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Posted by Edna Pearl on September 15, 2009, 11:20 pm
I am trying my hand at machine-quilting and am fairly clueless about it.
I have an old SM with snap-on presser feet, and I have been unable to find a
snap-on darning foot so far. I'm using an "all-purpose," rectangular,
open-toed foot with a big gap for the needle (intended to accommodate
zig-zag stitches) for my machine-quilting efforts. I don't see any problem
with using this foot for quilting curves and circles and such, except that
it's darned hard to push and pull the quilt sandwich. (Yes, my feed dogs
are retracted and I'm using "quilting gloves," which, incidentally, I love.)
My questions are, does a darning foot press as hard on the fabric as any
other foot, or does it back off some on the pressure? Do you expect that I
will I find it prohibitively difficult to use this presser foot? Would it
be worthwhile to order the $30 "Supreme Slider" from Leah Day, or am I
attempting the impossible with this machine and should I forget about
machine-quilting?
Another issue is that when I watch tutorial videos on machine-quilting, it
looks like these newfangled SMs have a computer that can tell the needle to
stop in the down position, so you can pick up and re-position your hands
while the needle holds the quilt sandwich in place. My venerable old SM
does not have such a feature, and I'm getting tired of reaching up to
manually turn the wheel, forgetting, etc. (and I'm jealous of these snazzy
new machines).
So far, machine-quilting seems do-able with this SM and this presser foot if
I can just develop some more control and skill. I can see my line of
stitches just fine (which I have heard is a complaint about using
conventional darning feet). It's just hard to move the fabric back and
forth and across. I do seem to be getting better with practice, but I guess
machine-quilting is probably frustrating for any beginner.
I do hope a bunch of you will tell me you're doing elaborate
machine-quilting with machines even more antique than mine :-) which was
made in the 1970's.
Edna Pearl
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Posted by Polly Esther on September 15, 2009, 11:55 pm
Good gracious alive, Edna Pearl. =) so many questions.
FIRST !! atta girl. Good for you. Go for it.
Now. moving on. It seems to me that you are stitching on a Necchi
and I don't know diddly about them. On most SMs somewhere there's a screw
or button that will loosen up the pressure that the foot is applying to your
quilt. Sometimes on older ones, it is located directly above the needle
right on Top of the SM.
Yes. Cough up the $s to get a real quilting / darning foot.
Yes. 'Needle down' is marvelous; you would enjoy a newer machine but
lots of folks here happily succeed without it.
No. A 1970 machine does not qualify as an antique; you'll have to go
back about a hundred years to compete.
So tickled to see that you're learning MQ. We've had to drag some of
our beloved group kicking and screaming, not to mention holding their breath
and turning blue. Most made it.
Assemble yourself some comfortable practice pieces. Sort of placemat
size is good.
And, you didn't ask, but always, always remember to put the foot down.
You can't tell that it is just by looking but you can make one whale of a
mess if you forget. Trust me. Polly
show/hide quoted text
"Edna Pearl" <wrote>I am trying my hand at machine-quilting and am fairly
clueless about it.
show/hide quoted text
> I have an old SM with snap-on presser feet, and I have been unable to find
> a snap-on darning foot so far. I'm using an "all-purpose," rectangular,
> open-toed foot with a big gap for the needle (intended to accommodate
> zig-zag stitches) for my machine-quilting efforts. I don't see any
> problem with using this foot for quilting curves and circles and such,
> except that it's darned hard to push and pull the quilt sandwich. (Yes,
> my feed dogs are retracted and I'm using "quilting gloves," which,
> incidentally, I love.) My questions are, does a darning foot press as hard
> on the fabric as any other foot, or does it back off some on the pressure?
> Do you expect that I will I find it prohibitively difficult to use this
> presser foot? Would it be worthwhile to order the $30 "Supreme Slider"
> from Leah Day, or am I attempting the impossible with this machine and
> should I forget about machine-quilting?
> Another issue is that when I watch tutorial videos on machine-quilting, it
> looks like these newfangled SMs have a computer that can tell the needle
> to stop in the down position, so you can pick up and re-position your
> hands while the needle holds the quilt sandwich in place. My venerable
> old SM does not have such a feature, and I'm getting tired of reaching up
> to manually turn the wheel, forgetting, etc. (and I'm jealous of these
> snazzy new machines).
> So far, machine-quilting seems do-able with this SM and this presser foot
> if I can just develop some more control and skill. I can see my line of
> stitches just fine (which I have heard is a complaint about using
> conventional darning feet). It's just hard to move the fabric back and
> forth and across. I do seem to be getting better with practice, but I
> guess machine-quilting is probably frustrating for any beginner.
> I do hope a bunch of you will tell me you're doing elaborate
> machine-quilting with machines even more antique than mine :-) which was
> made in the 1970's.
