sciquilter Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 I am relatively new to longarm quilting. I have a APQS Millennium with stitch regulator and I just finished a quilt top - a square in a square foundation pieced "I Spy" child's quilt. When I finished it, my points all matched perfectly and the quilt could not have laid flatter - not a single bump or "blousy" block. I put it on the machine - pinned it and it really looked good. However, as I was quilting, I found that it just didn't lay flat in all places as I worked my way across the quilt. Some blocks appeared to be blousy than others and with an overall meandering stitch, some of the blocks just seemed to have excess fabric... I'm so disappointed. What am I doing wrong? I have done other quilts (a drunkard's path) with a overall meandering and it came out great. Any tips would be most helpful. I'm preparing to put a log cabin on the machine and I'm a little nervous. Thanks in advance! Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathymartinez Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Mary, Sometines the culprit isn't the top, it's the backing. If the backing isn't square on the top and the bottom, the quilting won't roll flat. If the side aren't square, it is very difficult sometimes to determine where the middlle of the quilt is so that you can pin it centrally. My customers rarely bring me a square backing... Another thing that I do to keep things on track is to baste the left side of the quilt with the machine as I move down, so that the layers don't shift. Does this help? Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Mary, If you suspect a quilt is not square (flat is good, but square is better) measure through the center like you were going to add borders, and compare that measurement to the edge. If you are off more than an inch or so, measure from the center of your leaders- whatever 1/2 the center measurement was, and ease the quilt into that measurement. That will help square things up. Another trick is to use a "loftier" batting. I like Hobbs 80/20 to help take up poochie-ness. Good luck, you'll get good at "needy" tops after a while.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliagraves Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Another way to determine if a quilt is square is to measure diagonally from both directions A B C D So - measure A to D, then B to C and the measurements should be the same. Julia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Hi Mary, How well you are making a top, the fact that you are working with different fabrics, and different sides of the fabric - bias or not - will disturb the quilt top, And the only way you will notice this, is when you have mounted the backing, batting and top at your machine. I always use polyester batting, when I have a distorted quilttop from customers, and you can see this before hand, when measuring the four sides of the quilt. If it is a square quilt, and the four sides are not at the same size, I cannot just cut a piece away, but use loft batting, so the distortion will be quilted away. Also when blocks are not square, or not equal to each other - I notice this when working with circles or spirals - it is sometimes difficult to work things out, but over all things will be ok after quilting! Good quilting! Sylvia Kaptein Sylka-Mode www.sylkamode.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtraquilts Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I have discovered that quilts that are pieced on point which contain diagonally set blocks have way more stretch and if you pull them as you quilt, it will cause lots of problems. So you should consider floating the top if it stretches (test before you load it). If it floats on the back and batting you can measure and reposition the top as you work. Maybe this was the case with your top? Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Hi Mary, I'm not sure what you mean. a square in a square foundation pieced Does that mean that you used that foundation stuff that looks like heavy interfacing and you lay your cut fabric on it (sometimes ironing it) and then sew the seams? If that is what you mean, I have only worked with it once and that foundation added bulk at the intersections. I had to drive around the intersection or get bogged down. I can see where you might drag/scootch the quilt over as you are quilting it. I like the float method. I don't mind that the quilt top is hanging down, so is the batting. And I like to baste or pin baste the sides to minimize the drift to the right that you can sometimes get when you float a quilt. I have markers on the quilttop roller (small pieces of PVC) that mark were the left side, center and right sides were when I started the quilt. With it floating, I can make any small adjustments as I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sciquilter Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I made sure my next quilt backing was very square - the top measured square and appeared to lay flat, once again and used a Quilter's Dream cotton/poly batting. I had absolutely no trouble with the quilt at all - so I'm guessing the backing was the problem. Such a simple resolution - thank you all! Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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