createfourpaws

There are some quilts stores in your area that have long arms for rent after you take their class on how to use their machine. The one I go to for long arm rental is Quilt Country up in lewisville. They are reasonable on the rental fee. That is another option for you. I figure I can rent time and still not even get close to the cost of the long arm machine.

Love your quilt.

Cindy

b.zang

You are going to end up with a gorgeous quilt, and the finished product will make you proud to show off.

I see that your sewing machine is in a table. Mine too, but for quilting I like to take it and place it on a large table - like the kitchen table - to help hold the quilt bulk. The ironing board frustrates me (although I use it, too). I'm also a fold then stuffer to get the bulk through the space to the needle because the rolling and clipping seemed to always need adjusting.

Remember to fasten your ends. My machine does a locking stitch, but my friend ties them all and pulls the loose bits into the middle of the quilt. Whatever works for you.

Rose L

What she described is why I learned to hand quilt. Then that took too long so that's when I got my long arm. lol!

sewbeadit

Go to you tube, there are tuts there that can help you.

vivoaks

I've had the same issues, but if you just remember - no matter how long it takes with the sewing machine, it would have taken much longer to do it all by hand. So take your time, if you get frustrated, walk away for a bit, then go back & try again later. It will be done before you know it!!

sewcrafty

I noticed that your sewing machine is sitting on top of a table instead on down inside. Try and make yourself and ext. table that will go around your machine to assist in holding the weight of the quilt that you are working on. All you have to do to accomplish this is to buy like insulation foam board and then cut out an area for your sewing machine to snuggle into. You can get this in different thickness so just measure your machine and then get the correct thickness. Really a cheap solution.

As someone else stated also, I don't pin. I spray baste and then if a very large quilt I'll hand baste it. Don't want that puppy to move. LOL Makes life much easier. I did a 104x110 this way and NO puckers! WOOOOO HOOOO Also, get something next to you to hold the weight of the quilt that'll help alot.

Good Luck!

SunlitenSmiles

been there and back a couple of times. when re-adjusting the quilt for the umteenth time only to be able to quilt a small section......i can feel the burn in my upperarms and i smile, you know that means the upperarms are getting toned

result will be pretty quilt and lovely arms ..... Smile

GailG

I've done some bed sized quilts (not king-sized though) on my domestic machine. I take an extra step which is a little time consuming but well worth it. After sandwiching and pinning, I BASTE vertically and horizontally. Long stitches that hold the layers together about every 5 inches apart. I start in the middle and work outward (doing one quarter at a time. It helps in holding everything in place and avoids those goofs on the backing. Now all I can do is stitch in the ditch and cross-hatch but it works for me.

As someone else said, roll the side that will be under the harp of the machine and hold it together with the clips then place your machine where the weight of the quilt can be supported all around. I bring my machine to the dining table or set up a station in my sewing room with smaller tables and even stacked storage tubs to the left and behind the machine. I have never stitched around a design in a block; I only follow lines vertically, horizontally, or diabonally across the quilt. For my attic window, I decided to hand stitch because I couldn't figure out a "system." Good luck, you can do it!

scottrell

this why I hand quilt. Never could figure it out.

rob529

Is the machine you are using to quilt with thw one in your picture? It looks like a mini machine. I don't see how you could ever quilt anything except possibly something very small on that machine. Maybe someone alot more experienced than me. which is about every one, could address this.
Robin in TX