> Edna Pearl
>
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Posted by Dragonfly on September 16, 2009, 12:12 am
Edna...I'm still a beginner, too, but it does get easier with time.
Darning feet hop "up" when the needle goes up, making it easier to move your
fabric, but you don't need one, and you don't need an expensive new machine
to free-motion quilt. One of the best free-motion quilters I know uses a
treadle, usually with a regular foot, and sometimes without even dropping
the feed dogs!
Is it possible for you to lighten up on the presser foot pressure? A lot of
the older (and vintage, and antique, as you go back in time!) had adjustable
presser foot pressure. If you loosen it about as much as it can be loosened
without falling out, your regular foot will work just wonderfully for free
motion quilting.
Check your local library for the Hargrave book on quilting...."Heirloom
Quilting" I think it's called. (Somebody please correct me if I've got that
totally wrong!) She has some excellent exercises to get you used to the
motions you make to do free motion quilting.
Other than that, it's "practice, practice, practice!" Just layer some
squares of a handy size, and go for it! If your practice pieces have to be
"useful," bind them afterwards and they become potholders.
After lots and lots of potholders, you'll wonder how you ever had so much
trouble at the beginning!
Dragonfly (Pam)
show/hide quoted text
> I am trying my hand at machine-quilting and am fairly clueless about it.
> I have an old SM with snap-on presser feet, and I have been unable to find
> a snap-on darning foot so far. I'm using an "all-purpose," rectangular,
> open-toed foot with a big gap for the needle (intended to accommodate
> zig-zag stitches) for my machine-quilting efforts. I don't see any
> problem with using this foot for quilting curves and circles and such,
> except that it's darned hard to push and pull the quilt sandwich. (Yes,
> my feed dogs are retracted and I'm using "quilting gloves," which,
> incidentally, I love.) My questions are, does a darning foot press as hard
> on the fabric as any other foot, or does it back off some on the pressure?
> Do you expect that I will I find it prohibitively difficult to use this
> presser foot? Would it be worthwhile to order the $30 "Supreme Slider"
> from Leah Day, or am I attempting the impossible with this machine and
> should I forget about machine-quilting?
> Another issue is that when I watch tutorial videos on machine-quilting, it
> looks like these newfangled SMs have a computer that can tell the needle
> to stop in the down position, so you can pick up and re-position your
> hands while the needle holds the quilt sandwich in place. My venerable
> old SM does not have such a feature, and I'm getting tired of reaching up
> to manually turn the wheel, forgetting, etc. (and I'm jealous of these
> snazzy new machines).
> So far, machine-quilting seems do-able with this SM and this presser foot
> if I can just develop some more control and skill. I can see my line of
> stitches just fine (which I have heard is a complaint about using
> conventional darning feet). It's just hard to move the fabric back and
> forth and across. I do seem to be getting better with practice, but I
> guess machine-quilting is probably frustrating for any beginner.
> I do hope a bunch of you will tell me you're doing elaborate
> machine-quilting with machines even more antique than mine :-) which was
> made in the 1970's.
> Edna Pearl
>
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Posted by Polly Esther on September 16, 2009, 12:30 am
LOL. Thanks, Pam. Needed a laugh. I reckon loosening the pressure until
the foot falls out would indeed present a problem. Polly
show/hide quoted text
"Dragonfly" <wrote> Edna...I'm still a beginner, too, but it does get easier
with time.
show/hide quoted text
> Darning feet hop "up" when the needle goes up, making it easier to move
> your fabric, but you don't need one, and you don't need an expensive new
> machine to free-motion quilt. One of the best free-motion quilters I know
> uses a treadle, usually with a regular foot, and sometimes without even
> dropping the feed dogs!
> Is it possible for you to lighten up on the presser foot pressure? A lot
> of the older (and vintage, and antique, as you go back in time!) had
> adjustable presser foot pressure. If you loosen it about as much as it can
> be loosened without falling out, your regular foot will work just
> wonderfully for free motion quilting.
> Check your local library for the Hargrave book on quilting...."Heirloom
> Quilting" I think it's called. (Somebody please correct me if I've got
> that totally wrong!) She has some excellent exercises to get you used to
> the motions you make to do free motion quilting.
> Other than that, it's "practice, practice, practice!" Just layer some
> squares of a handy size, and go for it! If your practice pieces have to be
> "useful," bind them afterwards and they become potholders.
> After lots and lots of potholders, you'll wonder how you ever had so much
> trouble at the beginning!
> Dragonfly (Pam)
>> I am trying my hand at machine-quilting and am fairly clueless about it.
>> I have an old SM with snap-on presser feet, and I have been unable to
>> find a snap-on darning foot so far. I'm using an "all-purpose,"
>> rectangular, open-toed foot with a big gap for the needle (intended to
>> accommodate zig-zag stitches) for my machine-quilting efforts. I don't
>> see any problem with using this foot for quilting curves and circles and
>> such, except that it's darned hard to push and pull the quilt sandwich.
