Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Quilter Needs Info about Quilt-as-You-Go


Gloria in Oregon is about to make a Red Zinger. She wants to know if it would be a good idea to use a "Quilt-as-You-Go" method. I've never done that. Does anyone have any advice for Gloria? Let's chat in the Comments to this post. Thanks!

Are you wondering what I'm talking about? See Red Zinger here. We love newbies.

7 comments:

Nini said...

The only problem with quilt as you go is the bulk. I would think, having never done it myself. Plus having to super plan it out, compared to what I usually do: wing it, hope it all fits, add extras if it doesn't and adjust accordingly.

June Calender said...

I love to do quilt-as-you-go but only do it on square blocks. I don't know how it would work on the Red Zinger. There's the matter of making seams on the back flat and not causing ridges. I very often make reversible quilts using a method of stripping between the blocks that essentially butts the two together and overlaps with (usually contrasting) strips. There's probably a tutorial on youTube. I'm much happier machine quilting one block at a time. I have a book that I will reference maybe later today -- must find it.

Sue McPeak said...

I have found that the quilt as you go method works well on square blocks that are to be set in the quilt top with sashing. Depending on how much quilting is done...shrinkage and distortion...with sashing those issues can be managed.

In Red Zinger the matchup of block to block is essential to the design which will require attention to each block having the same quilting density with little to no margin of error in seaming the blocks together and matching points.

As June said, there is probably a UTube demo. My first reference was from a book written by Georgia Bonesteel...a veteran quilter and 'Quilt As You Go' master.

Key here is 'Plan Ahead'...give it a go Gloira...you can do it!
Sue CollectInTexas Gal

Selvage Quilter said...

The Red Zinger blocks are square, and it's not too critical that they match up perfectly on the front because all the selvages are different widths. It's worth doing a little experiment.

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio said...

The problem I find with QAYG is that making and quilting the small blocks or sections isn't hard to do, but at some point you have to put the sections together and that last long section that you add to the rest of the quilt is the most difficult. QAYG is heavy and bulky as it is and then if you are making blocks with selvages onto a foundation fabric, that adds even more to the bulk and heaviness of the quilt. If the selvage quilt is a small wall hanging that's one thing, but a king size bed is another! I wouldn't attempt the red zinger as a QAYG, but that's me.

Sue SA said...

I have just made a couple of QAYG quilts and the individual blocks are easy peasy, but getting it together is just about as heavy/awkward as as quilting a top through your normal machine! I will make them again, but only for small quilts, single bed size and under. The only reason I use QAYG is that I hate sewing on fabric foundations (don't like the stiffness it adds) and I have heaps of scrap wadding to use up! I have not tried to do a specific pattern with QAYG.

Unknown said...

I know I am very late to this conversation, but QAYG is very close to my heart . . .

I love it and use it for just about all my quilts any more.

As Leah Day from the Free Motion Quilting Project would say, QAYG exchanges one problem (massive quilt squish) for another the extra handling.

I'd like to recommend a couple of blogs that you might find helpful - you'll have to search the blogs for FMQ tips and ideas, but they're pretty darn fabulous:

The Quilting Edge
Fibermania
and of course The Free Motion Quilting Project.

Good luck!