GEMRM

Hello all,
Hoping someone here can provide some guidance - I've been floating the top and that's worked pretty well, except that I've noticed if the top has sashing then the sashing isn't as smooth as the block areas - so when I go to quilt the sashing, it will pleat or pucker.
Any thoughts/ideas what I could do differently?
Should I quilt the sashings first?
Should I baste the sashings widthwise as I go, then turn the quilt and baste lengthwise, then quilt them?
I have a project that I want to do the individual blocks, and then a sashing treatment and I'd really like to not have a pleat/pucker issue.
The last quilt I did with blocks/sashing, I finished the sashing on my DSM.

Also, does anyone use a facing strip of fabric along the edges of their quilt to enable one to get to the very edge of the quilt?

Open to any and all ideas,

Thanks,
GEMRM

Gramie bj

I use the facing strips on my back, both sides. Works great. I have also basted sides as I go than remount quilt sideways, do sides all in one, cuts down on stop and go if I am doing something intrecut in borders.

PaperPrincess

I haven't noticed this issue. If the sashing is not as smooth as the rest of the top, I'm wondering if you have a piecing problem. When you press your top before putting it on the frame, does the whole top lay smoothly on the ironing board, or does the sashing seem to be puffed up a bit? if so, the sashing might not be cut to the correct size.

Geri B

What kind of setup do you have...I have APQS w/14 ft table...I do not float my tops----going on 15 yrs----and I have three clamps attached to elastic attached to side bars equidistant........these hold the sandwich snug so no puckering....the tension on my sandwich is a the same tension basically as handquilting. I think your working area may be too loose and thus causing puckers......

GEMRM

Paper Princess,
The top lies nice and smoothly on the ironing board. At first I was side-clamping the backing, batting and top, but someone told me that I shouldn't include the top.

GEMRM

Geri B,
I have a Pfaff P3 w/10 ft table. Do you clamp all three layers? I was doing this and was told it was wrong to include the top.
Also, I had my quilt wrapped more tightly and I wondered if this was stretching the top. I read somewhere that you should be able to easily grasp (from the top side) a finger poking up from beneath. As mine was too tight to do that, I started to loosen it - maybe I should go back to tighter?
Thoughts????

pumpkinpatchquilter

It sounds a lot like maybe the sashing and/borders are larger than the blocks. Even though it lies flat on your ironing board...you have pressed it flat. LOL So if it's not the right size for the block then what is happening is you're spreading it flat like a pancake on your ironing board and then when it gets on the frame you see the true size. The wonderful but also evil thing about a frame set up is it forces you to keep your quilt square. It is easier to squish your quilt out flat like a pancake on your DSM - but really look at those quilts you're quilting on the sit down...I bet you there is some distortion happening...on the frame your quilt is going to be much more obvious when it's out of square.

Try making a small sample piece with sashing. Double check the width of each block through the center before cutting and attaching sashing - use that measurement...even if it is different than whatever pattern you might be using. Because we all sew at a slightly different 1/4" depending on how much you are losing in the seam allowance your blocks could be even just 1/4" smaller than they "should" be. A small fix but makes a huge difference in the neatness of your quilt!

Good luck!

Pam B

[QUOTE=pumpkinpatchquilter;6837309]It sounds a lot like maybe the sashing and/borders are larger than the blocks.

I would agree with the above statement. When measuring for your borders, you need to measure through the center of the quilt in both directions. This has happened to me before...and, yes, I had pleats in my borders. Kind of a bummer when one has spent all the time and money to create a quilt.

lfletcher

I float my tops as well but I do attach to the top of the backing and batting at the beginning with a row of horizontal stitching. As I roll the layers, I baste down both sides being careful to keep the top square. I only side clamp the backing fabric and I don't overtighten the layers. If my finger can push up from the back to the front and I can grab up to the first knuckle, then that is good. I like to quilt as much as I can as I go down. If there is a lot of SID, I will do that first and then go back to the start for the other design work. Rolling back & forth does seem to cause puckers in some areas of the quilt, but usually as you get to them, they will smoooth out. Try using small water bottles on either side of your needle when you get to a puckered area. This should smooth it out and the puckers will be eased in. Good luck.

GEMRM

Thanks to all who have responded, lots of helpful advice here. I'll make some changes and do things differently!