Grid quilting
A grid is straight lines across and down, here 2" apart, making squares over the whole quilt. Lined up with the seams of a patchwork quilt, it needs no marking at all.
By Editorial Staff
How to stitch grid
- Fit a walking foot and lengthen the stitch to about 3 mm, 8 to 9 stitches an inch. Roll the sides of the quilt so the part under the machine lies flat, and support its weight on the table so it doesn't drag.
- Quilt the lines in one direction from the center out, then turn the quilt a quarter turn and quilt the other direction.
- On a pieced quilt, follow the seams or run the lines through the middle of each patch so the grid matches the piecing.
Home machine, longarm or by hand
| Level | How | |
|---|---|---|
| Home machine | Beginner | Walking foot |
| Longarm | Intermediate | Straight ruler |
| By hand | Suits hand quilting | How to hand quilt |
Thread for grid
40 or 50 weight cotton, or a 12 weight for a big-stitch look by hand.
| Size | Quilt | Stitching | Top thread | Bobbin thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 45" × 60" | 75 yd | 103 yd | 103 yd |
| Throw | 60" × 72" | 120 yd | 165 yd | 165 yd |
| Twin | 70" × 90" | 175 yd | 241 yd | 241 yd |
| Full | 84" × 96" | 224 yd | 308 yd | 308 yd |
| Queen | 90" × 108" | 270 yd | 371 yd | 371 yd |
| King | 108" × 108" | 324 yd | 445 yd | 445 yd |
Stitching is measured on the drawing above at 2". A lockstitch takes about 1¼" of top thread and 1¼" of bobbin thread for each inch it sews; we add 10% for starts and tails. To check your own machine, sew 12", then measure what came off each spool.
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