Here is some discussion of quilting approach alternatives:

I am going to describe several different options, and the differences can be subtle, so read this section through very carefully several times, until you are satisfied you know what you want to do and how to do it.

There are three possible ways of approaching the quilting of our BOM quilt. Which type of bat you use can also affect how you approach these options.

The first option would be to simply join the blocks as with any other quilt, making a complete top, then layer with back and bat, pin or baste, and then proceed with quilting. This is certainly the least confusing option, since it is an old standby, covered in many books. However, you won't learn anything new, or experience quilting as you go, to see if you like it. Obviously, if you choose this route, you don't need to worry about quilting till you are all done with the blocks.

The second major option is to quilt as you go. Most of our folks seem to be interested in trying this approach. It involves a couple of decisions, based on both esthetics and how much sewing you want to do. Esthetically, do you want the finished quilt to have the appearance that the blocks are simply joined, the same as it would appear with option 1 above, or do you want the blocks set off by a darker separating strip between them, as we did with Sunbonnet Sue (see pages in The Quilt Shop)? This creates a lattice, or window type effect. This is the result of joining the blocks with a separate "joining strip" on the front, as well as on the back.

If you like the idea of the blocks appearing to be simply joined, you will be simply sewing them together on the front surfaces, using a standard 1/4" seam allowance, but on the back you will be using separate joining strips. What this means is that your quilted blocks must allow the front to have a 1/4" seam allowance that the back and bat do not have. How you make that allowance will depend on what type of batting you are using.

IF YOU ARE USING REGULAR BATTING, cut a piece of your backing material that is a bit larger than your block, perhaps 1" on each side. Cut a piece of bat the same. Layer them with the block and do a slight amount of pinning or basting. A lot is not needed. Once you have your layered block, simply quilt to your choice. I generally prefer quilting in the ditch to emphasize the pattern of each block. The catch here is that if you are going to use this second approach, DO NOT quilt all the way out to the edges of the block. Stop at least 1/4" from the edges. When you're done, flip the whole thing over and trim the back and bat to 1/4" less than the top on each side. What you have done is create a quilted block that still has 1/4" seam allowances on the top, but not on the back or bat. When it is time to finish the quilt, you join the blocks on the top by machine sewing them together with the 1/4" seam allowance, but you sew ONLY the top. You do not join the bat and/or back. You will then join the backs by using a separate joining strip, as I will instruct later.

IF YOU ARE USING FUSIBLE BATTING, a slightly different approach is necessary. You will be ironing your block, bat and back together, and trimming the back and bat edges after you quilt will not be an option… they will be sealed by the fusing. To adjust for this, you must cut a back piece and a bat piece that are both 1/4" smaller on all edges (1/2" overall) than the block itself. Then, place the block face down on the ironing board. Settle a cut piece of fusible batting on it, making sure you have a 1/4" seam allowance still showing all around on the block. Then settle your cut back piece onto the batting, again making sure your seam allowance is still visible on the block. Now, iron them together, using maximum steam and a fairly hot iron. Now, with the fusible batting, and starting out with the back and bat already cut smaller to allow for the 1/4" seam allowance needed on the front, you can quilt right out to the edges, since you will not be trimming back.

For the record, I am using muslin for the back, the same as for the background in the blocks themselves. For batting, I am using June Taylor 100% Polyester Fusible Batting (tm) (NAYY). If they had had a medium loft, I would have used that, but this is working fine. With this batting you do not need to pin or tack or spray. It just irons together. One caution, if you get the iron directly on it, even at the edges, it does gummy up the bottom of the iron a bit. Pretty easily cleaned up, so not a major consideration. June Taylor recommends the "Wool" setting, which is hot, but not the hottest on the iron. Now, this is very important: Press, do not slide the iron around. If you do, the back and/or bat may "walk" on you and reduce your seam allowance. After doing a few blocks, I started cutting every so slightly shy when I cut the batting and back pieces, to allow a bit for this.

Now for the third option, i.e. you want to quilt as you go, but you like the idea of the lattice effect from Sunbonnet Sue, life gets a bit easier, at least at this stage. You will be joining your blocks with separate "joining strips" on both the back and the front. This means that you can avoid the need to make the bat and back slightly smaller than the block, as described above. You can cut the back and bat to the same size as the block, or slightly oversized, and just quilt away. If you cut oversize, trim the whole back to your standard size of your block when done.

A number of folks have, perhaps kind of automatically, copied my use of the different colored corners on the borders. They seem to like the idea of allowing these to form a four patch block pattern where the large blocks are joined. The use of separate joining strips on the front would negate this effect, so if you are in the "I like the four-patch" group, you will definitely want to use Option 2, and cut your bat and back pieces slightly smaller than the blocks to allow for the seam allowance you will need when joining. If this third option is your choice, you can proceed to quilt by layering the block as described above, but you can quilt all the way to the edges. When the block is quilted, instead of trimming the back and bat to 1/4" less on each side than the block itself, you trim the excess back and bat off even with the edges of the block. I am producing 15 1/2" blocks, so to use this option, I would quilt them all the way to the edges, and then just use the roller cutter to trim off the excess back and bat.

Why have excess back and bat if you are just going to trim it off? It is a good idea because the quilting process "squinches" or shrinks, the back and bat (and the front for that matter) a bit. By starting with excess, if the squinching is not even all around, it doesn't matter, because you will trim it to the dimension you want.

OK, here are some pictorials that should help you understand the material above:

OK, that should get you well on your way with the quilting. Obviously, you can use any pattern you like to quilt the blocks. You can go free form, or do tiny stippling in the black areas, or whatever.

I hope that the descriptions of the possible options are not too confusing. I think they will become clearer as soon as I can post a page on joining blocks, which I will try to do ASAP.