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Posted by Roberta on October 19, 2009, 10:55 am
I guess there must be people who love the bicycle clips (they do work
great for bicycles). But not me! IMO they don't really add anything
helpful. Try it without clips! The sky won't fall!
Don't know what your set-up is like, but part of the tension issue
just might be drag from the weight of the quilt. (Lose the clips -gain
flexibility.) Drag makes the thread come off the bobbin differently.
Do you have a table to your left to hold the bulk off your lap? Do you
have enough space behind the machine so you aren't struggling to force
it up against a wall? (And enough so it won't suddenly drop off the
edge!)
Well done, sounds like you're really learning a lot!
Roberta in D
On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:20:45 -0500, "Edna Pearl"
show/hide quoted text
>I quilted a bunch of straight lines with a walking foot for the first time
>today, and found it quite . . . erm . . . challenging. I am pretty sure
>that the solution to most of my problems is practice, practice, practice,
>but I thought I'd make a few notes here and see if anybody has any words of
>wisdom.
>1. Setting the machine's stitch length was a joke. The stitch length was
>determined more by how much the quilt package was dragging for one reason or
>another -- snagging on the bicycle clips as they traveled on, under, around
>the machine, snagging on an accordian-fold in the package in my lap, etc.
>This is related to . . .
>2. I hate bicycle clips. They scrape across the finish of my SM cabinet
>(admittedly a beat-up finish already, but still), they snag, they fall off
>on the floor, etc. I'm getting better with this. Would it help to wrap the
>clips with cheesecloth?
>3. No. 1 is also probably related to the fact that my SM and/or walking
>foot continually demanded changes in the upper thread tension. I was using
>different color threads on top and bottom, and occasionally the machine
>would apparently just change its mind about whether it would tighten bobbin
>threads up to the top or top threads to the bottom. I truly could not make
>heads or tails of what the thread tension would do next. The SM was well
>cleaned and lubricated. It seemed as if the machine just got tired and
>started tightening up one way or the other.
>4. Puckers on the back. I think this was due purely to the fact that I did
>a lousy job of spray-basting. The walking foot was feeding fine and doing
>what it was supposed to do; I just had glued some puckers into the back. I
>know what I'll do differently the next time I spray-baste.
>That said, I got some good practice and the quilt looks pretty decent on
>top, so far. After the thread yesterday when I asked about how far apart my
>straight-line quilting should be, I decided that the narrow lines I wanted
>would make the quilt narrower than I wanted. So I decided to go back to a
>triple-figure eight, Amish quilting pattern that had attracted me earlier.
>I'll quilt that tomorrow with my new, see-through darning foot. Based on
>past experience with a mini-quilt, I think I may be better at quilting such
>a pattern than I am at quilting a straight line! Meanders and stippling
>never attracted me very much before, but I find I'm having good luck with it
>on a practice scrap, so that may be in my future, too.
>ep
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Posted by Edna Pearl on October 19, 2009, 3:04 pm
show/hide quoted text
> Don't know what your set-up is like, but part of the tension issue
> just might be drag from the weight of the quilt.
I strongly suspect this is the case.
show/hide quoted text
> (Lose the clips -gain
> flexibility.)
ALL RIGHT ALREADY! :-) This group seems to be quite unanimous on this
issue. My experience so far suggests that the group is quite right!
show/hide quoted text
> Do you have a table to your left to hold the bulk off your lap?
I just can't imagine that I would like to do it this way at this point.
Without the clips, I think the quilt would rest quite comfortably in my lap.
Having seen videos of both methods, I am going to stick with the lap method
for the next round of practice. If that bombs, I'll try the
over-the-shoulder method.
show/hide quoted text
>Do you
> have enough space behind the machine so you aren't struggling to force
> it up against a wall? (And enough so it won't suddenly drop off the
> edge!)
My set-up doesn't make it easy to get a table behind the machine. I've seen
a video of Leah Day sewing up against a corner (and recommending this
practice as the best one). I think I'm going to try to get used to this
method, as it is the most congenial to my little sewing space in between a
piano and an aquarium (and a dining table behind me where we can actually
eat off it when I'm not cutting and folding quilts on it).
Thanks for your advice and encouragement!
ep
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Posted by Julia in MN on October 19, 2009, 6:24 pm
Edna Pearl wrote:
show/hide quoted text
>> Don't know what your set-up is like, but part of the tension issue
>> just might be drag from the weight of the quilt.
>
> I strongly suspect this is the case.
>
>> (Lose the clips -gain
>> flexibility.)
>
> ALL RIGHT ALREADY! :-) This group seems to be quite unanimous on this
> issue. My experience so far suggests that the group is quite right!
>
>> Do you have a table to your left to hold the bulk off your lap?
>
> I just can't imagine that I would like to do it this way at this point.
