Question for Longarm quilters
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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Question for Longarm quilters
I currently have a quilt loaded on my longarm and have to ask yet again this question. I'm going to quilt in the outside border and possibly the inside border. 1. Do you stitch in the ditch on the borders first then quilt?
2. Or do you quilt the center of the quilt first then do the borders?
I know each longarm quilter does things differently, but all opinions are gratefully welcome.
2. Or do you quilt the center of the quilt first then do the borders?
I know each longarm quilter does things differently, but all opinions are gratefully welcome.
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,375
I do the borders in sections as I quilt across the width of the quilt, but a lot of longarm quilters will do all of the center and then go back and do the borders. Some even turn the quilt to do the borders, but I normally do not do this either. It can also depend on how you quilt the borders. I do mine completely freehand, so it works for me to do it as I go.
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
i do my borders the way sadiemae said she does hers- sometimes i stitch in the ditch- it depends on the quilt- the quilting i am doing- and whether or not it needs stablizing- sometimes i quilt in the center section-then do the sides-then roll to next section. it all depends on the quilt-
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 3,430
Using a longarm and standup frame I would SID the top border, then quilt it (this would stableize the border and keep it nice and straight for the quilting); move down through the body of the quilt either basting or SID around blocks until I reached the bottom border. There I would SID the border once agin before quilting it. Remove and turn the sandwich 90 degrees, SID and quilt the border; move down through the body of the quilt, finishing the quilting within the blocks, to the bottom border; SID, then quilt the last border. Just the way I do it to keep the quilt as square as possible. I'm sure you will find what works best for you. Happy quilting!
#10
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 38
I have been long arming about 6 years. Most of the time on quilts that have a pantograph in the center and different border pattern, I quilt the top border first. (After the quilt is basted on top and as far down the sides as I can reach.) Then quilt the center. If you will have dense quilting or a dense panto, then you really need to baste the entire quilt before you start. Baste the top, down the sides and across the quilt at the belly bar. Lots of folks are now basting the entire quilt first, then rolling back to the top to begin the quilting.
Then I would do the border (top), do the center entirely, then the bottom border. I don't chunk side borders very well so I turn my quilts. I am trying to learn the chunking on my charity quilts but haven't had enough practice.
And most of my quilts are quilted all over Edge to Edge.
Just take your time and enjoy the process.
Lu in TN
Then I would do the border (top), do the center entirely, then the bottom border. I don't chunk side borders very well so I turn my quilts. I am trying to learn the chunking on my charity quilts but haven't had enough practice.
And most of my quilts are quilted all over Edge to Edge.
Just take your time and enjoy the process.
Lu in TN
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