside seam line, stop the machine with the needle down, run around to the front and SID to the next panto line. This sets you up to run to the back and continue the panto. But you get an exact repeating design. Other options if you are confident--fudge the last partial panto pass with similar stitching within the area, or fudge just the last inch or so across with similar stitching to match the design and connect the panto lines. This is best done with busy pantos--fudging isn't as pretty with row designs or with recognizable objects like hearts or flowers.

Obviously this involves a lot of marking, checking, and running if you want a good result.

Then the border panto--the reason to stitch the body first and leave the border last is because you don't want to load and re-load two pantos. Even with them layered and carefully handled one will shift and then your design is out of whack. So one first and then the other. Stitching the borders will entail the same technique--filling the area with a set design and then SID-ing down the seam to the next entry point of the design. I hope this helps.

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Now I will ask the obvious question that everyone is thinking but not asking. While it looks good on paper, it's a bugger to accomplish. So the question would be "Why?" Too harsh? Pantos are fast, cheap, and a great learning tool to teach curves, control of the machine, and to give great results for a new quilter. This plan negates all the above. It isn't fast. It isn't cheap for the customer because you would never charge panto prices for this double technique. (please please tell me you didn't offer this at panto prices...) It's still a learning tool, but maybe only to push you to build a library of your own distinct overall designs--and there are beautiful ones out there. And you may not get good results. I'm all for new stuff, but the frustration level on this one may be as high as an 8!!

This is not to discourage you, since it is a great idea--just such a fussy, time-consuming technique overall.

[LadyLake]

Originally posted by aktbone

1) What is the best way to start and stop at the beginning and end of a pattern?

I RUN THE PATTERN RIGHT OFF THE EDGE.

2) How to set up for borders? Do I quilt the top border and corners, then quilt in middle and work my way down, alternating between border and fill? In what order do I do the quilting for a separate border and a panto inside of the border?

I GENERALLY BASTE THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BORDER AND STITCH IN THE DITCH ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE BORDER, AS I WORK MY WAY DOWN THE QUILT. THE BORDER DESIGN IS DONE AS THE VERY LAST THING WITH THE QUILTING, IN MY METHOD.

[Anniquilter]

Tonilyn

I have used a panto in the main body of a quilt and done a freehand border treatment, usually copying an element of the panto design, also usually when there was a narrow inner border and a separate outer border where the narrow border will be SID so something other than the panto makes sense for the outer border. It IS more time-consuming than doing an all-over either panto or freehand. I charge a higher rate than the panto price - factoring in a 'hassle' fee, so a much higher rate for the area of the border than the same pattern as an all-over freehand would have been!

I mark the edges of the panto ie where the border starts/stops or for that matter, where the quilt edge starts/stops for an E2E treatment, (Sides and for the top and bottom rows of panto before I do those 2 rows) by using lavender painters tape on the plastic which the panto goes under, using the laser to pinpoint those edges on the panto. Then apart from Pin, Pin, Pinning the border as Linda said, I have a visual to tell me where to start and stop the panto. I usually tie off or knot and bury threads at the end of each panto row depending on how busy the fabrics front & back are and if the quilt is going in a show.

Re-reading all of this I'm exhausted and always dread this when it is what the customer wants!

I have not pushed myself to become a better free-hand E2E-er and should! Linda is an excellent quilter and you should follow her guidelines!

[Anniquilter]

I don't like to run the panto off the edge when doing an E2E panto as I have found that the binding does not always lock those stitches down and over time and laundering, the quilting can come undone. My most regular customer wraps here backings to the front for her binding so I CAN'T run the pattern off the edge!

Originally posted by LadyLake

Originally posted by aktbone

1) What is the best way to start and stop at the beginning and end of a pattern?

I RUN THE PATTERN RIGHT OFF THE EDGE.

2) How to set up for borders? Do I quilt the top border and corners, then quilt in middle and work my way down, alternating between border and fill? In what order do I do the quilting for a separate border and a panto inside of the border?

I GENERALLY BASTE THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BORDER AND STITCH IN THE DITCH ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE BORDER, AS I WORK MY WAY DOWN THE QUILT. THE BORDER DESIGN IS DONE AS THE VERY LAST THING WITH THE QUILTING, IN MY METHOD.

[Quiltsinmotion]

I do this alot ~ yes Linda I do charge a little extra [not much just a little times are rough here in town ]

here is what I do

1 I quilt the top border if the design doesn't go around the corner ~ if my border designs goes around the corner ~ ie like a feather or braid then I mark with chalk center of quilt on the side border ~ after I quilt the body with a panto I then go back and start at the center of either right or left side border

2 then I mark with tape my start & stop on panto with in body of quilt some times u have to do a freehand design at the end of the panto to help with the look ~ yes I pin the side borders down as I go

3 quilt bottom border

4 quilt side borders

its a very nice look for those of us who struggle with free hand edge to edge designs ....

[aktbone]

Thanks ladies for the suggestions.

I am going to do this on a quilt for me!

Customers still get E2E.

Will attach pics when done.