> Without the clips, I think the quilt would rest quite comfortably in my lap.
> Having seen videos of both methods, I am going to stick with the lap method
> for the next round of practice. If that bombs, I'll try the
> over-the-shoulder method.
>
>> Do you
>> have enough space behind the machine so you aren't struggling to force
>> it up against a wall? (And enough so it won't suddenly drop off the
>> edge!)
>
> My set-up doesn't make it easy to get a table behind the machine. I've seen
> a video of Leah Day sewing up against a corner (and recommending this
> practice as the best one). I think I'm going to try to get used to this
> method, as it is the most congenial to my little sewing space in between a
> piano and an aquarium (and a dining table behind me where we can actually
> eat off it when I'm not cutting and folding quilts on it).
>
> Thanks for your advice and encouragement!
>
> ep
My sewing space in my sewing room is quite small. It's fine for piecing,
but when I'm machine quilting, I usually move out into the dining room.
I put a leaf or two (depending on the size of the quilt) in the table
and work there. It works so much better to have the extra surface for
most quilts, except the very small (up to 4x5 feet or so).
Julia in MN
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Posted by Michelle C. on October 19, 2009, 9:40 pm
Edna Pearl wrote:
show/hide quoted text
>> Don't know what your set-up is like, but part of the tension issue
>> just might be drag from the weight of the quilt.
>
> I strongly suspect this is the case.
>
>> (Lose the clips -gain
>> flexibility.)
>
> ALL RIGHT ALREADY! :-) This group seems to be quite unanimous on this
> issue. My experience so far suggests that the group is quite right!
>
>> Do you have a table to your left to hold the bulk off your lap?
>
> I just can't imagine that I would like to do it this way at this point.
> Without the clips, I think the quilt would rest quite comfortably in my lap.
> Having seen videos of both methods, I am going to stick with the lap method
> for the next round of practice. If that bombs, I'll try the
> over-the-shoulder method.
>
Somebody here on RTCQ suggested using my ironing board set to table
level to give another surface on which place the quilt to prevent drag.
The beauty of it is that the ironing board is portable. While quilt
drag is always going to be a PITA, imo, the ironing board did help me.
Best regards,
Michelle in Nevada
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Posted by Roberta on October 20, 2009, 8:48 am
I also have an old computer table, the kind on wheels, with wheel
locks. Sturdier than an ironing board and not as long. Good as a
left-hand support, or as an extra layout space near the machine or the
design wall.
Roberta in D
show/hide quoted text
>Somebody here on RTCQ suggested using my ironing board set to table
>level to give another surface on which place the quilt to prevent drag.
> The beauty of it is that the ironing board is portable. While quilt
>drag is always going to be a PITA, imo, the ironing board did help me.
>Best regards,
>Michelle in Nevada
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>today, and found it quite . . . erm . . . challenging. I am pretty sure
>that the solution to most of my problems is practice, practice, practice,
>but I thought I'd make a few notes here and see if anybody has any words of
>wisdom.
>1. Setting the machine's stitch length was a joke. The stitch length was
>determined more by how much the quilt package was dragging for one reason or
>another -- snagging on the bicycle clips as they traveled on, under, around
>the machine, snagging on an accordian-fold in the package in my lap, etc.
>This is related to . . .
>2. I hate bicycle clips. They scrape across the finish of my SM cabinet
>(admittedly a beat-up finish already, but still), they snag, they fall off
>on the floor, etc. I'm getting better with this. Would it help to wrap the
>clips with cheesecloth?
>3. No. 1 is also probably related to the fact that my SM and/or walking
>foot continually demanded changes in the upper thread tension. I was using
>different color threads on top and bottom, and occasionally the machine
>would apparently just change its mind about whether it would tighten bobbin
>threads up to the top or top threads to the bottom. I truly could not make
>heads or tails of what the thread tension would do next. The SM was well
>cleaned and lubricated. It seemed as if the machine just got tired and
>started tightening up one way or the other.
>4. Puckers on the back. I think this was due purely to the fact that I did
>a lousy job of spray-basting. The walking foot was feeding fine and doing
>what it was supposed to do; I just had glued some puckers into the back. I
>know what I'll do differently the next time I spray-baste.
>That said, I got some good practice and the quilt looks pretty decent on
>top, so far. After the thread yesterday when I asked about how far apart my
>straight-line quilting should be, I decided that the narrow lines I wanted
>would make the quilt narrower than I wanted. So I decided to go back to a
>triple-figure eight, Amish quilting pattern that had attracted me earlier.
>I'll quilt that tomorrow with my new, see-through darning foot. Based on
>past experience with a mini-quilt, I think I may be better at quilting such
>a pattern than I am at quilting a straight line! Meanders and stippling
>never attracted me very much before, but I find I'm having good luck with it
>on a practice scrap, so that may be in my future, too.
>ep