I am just learning to machine quilt and I am playing with meandering. Varigated thread would also look pretty. Be sure to post the finished pics!!!!! Rosa

I rarely draw patterns on a quilt so it was done freehand. It's really no different than your single strand "Pothos", which is also easy to do freehand. Now that you've got the feel for how a vine is made, try doing some samples without your paper pattern and see what happens. Then try this: go to the picture of my vines again and take your finger and start following the vine around--I think you'll begin to see how I traveled around to fill the space. I think that what prevents folks from trying freehand designs is that we get locked into the idea that every motif in a design should be exactly the same as every other motif and sometimes that's true, as in a formal feathered wreath, for instance (I do use a drawn pattern for that sort of thing). However, in nature leaves, feathers, flowers, spirals, etc. come in an infinite variety of shapes and sizes even on one plant. The way I see it, this variation is what gives a quilting design interest and character. A machine can replicate an image perfectly over and over, but where's the fun in that? I'm currently adding big, swooping free-form feathering to the wide borders on a client's quilt. I'll try to get some pictures with my computer when I'm done, or will try my scanner if that doesn't work. I've got to get a new camera SOON! Annie

I've done queen & king sized quilts on my regular sewing machine. It is definitely a task, with an exercise in patience and tenacity. A walking foot is a must, so you are there and ready. If you choose to go with the machine, you'll want to find an easy pattern. I suggest straight lines going in both directions to form a grid. This can be by following the intersections of your blocks, or just from corner to corner of your quilt, or straight line grids from side to side. One of my first I took blue painter's tape and placed it from the corner of the quilt to the opposing corner. Then stitched along one side of the tape. Then moved X number of inches over and did it again one until I reached the corner. I then worked from the first line out in the other direction. And repeated the entire process so the cross-hatch grid was created. There are many possibilities depending on your quilt. Can you post a picture for us to see? THen maybe we can help more. I'm the self-designated queen of making it work! I've done lots of large quilts on my standard machine. It is definitely possible, though it might wear you out!

What a treasure! I have several old quilts made by my grandmother and a couple I think we're at least pieces by my great- grandmother. A couple were in pretty rough shape because they were well-used as they were meant to be. I washed them in my front loader with mild detergent, extra rinse, with no problem. An embroidered quilt would be different. I would also vote for having an expert add a small binding as would fit the style of the quilt. If you then think it needs a wash, soak and lightly spin dry. Repeat for rinsing. Air dry.