It depends on the finished effect you want, which depends on the size and type of thread used. Heavier thread and larger stitches will emphasize the outline while lightweight thread and smaller stitches will more likely visually "disappear". Transparent monofilament is popular because it 'disappears' best -- and it also doesn't visually shriek if the stitches aren't always quite in the ditch. Practice on a working scrap (same materials as the finished quilt but in a 12" square) so that you can see the different effects. Do use a quilting needle in the machine and remember to check that top and bottom threads are balanced... quilting is different from piecing and one usually has to tighten or loosen the tension. I usually use approximately 12 to the inch when I want the blocks to be outlined but not emphasized.

I never thought of making the table slick! Duh!! I have some silicone spray I use for my embroidery that I bet will work like a charm. Thank you for the light bulb :-) Robbi

Here are several All-By-Machine quilt-as-you-go methods that I am familiar with. First, several tutorials on how to join pre-quilted blocks all by machine on the TreadleOn website. Good instructions and photos. You can use this method with any pre-quilted blocks that can be joined with sashing. Treadleon Web Site - Joining quilted blocks with sashing all-by-machine tutorial There are two books by Sharon Pedersen that have patterns for quilt-as-you-go quilts that are reversible - two different designs on each side of the quilt. You piece and quilt the blocks one at a time, quilting each block as you go. She uses a similar method as the one above (but somewhat more elegant) to join the blocks. The second book expands on that technique; there are some patterns in that book that don't look like they've been joined with sashing at all. In both books, the instructions and illustrations are excellent. Once you understand the techniques, you can apply them to your own designs. These can be done all by machine. Reversible Quilts Two at a Time More Reversible Quilts 11 New Projects Another method that can be done all by machine are the Cotton Theory designs. You quilt individual units, that you join into blocks with wide seam allowances, fold the seam allowances under, then stitch with decorative stitches. You join the blocks the same way. In this method you are dealing with units smaller than an individual block. You can watch videos of how this is done on the Sewing With Nancy website. This is definitely an "all-by-machine" technique. Sewing Witn Nancy Video website. Pick Quilting as the category, then scroll down to the Cotton Theory Quilting episodes. Cotton Theory website -- The Quiltyard CMC

Yup, I agree with the above posts. I do everything by hand, and I don't see how the blocks would automatically turn out too big just because you sew by hand. I will say, though, that it is essential for me to have stitch lines drawn onto the pieces. From what I read, people on machines emphasize perfectly accurate cutting so that they can carefully sew a perfect 1/4 inch seam by a guide on the machine. Then, they don't have to mark at all, you see. I have a couple of excellent books, "Quiltmaking by Hand" from Jenny Beyer, and "Mastering Precision Piecing" from Sally Collins. They both include sections on making accurate templates, and they both swear (at length) that templates should include the seam allowance. That way you can pin four or so layers of fabric together and your cutting goes a lot faster. When you're making your template, you use an extra fine Sharpie to make dots at the seam intersections, and later punch them out with a 1/16 inch hole punch. When you get to sewing, you line up your edges (very helpful here if the fabric was starched before cutting) and lay the template again to mark the dots on the top piece facing you. If you need help to sew a straight line (like I always do) you can lightly connect the dots, too. For hand sewing, this way keeps the speed of cutting 3-4 layers at once, and eliminates the effort of drawing stitch lines and dots on every piece, that you then find yourself flipping over a thousand times checking the back stitch line. If you draw the stitch line, and then eyeball the 1/4 inch seam as you cut it, planning to match the stitch lines as you hand sew, you have to draw and cut one piece at a time, and take extreme care as you pin through the dots, and since the seam allowances are uneven, you have to pin lots mores along the stitch lines as you flip back and forth to check alignment. When you make a template, be aware that every time you draw around a shape, your line has added width to the shape. You always use the inside edge of your line as the cutting line, not the middle of your line. It's useful to have a very fine point mechanical pencil that will snug right up to your template, and even so, after you cut there shouldn't be any line left on your piece. If you rotary cut, the same goes for the lines on your ruler. They have width. Always take care that the line obliterates the edge of your fabric, not just butts right up to it, and never showing a couple threads on the other side of the line. It seems trivial, but if you add 1/32 inch to every edge, then that's 1/16 to each piece. If your block has a row with eight pieces to match up to some other part, then the eight piece row will be 1/2 inch (8/16) inch too wide. Hootie hoot ! What a long mixed up rambling of a post! I'm leaving it anyway, since maybe it will help you. The main thing you could do is get either one of those books. They are both thirty bucks, and I enjoy Jenny's the most as a good and comprehensive read--even though I don't do the quilting like she does-- but Sally's is half as thick and straight to the point of accurate piecing, with some really good pictures, but nothing on hand quilting. (Be aware that I love books.)