>> (Yes, my feed dogs are retracted and I'm using "quilting gloves," which,
>> incidentally, I love.) My questions are, does a darning foot press as
>> hard on the fabric as any other foot, or does it back off some on the
>> pressure? Do you expect that I will I find it prohibitively difficult to
>> use this presser foot? Would it be worthwhile to order the $30 "Supreme
>> Slider" from Leah Day, or am I attempting the impossible with this
>> machine and should I forget about machine-quilting?
>> Another issue is that when I watch tutorial videos on machine-quilting,
>> it looks like these newfangled SMs have a computer that can tell the
>> needle to stop in the down position, so you can pick up and re-position
>> your hands while the needle holds the quilt sandwich in place. My
>> venerable old SM does not have such a feature, and I'm getting tired of
>> reaching up to manually turn the wheel, forgetting, etc. (and I'm jealous
>> of these snazzy new machines).
>> So far, machine-quilting seems do-able with this SM and this presser foot
>> if I can just develop some more control and skill. I can see my line of
>> stitches just fine (which I have heard is a complaint about using
>> conventional darning feet). It's just hard to move the fabric back and
>> forth and across. I do seem to be getting better with practice, but I
>> guess machine-quilting is probably frustrating for any beginner.
>> I do hope a bunch of you will tell me you're doing elaborate
>> machine-quilting with machines even more antique than mine :-) which was
>> made in the 1970's.
>> Edna Pearl
>
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Posted by Patti on September 16, 2009, 5:11 am
You've had some great answers EP. I am not an expert - and I am one of
those Polly mentioned who had to be forced 'kicking and screaming' to
try it (I was doing all mine painstakingly with my walking foot!!).
I discovered quite recently that it was something *I* was doing that
made the pushing harder:
show/hide quoted text
I am not a relaxed person >g< and I was trying really hard with my
quilting one day, which was becoming harder and harder to do. I
discovered that my hands/fingers were nearly white with how hard I was
pressing. So, of course, the quilt wouldn't move easily. So, just
check periodically to see if you are pressing hard onto the machine
table. You can also polish your machine table to make it more slippery
(but polish off *all* polish).
Also: I tried to do what the books show in their pictures, and have
your hands spread evenly and delicately on the quilt surface. I have
found that I do better 'grasping' a chunk of the quilt at each side of
the needle. This means that I can do my 'tense' bit by holding on
tightly, but I'm not pressing down. I don't do either for very long at
a time - I do switch from one to the other - longer with the 'chunk
clutching'.
As to the needle down: when you feel you are going to have to change
hand position, just watch the needle, feel the rhythm and 'catch' it
down when you lift your foot. It isn't as hard as most of the things
you are mastering!
As to your reassurance: When I last heard, Paula Nadelstern (who does
wonderful work) did her quilt-making with an antique Featherweight, on
her kitchen table. I expect she has changed, now that she is famous;
but that was how her early work was done.
.
show/hide quoted text
>I am trying my hand at machine-quilting and am fairly clueless about it.
>I have an old SM with snap-on presser feet, and I have been unable to find a
>snap-on darning foot so far. I'm using an "all-purpose," rectangular,
>open-toed foot with a big gap for the needle (intended to accommodate
>zig-zag stitches) for my machine-quilting efforts. I don't see any problem
>with using this foot for quilting curves and circles and such, except that
>it's darned hard to push and pull the quilt sandwich. (Yes, my feed dogs
>are retracted and I'm using "quilting gloves," which, incidentally, I love.)
>My questions are, does a darning foot press as hard on the fabric as any
>other foot, or does it back off some on the pressure? Do you expect that I
>will I find it prohibitively difficult to use this presser foot? Would it
>be worthwhile to order the $30 "Supreme Slider" from Leah Day, or am I
>attempting the impossible with this machine and should I forget about
>machine-quilting?
>Another issue is that when I watch tutorial videos on machine-quilting, it
>looks like these newfangled SMs have a computer that can tell the needle to
>stop in the down position, so you can pick up and re-position your hands
>while the needle holds the quilt sandwich in place. My venerable old SM
>does not have such a feature, and I'm getting tired of reaching up to
>manually turn the wheel, forgetting, etc. (and I'm jealous of these snazzy
>new machines).
>So far, machine-quilting seems do-able with this SM and this presser foot if
>I can just develop some more control and skill. I can see my line of
>stitches just fine (which I have heard is a complaint about using
>conventional darning feet). It's just hard to move the fabric back and
>forth and across. I do seem to be getting better with practice, but I guess
>machine-quilting is probably frustrating for any beginner.
>I do hope a bunch of you will tell me you're doing elaborate
>machine-quilting with machines even more antique than mine :-) which was
>made in the 1970's.
>Edna Pearl
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill
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