Hi Cuties! When I started piecing this fabric for a quilt top, it was suppose to be for me. You know I like bright colors. Anyway, it was to be queen size.
I was sewing on my third section (not row), from one side to the other, when Ashley came in. She said she would like this one so....I had to rip out the edges on one side and add more 2 x 3 1/2 inch pieces, to enlarge it to a King size. I started this new years eve.(Of course I took time out to sew doll clothes-lol) It took 2,628 pieces! It's 108 inches either way, so it could be turned either way on bed. Which way do you prefer?Now the decision is how to quilt it. I have only done stippling or meandering, but my throat space is 18 inches and a sit down machine. For those of you who quilt, any suggestions how to quilt this monster?-lol- It's huge on this queen bed (not placed evenly, not high mattress either.) A friend suggested 3-E if you know what I mean. She told me to practice on paper making 3's and E's continuously. What do you suggest?
Thanks a lot for suggestions and looking. Have a great Valentines Day & week-end my friends!-Toogie
I added the link for the pattern. Click on Free Patterns there are lots!-I used the Mosaic NOT the Mosaic Variation, because I didn't want a seam in the middle of my colored rectangles.
I added this picture to show my quilting set up. This is a King I was quilting. If you have room for folding tables they help hold the weight. Also, see the clamps I use. Jerrilyn called them bicycle clamps.
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quiltedtwins.com
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Toogie, your quilt is beautiful love the bright colors. I have no experience, just a couple of quilts on the home sewing/embroidery machine. With that being said, I think a stitch in the ditch in the rows of the bright blocks and a simple wavy or loop design on the border. Your quilts have such a personal touch, from start to finish it is all your own work. Thank you for the link to Quilted Twins.
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2267Can u explain this long arm ???It sews you go anywhere any way???
1 comment
by toogie
28 Feb 2020
You move the quilt anyway you want to stitch, no programmed designs. You make your design or stitches with your movement of the quilt. It is even more basic than the Sweet Sixteen, though a little larger throat on mine. The Sweet Sixteen has a stitch regulator you can add to keep all the stitches even. My friend said she doesn't use it after she got it. Some like the add on, some don't. I can turn the speed up or down on mine but I regulate the stitches with my movement. I'm not sure if I explained very well.
Go to You tube and type in this for search
HQ Live – Quilting on the HQ Sweet Sixteen with Helen Godden (March 2017)
It is kind long, but it will explain a lot about stitching on a sit down long arm. Personally, I would have liked to had a long arm & frame, but I don't have the room for one nor the money. You move the machine with those, not the quilt.
360667Your quilt is beautiful. Love it either way. Happy Stitching :-)
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9794Wow! What a gorgeous quilt, I love scrap quilts. I think E's and 3's or something loopy would be excellent on this quilt.
You are so lucky to have a quilting machine!
2 comments
by toogie
17 Feb 2020
I am thankful to have found this machine and blessed to be able to buy it. The lady lived a couple states away and I told her don't make me drive for nothing. I said if anything wrong tell me now, because I'm going to try it out and IF there is something wrong, I won't get it anyway even after driving that far. She was very nice. Reassured me it was okay. Met her at her house got a 2 hour lesson and quilted. All was fine.....We left one Saturday night at 10 pm. Hubby drove all night after being up all day Saturday. Arrived at 9 am Sunday morning. Left to come back home at 11 am. Drove all day and was home for 11pm Sunday night. Hubby is in his 70's too!!! When we texted all 3 kids what we were doing, only one son-in-law called. When he asked when we were leaving to go, I said in about 30 minutes. His response was, "Are y'all crazy!"-lol-lol
I tell everybody he took me on a 2 hour vacation, to get a quilting machine, 2 states away!-lol
12452SIMPLY AMAZING Toogie, great work and so much time involved in this type of quilt. I love it, well done, love Chris
(P.S. Ashley is one spoilt young woman!)
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by toogie
17 Feb 2020
Probably so, but you do the same for Amy, Dana and Ben! Glad you like it, though,thanks. I liked the colors of Inman Park. Google it. It was so appealing to me.
