Diagonal

[smd719]

Hi! Happy July~

How do you quilt a diagonal line from one corner of the quilt to the other? All the way down. Do you roll as you quilt? Do you end and re-start? What's the best tool to use? I just can't get this down.

Thanks.

[Mary Beth]

This is a question for Dawn Cavanaugh...I'm sure she will pipe up. Good luck.

[DawnCavanaugh]

Ooh, Mary Beth and smd,

You've touched on one of those types of quilting that I just "choose" not to do (not that it can't be done, but I'm just too lazy to put in the work.)

If you'd like to quilt diagonally from one end of the quilt to the other, you'll find several ways to do it. For me, the easiest way is to mark that first diagonal line on the quilt, corner to corner. Then I use a ruler I marked with 1/4" divisions and align the ruler along the marked line and stich the first line (only as far as my "reach" is between the rollers.) Then I place the reference line that I'm choosing to use for spacing (e.g. 2 inches apart, etc.) right on top of th line I just stitched, and stitch the next line. I keep moving the ruler over until I've stitched parallel rows all across the width of the quilt.

Then, I advance the quilt only half way, leaving half of what I've quilted still visible, and exposing about as much new space to quilt. I use the previously quilted lines as guides so that I don't end up with lines that "zig zag" down the quilt.

Another method is to use a table mounted accessory such as the Hartley Fence. It will allow you to place diagonal lines at any angle you choose. I'd still mark the first "corner to corner" line on the quilt so that I had the angle to set the Fence at, and then use the fence to space out the lines.

Still another method is to buy a much larger backing, and then actually mount the quilt (by floating it) on point and using your channel locks to do the lines (since the quilt is turned, your channel locks will actually be stitching straight lines that will appear on the diagonal when the quilt is removed.

I'm sure other quilters have done this with great success. I've done it about twice in 14 years--again just because I'm not willing to put in the time. It's one of those techniques I just tell my customers I "don't do."

Good luck! I hope we hear from others with success stories and easy methods!

Dawn