What I see as a Longarm Quilter
#122
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
#123
Great reading! I'm glad to hear that 'non-longarmers' are open to suggestions for improvement from longarmers. I would never want to hurt anyone's feelings.
I would like to suggest that making a square top does not start when the blocks are all put together. It begins with the very first piecing in the block. If each section of a 12" block is off 1/8" that block is not going to be 12" when placed in a quilt top. If some of the blocks measure 12" and some 12 1/2"...you're quilt will most likely not be square and you got some ripping to do! Remember to measure as you go!
With borders my biggest recommendation would be to remember to measure the quilt top in 3 places and average it out. "Ease" the border to the quilt top. I've had customers add in 1/2" of border to make the border fit. If they had 'eased' it in, the border would have looked nicer without a small 1/2" piece of fabric sewn into the border.
Bonnie Hunter has a nice tut - http://www.quiltville.com/borderhints.shtml I'm sure there are a lot of other tuts available.
Happy Quilting!
I would like to suggest that making a square top does not start when the blocks are all put together. It begins with the very first piecing in the block. If each section of a 12" block is off 1/8" that block is not going to be 12" when placed in a quilt top. If some of the blocks measure 12" and some 12 1/2"...you're quilt will most likely not be square and you got some ripping to do! Remember to measure as you go!
With borders my biggest recommendation would be to remember to measure the quilt top in 3 places and average it out. "Ease" the border to the quilt top. I've had customers add in 1/2" of border to make the border fit. If they had 'eased' it in, the border would have looked nicer without a small 1/2" piece of fabric sewn into the border.
Bonnie Hunter has a nice tut - http://www.quiltville.com/borderhints.shtml I'm sure there are a lot of other tuts available.
Happy Quilting!
#124
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,018
Seams in a backing:
It may be that a pieced backing that needs to be lined up 'exactly' with the top might be problematical? Especially if it has to go in 'the not usual' way?
For a backing, I was told to remove the selvages and to use at least a 1/2 inch seam. I don't remember if I was supposed to press the seam open or to the side for the backng.
What about seams that are twisted ? End A goes north - end B goes south?
It may be that a pieced backing that needs to be lined up 'exactly' with the top might be problematical? Especially if it has to go in 'the not usual' way?
For a backing, I was told to remove the selvages and to use at least a 1/2 inch seam. I don't remember if I was supposed to press the seam open or to the side for the backng.
What about seams that are twisted ? End A goes north - end B goes south?
Re: selvedge edges.......The edges should be cut off as when that quilt is eventually washed there will be a pull along the selvedge seam,it is a tighter weave than fabric body..........as an aside.....those selvedge edges make great "tiers" for bundles of fabric, etc.
Yes, I agree, not all quilts I have rec'd have not been perfect...I can't tell you how many seams have broken while I was quilting, had to stop and repair by hand, and/or had seam volcanoes, wavy borders, etc. But, all these things can be worked around or thru...and I must tell myself when I am working on one of these challenges.......the quilter is proud of what she has done and I am being asked to enhance her "best" work. So, I grin and grimace and just roll on.....
I also wholeheartedly agree it is not necessary to certify a longarmer quilter. In my opinion this will just creat a sub-culture of "continuing education" for a fee to longarmer and $$ in the pocket of the "teacher/organization"offering the "classes". If one is doing this as a business she/he is "up" on the latest techniques and if not let's their customer base their limitations.
A very interesting thread.......
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