sewbizgirl

But quilting is the part of the process that brings the quilt to life!

You need to try QAYG (quilt as you go). Then you are only quilting small manageable size pieces, and then joining them.

Quilt As You Go (QAYG) Tutorial

QAYG With Wide Sashing-- How I Do It

dunster

I now have a longarm. But before that I quilted very large quilts in sections. Marti Michell's book, Machine Quilting in Sections, explains several different techniques, and gives examples of when you would choose to use each technique. Quilting in sections is not the same as QAYG, though there is an overlap.

juliasb

I have now 11 tops sitting here to be quilted just since COVID started. Because my mid arm machine is down the DSM is what I have to work with so like you it is do or die. I have to get them all glue basted yet so you are a step ahead of me. I will get them done that is a given but I am going to pace myself.

Rhonda K

I wonder if you could quilt in quadrants?

Then trim the quadrants and piece the units together. Cover the seam with a half inch bias tape.

osewme

I hear your pain. I don't believe you are alone in the process. I think that's why so many quilters end up with flimsys put away & never completed. Quilting is not my dread but I can't stand to sandwich the whole thing together. I've found that crawling down on the floor these days is just not what my body needs. I do belong to an online charity group that is more than happy to take unfinished quilt tops & make them into real beauties for the people in need. They also take orphan blocks, etc. & create quilts for the organization. Hopefully, you can find a solution to your problem.

thepolyparrot

I'm feeling your pain, today.

Basting is my nemesis - the quilting usually isn't too bad now that I have the bigger industrial machine, but basting just discourages me to the point of hating quilting. It'll go away once it's quilted and done, but it's a real discouragement when you're in the middle of it.

I hope you'll get through the rough part with a nice boost in courage - turn on some old radio comedies and laugh your way through it. That's what I'm gonna do, today.

But, the next quilt is going to Missouri Star, for sure.

WesternWilson

I too hate basting by machine. I love spray basting, but I also like the method Sharon Schamber put up on Youtube, a great method of hand basting using two flat boards to roll the quilt on so you can control the layers as you baste. You can do this seated comfortably, and it works for any size of quilt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMP4iSeYAy4

toogie

I love, love love to free motion or stipple quilting but, when it’s queen or King, I really dread it. I have trouble with a shoulder and moving all that weight, especially at the beginning center, is hard on me. I like doing the other parts like piecing and binding too and enjoy the quilting when it’s not a large quilt.

Jingle

I do large double quilts, like 85x95 or a couple 2 or 3" bigger. My juki has a 9" throat. I FMQ without too much problem. I love machine quilting.

WMUTeach

I opted for a new machine a couple of years ago that had a larger harp, not a mid-arm. It really does make a difference. I am not a fancy quilter but the extra harp space gives me new options. I am thrilled with the planning and piecing but the quilting.......not so much. Nice to know I am not alone here.