I have been working on this quilt for years and got it out to at least think about how to finish it. I attempted to spread it out across the back of the couch and was immediately interrupted by my three furbabies. What is it about cats and quilts? They had to check it out! Snap (Siamese) is on the top, Crackle (Siamese) is on the bottom and Pop (Ragdoll) is checking out the middle. We got all three Krispies the same day, so had to have names that went together. I made this quilt top to actually fit like a bedspread on our king sized bed. The problem is it is way toooooo big to quilt in a frame. I have light blue chambray for the backing and Warm & Natural for the batting. I'm thinking of quilting it on the machine in sections. LIke cutting the middle backing and batting 1/3 and quilting it on the machine, and then sewing the top 1/3 backing and batting and quilting that, and then the bottom 1/3. That way it would be so bulky and would actually fit under my sewing machine. What do you think? I thought of hooping it and hand quilting it, but I truly don't think it would ever get finished. HELP!!! What should I do???

This is beautiful. Please do not ask me for any suggestions. I bought material, batting and backing about 5/ 6 years ago. It is still in it's bag I bought it in. I do a lot of sewing but somehow the thought of making a quilt terrifies me. Your cats look as if they have posed for you.

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 11 Apr 2011

I snapped about 8 shots and this was the only one where all three were looking at me. They hate the flash!

Beautiful quilt. Love the cats.

You might try machine quilting in sections:
http://www.quiltedparadise.com/n/...
http://creativeribbons.blogspot.c...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe...

I too would send to the quilter. Curves would look great with all the straight lines you have in this quilt. However, there are lots of designs you can chose from when you go to the quilter. Now that you have it out of hidding I would push to get it quilted. This is coming from a non-hand quilter. Too beautiful a quilt not to be using it. Good luck. Let us know the outcome. :-)

I agree if you take it to a professional you can ask for as much or as little quilting as you can afford! Either way it would be done & on your bed sew you could enjoy it!If you take it in he or she may be able to get it started for you & then you could finish it off!

whatever you end up doing - I hope you do it - so you can enjoy it as much as the cats have so far.

It will make a beautiful quilt. King size would be a lot to roll up and get under the machine arm. However, if you pin or base it very carefully I think it can be done by hooping and machine quilting. There are many designs that can be done and the placing is up to you. I love the one I did but not near the size of yours. It will take much longer to do the hooping than getting it stitched. Good Luck!

Eine sehr schöner quilt,ich würde ihn auch quillten lassen,ist vielleischt teuer aber einfacher für dich.Deine Katzen ist das egal aber für dich ist das einfacher.Ich wünsche dir alles gute mit dein quilt.
Lgr.von Lammina from Germany

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 11 Apr 2011

I wish I knew what you were telling me. It looks nice. thank you. Jan

great job looking good

Well how about a wall quilt say going down a stairway where there is room and the cats won't get it lol carolyn

Love the quilt and your cats - lost my ragdoll a few months ago to persistent kidney stones. About broke my heart - he took the place of my husband by grumbling at me when it was time to feed him, go to bed or roll over to provide him with a better sleeping spot! He was a rescue and we thought he would get bigger so that's why he was called Hagrid.

I think that they just cut the batting into thirds and roll up the other areas of the top and backing. Looks like a big job now matter what! But well worth it - good for you. Be sure to have it evaluated by a professional for insurance purposes. You will be surprised at what it's worth when finished.

And put an informative label on it - that will raise the value also - full name, including your maiden name, finished date, the name of the pattern and who it was made for. When they do the state quilt surveys these are so much more interesting because the quilt has a 'pedigree' so to speak.

I wish you ladies were in my area and could come to my class (I teach hand quilting ) It is just to hard to describe how to do it by words only. You can hand quilt this without dividing it into sections. do some checking on in the internet perhaps some one will have it on youTube.

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 11 Apr 2011

I thought about taking it down to the elementary school where I taught and stretching it out on the gym floor and pinning it with quilting safety pins, then hoop it in the middle to hand quilt it one hoop at a time, working my way out. Would that work? Would your like to quilt it for me for $$?

this is beautiful... I have a large quilt top for my king size too... I am going to send the top part in to be quilted and the side pieces that hang over I will add later and do my self.. that is the only way I can think to get mine done ..

3 comments

by hightechgrammy 10 Apr 2011

I think that might cost a fortune for this one. Those all over swirls would just not go with these geometric triangles and squares. I could tie it, but I still want it sturdier and quilted. I may die of old age, though, before I get it finished - LOL What pattern is your king size quilt?

by pasister 10 Apr 2011

I would send it out to be quilted on a long arm machine. It can be whatever you choose, doesn't have to be swirls and curliques, although the feather patterns are classic as is the Ohio Star and go together very well. Or, roll it up and smush it under the throat of your machine, working on one area at a time and stitch in the ditch along all your seam lines.

by hightechgrammy 11 Apr 2011

Don't you think I should just try to convince my husband I "need" one of those machines??? But then I wouldn't have time for embroidery - he he.