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You can do it! You have all the tips - puddle, don't roll, middle out, support for the weight, etc.

Go for it! I have done a Queen on a little Brother. You and your Janome can handle a King just fine.

I don't have any advice to add, but I can cheer you on :D
Go Anna Go!! Go Anna Go!! :D:D:D

Hi Anna, you can do this on your home machine. I've done quilts that are quite large on mine and though it seems intimidating, even impossible at times, it can be done! :-D
Here's a link to Diane Gaudynski's site that may give you more inspiration and help. http://www.dianegaudynski.net/ She's an award winning quilter who does all her work on her home machine. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. :-)

Shelbie-after you divide the 4 quadrants, do you start quilting in the center of the quadrant or do you start at the edge of the quadrant where they meet?

I've tried the dividing, the puddling, I've made a "boxy" table top so there's no drag, I've got a fairly large throat area, but it's still a pain in the behind fighting the quilt. I haven't tried the dividing the quadrants though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shelbie

A king sized quilt will go through a Janome 6500. I have now done three King sized quilts on my Janome 6500. After my quilt is basted-pinned securely, I stitch down the lengthwise centre (this is the hardest of all) and then stitch through the centre width-wise. My quilt is then divided in four and I quilt one quadrant at a time. I am not an expert machine quilter by any means but was able to machine quilt these big quilts quite satisfactorily. It helps to have extra table space around your machine to hold the weight of your quilt. My machine is in a cabinet, so I pull it out from the wall and put a fold up table from Costco behind it for extra support. I don't really roll my quilt but "puddle" or bunch it up a little to get where I want to quilt. By twisting and turning, eventually your quilt will get done.

@Shelbie,
While I would jump off a bridge before I ever attempted to home quilt a king size quilt (or a queen, probably not even a twin ;) ), this is a really good idea. Simple, but with the extra tables all the weight is to the back and side of the machine. It would really work for a quilt of any size.

Thanks for mentioning it.

Basting with water soluable thread-brilliant!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pocoellie

:-) I'm not Shelbie but I divide into 4 quadrants and like all quilts I start from the centre outwards, which in this case will be the top corner, in the middle of the quilt and come down towards you, is that as clear as mud :?

dunno if I am going to be much help. But my oldest son's quilt was 110 x 94 (yea I never make things standard sizes :)) And I stippled quilted his on my itty bitty singer. I actually started on one side of the quilt and worked to the middle, then as it got to bulky when I was in the middle. I bunched up the unquilted part, spun it around in the machine and worked from the middle on the way out. Now of course I am not all that good at machine quilting and some of the backing bunched up on me, but I got it done :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by QultingaddictUK

I'm not Shelbie but I divide into 4 quadrants and like all quilts I start from the centre outwards, which in this case will be the top corner, in the middle of the quilt and come down towards you, is that as clear as mud :?

Hmmm, I envisioned Shelbie's explanation a bit differently.

I thought you would start in the center and always be working in the lower right quadrant (regardless of pattern/quilt top orientation). That way, the most you would ever have to the right and south of the needle (iow, in your lap and under the harp) is a quarter of the whole quilt.

When you finished with that section, you would swivel the quilt, and begin work on another quadrant, but it would always be the SE quadrant - relative to the needle.

If you were to start with the needle in the center of the quilt and start quilting the NE quadrant, you'd end up with the whole length of the quilt in your lap.

But if it works for you, that's great. You're way more ambitious than I am.

I just helped a friend put borders on a 96" square quilt. That was unpleasant enough.

Not having to quilt that monster - priceless.
Well, actually that's not true. It will cost her around $260. But worth every penny. :mrgreen:

Maybe you could quilt it in pieces. I have been reading more and more about this technique. I believe you can find it on line. Good luck!