234507Your (daughters) quilt is amazing! I can't imaging doing a quilt this size. I have learned much from yours and Cuties posts on quilts, someday I will tackle a real quilt. Hugs and flowers, Suzanna
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18140Toogie, I bet that loops/swirls would look great on this! It would help to "break up" all those corners on the blocks and add some flow to the quilt. You could also quilt a loop and leaves on the quilt. I have done this on quite a few customer quilts over the years on my longarm. Excited to see what you chose to do!!! Love this one Toogie....you really should keep it.
1 comment
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
You are a professional quilter, I just started, so afraid I can't do much. I might try those C's, I don't know. Can you draw or show a picture of the swirls you're speaking of?
20088Just simply beautiful , what an undertaking, I know the time it has taken you. ***** stars in you crown.
1 comment
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
lol- I really got bored making it, that is why I took a break and sewed so many doll clothes...This QOV I started shouldn't be boring. Each 12 inch block has 41 pieces! I have 12 out of 20 blocks done so I need to get busy :) Thanks!
27358Your quilt is beautiful. Why did you not just keep this one for your self and make her another? Why do we all do this-everyone else first and then we don't get one for ourself? I am not a quilter so can't help you there. Good luck . Hugs. Nan
2 comments
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
We do it because we love them and it's just 'material' things, no big deal, not that important. I was going to make her one anyway and if she knew this was to have been mine, she would want me to keep it. I won't tell so don't you tell either-lol-Thanks Nan
11927360667Toggie, I think I would take it to a master long arm quilter. I know it will cost about $150 plus, but it would be worth every penny. Call me lazym but also realistic,
3 comments
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
No, that's why I bought my sit down. I know a master quilter would do much better stitching designs, but I have too many kids to make quilts for. My machine was cheaper than paying a longarmer for all them. Besides, I want to leave them something I made, my bucket list, so to speak.
I contacted Kreations by Kara when she was first advertising long arm services for .01 a square inch. When I explained how I wanted it quilted she said that would be a custom job and three times as much. I think it would have cost me $350 for a queen. Mind you, this was no fancy feather stitching or anything, just probably ruler work. That quilt still isn't quilted. I am waiting until I get better at it.
by hightechgrammy
16 Feb 2020
I didn't know you have a longarm! That is fantastic! Have you practiced on things that aren't important, that aren't a masterpiece? You can do this, Toogie! You have done things that were harder, and I know you have the skills. You just need confidence. I get so nervous when I try something new, but really it is just one step at a time. I know you can do it! It will be even more meaningful when YOU do it! Hugs, Jan
by toogie
17 Feb 2020
Thanks Jan, for the vote of confidence. My LA friend at church loaned me her Versatool ruler to practice with. I have two more border strips to sew on a QOV and then I plan to play this week quilting with the ruler. Wish me luck!
59631So beautiful. No wonder Ashley wanted it. Now you will have to make yourself another. I am no quilter so I will leave suggestions for others. Hugs
1 comment
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
Thanks Shirley. I may make me a throw like it one day, but have 3 more to do first.
52686Wow! love that quilt, it's absolutely beautiful! You have done a wonderful job, Toogie.
Hugs, Lidia
1 comment
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
Thanks Lidia, it's just a quilt top right now, but hope to get it quilted by Christmas.
78119I like the 2nd direction. With the rectangles going vertically. It seems to move my eyes in a more pleasing manner. I don't know how to describe how I would quilt this, but I'll try. I'd start in the center and trying to use sharp corners, build outwardly. So it would look like you had sewn squares that just got bigger and bigger.
1 comment
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
Looking at the pics I like it placed that way too. Oh heck, I like it either way-lol-It does look slimmer in the 2nd pic. I understand what you're describing. I watched a you tube video and she quilted in double C's. I might could do that, I'm not sure
158718This is very beautiful! I can understand someone claiming it! the white really accents the rectangles. So many little pieces to make this so wonderful. I have no idea how you would quilt it, however I hope it will not detract from the look.
1 comment
by toogie
edited 15 Feb 2020
I hope it doesn't either, Christine. Some quilts are over quilted. The quilting is beautiful, but then you mostly loose the look of the quilt. You look more at the quilting, not the piecing or the quilt itself. Thanks
173695It is beautiful, toogie. And so large.. I don't do anything larger than a single.
Your daughter will be delighted.
As for the quilting question - I would have suggested straight lines using a walking foot as well.
I have ordered a Bernina with a ruler set so I can do some free hand quilting - if you can still call using a ruler free hand :)
It sounds super, shortly I will practice and see how super it is.
