K. Szymaszek Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I am wondering what you all do to block large quilts. I have a small house with absolutely no open floor space and I have a quilt about 100 inches square. I really would like to block it. I have been going through different people's homes ( in my mind ) that I know that I would not feel funny asking for such a help, but I don't know anyone with such space as I need. Has anyone faced such a dilemma and what did you do? I am even thinking about renting somewhere for like a week or so but wouldn't know where to start there. Can you shed some light? Thanks in advance, K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srichardson Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I spread clean towels on my living room floor. I wash the quilt and then spread it on the towels, measure and reshape and if needed I stick strong pins down through the quilt and into the carpet to hold it in shape. I have heard of others using a design wall to mount the quilt and rather than wash it just spritz it with water while it is mounted on the wall. I am not sure how successful that would be with a large quilt as I would think that it may sag. Do you have garage space where you could cover the floor in plastic and do it that way? It will be interesting to hear creative ideas from other members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 No, I don't have any usable space. I hope someone out there can help. Thanks Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Well, I'm not sure we've ever blocked a quilt. I've heard some folks have gone as far laying their quilt out on their driveway. The woman who judged our recent guild quilt show spoke to us a while back and related some of her early experiences when she began quilting. She said she was originally puzzled when ladies talked about blocking their quilts. She said she didn't understand why her quilts always where square and flat, and these other folks weren't. until she saw how they went about making their quilt. Take time a piece it properly, and you won't need to block. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming our quilts are perfect. They're not. It's just that if done with reasonable care they're OK. Accept the work you've done for what it is. If it has to be perfect, take it appart and fix what's wrong. Don't try and make it something it's not by streaching or shrinking it. Do the best work you can, and live with the results. That's my humble advise. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmullen Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 K, perhaps your church, quilting guild or some other organization has some large banquet tables you can use. Pushed together, they make a large flat surface. Perhaps you could layer some type of material under your quilt to pin to. Some of the members in our group do this to lay out their quilt and square it up. Becky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkayr Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 If you block a quilt, do you have to do it every time you wash it or is it a one time deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thanks everyone for the ideas. Linda, as to your question, for me blocking will be a one time thing. Don't know about anyone else. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qltnbe Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I have never blocked a quilt although there are probably a couple of my first ones that could use it. I think if you measure several spots on your quilt before putting on your final borders and then do several measurements before binding it, you should be able to get it pretty square without having to do something after the fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apylinski Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 What about your local firehall. Do they have meeting rooms or banquet halls with larger tables you might use? We do in our hometown. I've never blocked a quilt. How do you do it? And why? I'm assuming to square it up. Do you do it before quilting and binding or after it's all done. Could someone explain to me? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 You would block a quilt so it will hang perfectly flat. I have a call into a friend I just thought of. Thanks for all the great ideas. If this doesn't pan out, on to plan B. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I only block quilts going to a show or that will be hanging for display so they hang straight and square. A used quilt that will be on the bed and washed I wouldn't block, it will get out of square with snuggling anyway and you would have to do it with each wash. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hallaluljah, success! A friend came to mind who has a very large finished basement. She said I can use it and she will help me to block the quilt. Don't know how this will work as I've never done this before, but I figure to learn. Thanks to all for your suggestions, I really appreciate you and this forum. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I use the foam insulation sheets from the hardware store, duct tape them together, cover with an old sheet wet the quilt and get pinning. Then once it is all pinned you can move the whole thing off to the side if needed. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 We did b lock one large quilt on the living room carpet.. with huge sheet under it, and haven't since. We did have to move furniture around, and then we barely had room to get around it and to the security box. AS Jim said, if cut and sewn accurately, resizing after every seam, they will come out square just putting them thru the dryer. They look great. and I've stopped ironing them.. I want mine to look more loveable.. I don't wash the QoV quilts that come in, I ask for permission if I need to mark something, and use an eraser pen to remove marks. We did make a blocking board using 2 sheets of 1" rigid insulation, covered with an old sheet. We really don't use it. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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