1 comment
by toogie
14 Feb 2020
Thanks mops, I have been looking at the Versatool by Handiquilter. My friend that has a long arm in a frame has this ruler. She is bringing it to church Sunday for me to try next week. I She said if I like it, I can purchase one. If not, then she saved me some money. She knows it's different for me. She moves her machine in one hand and holds the ruler in the other. I would have to hold the ruler and move the quilt. I'm sure it can be done. Just not sure if I can do it.
145305Hi Toogie, beautiful. The fabrics are so buzzy, how about just straight stitching in rows with a ruler? A pool noodle might be some help to roll up the quilt tightly to save some space.
Good luck, hugs
6 comments
by toogie
14 Feb 2020
I think quilting in rows would be good going one way, but not the other, as rows/pieces are staggered. Not sure how you'd stitch that way...I'm afraid I'd just fight with the noodle-lol- I don't have a problem with space and I use clamps on big quilts. The circular kind that just hold the roll together. I forget what they are called. Thanks
ps-do you ruler quilt?
by Kampfzwerg
14 Feb 2020
Still practicing.I have almost finished a queen size top for the guest room, the batting is already rolled out to rlax and still thinking about the quilting. My Bernina 740 is pretty big, but it is a lot of wrestling. I am thinking about sqrewing some hooks in the ceiling to let down clamps on strings to hold up the quilt and carry the weight. I have to sleep about it a few more nights, I think. Hugs
by jrob
14 Feb 2020
Clips I use are bicycle clips. They're what you clamp your pants around your ankles to keep from getting fabric in the chain.
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
That's the clips I use to hold mine. I fortunately have a large 9 foot x 44" dining table.My machine cabinet is 43 inches x 29 1/2" and I butt it up to my dining table on one side and one corner. Then I have a 6 foot folding table x 29" I butt up to the side of dining table and the end of the machine table. It ends up giving me a 73 1/2 in x 108 inch work space. It sure helps my shoulders not wrestling with too much weight. I don't think I could manage well otherwise. Only drawback, machine stays in that area because it is too HEAVY to move far. Takes us both and we only have to go about 3 or 4 feet with it.
Jerrilyn I wish I understood the quilt program you have. Does it let you design your blocks in the program instead of using graph paper and pencil? I guess I just don't understand what it does or how it works....After I finish this QOV I am on, I will be making Lanie's quilt. It is a panel she liked and has different size pieces of fabric, I can't hardly call them blocks, around. They are whole pieces framed with a strip. I have to figure out what size to cut each of them and each side and each end mirror the other to fit. First though, she needs to tell me if she wants a large throw size or a bed size. I can't pin her for an answer. She says whatever I want to make and her mom says bed size (queen, in her case). Anyway, wish I could understand pc programs......
by toogie
15 Feb 2020
Kampfzwerg, I added a pic I had showing my tables and machine set up. You can barely see the white 6' folding table but it is on the left side of my machine table. They really help keep everything level so eliminates a lot of dragging or pulling. Good luck with your quilting, I can't wait to see it!
7871What a lovely piece, Toogie... I am sure Ashley will be thrilled!
1 comment
by toogie
14 Feb 2020
She probably won't get it until Christmas, but I was determined to start early this year. I made 2 Kings and 3 twins, from piecing to quilting, in about 2 months. I don't want to repeat that. Thanks Kim
318537How about stitch in the ditch every 3 or 4th square both directions using a walking foot?
Love the pattern. How wide are your strips?
3 comments
by toogie
14 Feb 2020
Rectangles are 2 x 3 1/2 inch and my strips from one side to the other are 2 x 108. The pattern is free I can put a link up. I made this one larger but it is easy enough to decrease or increase the size of the quilt.
I don't have a walking for for my quilting machine. It has no feed dogs.
109774Just logged into Cute and see this stunning piece of work. Its beautiful and your a great mother to let your daughter have it. I just wonder how you get so much done
1 comment
by toogie
14 Feb 2020
She doesn't know I had been saving these fabrics for me. I was a little discouraged to finish it bigger, but I finally finished the piecing. Wish I could say the same for the quilting.
You say ' I just wonder how you get so much done'. What I am amazed about is my house doesn't look like a hoarder!-lol- Now non-sewers may disagree about my sewing room-lol, lol
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