We interrupt the daily Hiatus updates with this update on current project of interest:
Or ... "Poke her I think she is still breathing!"
Or ... per the Bathroom installer... "I thought I heard her yell uncle before the meltdown."
Or ... machine quilting is a bit of hooey!
Stipple, stipple, snap, stipple. I am having one nasty time trying to do the free-motion quilting on the turning twenty quilt. As I have already said, it is a bit wonky so a little more wonky won't really matter, however, I am quite frustrated. Here is why, I started out doing this free motion thing on the Viking #1+ because I did my samples on it and they worked out very well. Enter real quilt and not so much good going on. I have wasted several hours of my life trying to make this work. I know Leah said practice, practice, practice. But listen to me, I am not getting any younger here and I have a lot of quilt tops to finish.
Then I remembered similar problems with this machine some time ago. See what I mean about getting older? I'm forgetting important stuff. So I brought out the old Viking 990 and put on the free motion foot, did test samples, etc. etc. It worked well for quite a while then Snap, thread breaking. I put in a new needle. Still snapping away like a mean turtle. Could this be operator error? I decided to break rules. I removed the free motion foot with it's cute little spring that is supposed to help with this stuff. I put on an open toe foot, reduced the pressure foot pressure to 2, set the tension at a hair off of 4 (multiple samples required with this adjustment) stitch length is at 4 and dogs are down. Guess what? It works quite well. I got a lot done, stipple, stipple, stipple. I still have a lot to go.
Some of my stitching is pretty good, some not so. This machine does not have a speed control or needle down so I sort of had to work on that for a while but I have found a fairly comfortable speed and try to remember about the needle down thing. I'm about 1/4 done. I will surely require some sort of therapy by the time I finish this and all the fiddling required. I am still not sure if machine quilting is for me. This sort of turning into a quest, all garment sewing is on hold until I finish this baby!!!
Gratuity Moment: my hearing is very good (despite the age thing) when I heard the water running and running upstairs, I went to check. Bathroom installer had sprung a leak in the toilet. The water was spraying up the walls and puddling significantly on the floor. I could not turn the valve. Grabbed every towel and blanket I could find quickly, ran back down the stairs. (yes ran, Hope I don't have to do that again any time soon!) summoned Mr. Bathroom and he managed to shut off the water. Lesson learned: not a thing. I hate remodeling.
*addendum: the stipple stitch is the most boring, mundane, mind numbing stitch in the world. I am trying other patterns from Leah's site. I'll let you know.
**addendum: I am not sold on this yet, I know practice, practice, practice. Did I mention I am a little impatient?
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
Or ... "Poke her I think she is still breathing!"
Or ... per the Bathroom installer... "I thought I heard her yell uncle before the meltdown."
Or ... machine quilting is a bit of hooey!
 |
| back to work old girl |
Stipple, stipple, snap, stipple. I am having one nasty time trying to do the free-motion quilting on the turning twenty quilt. As I have already said, it is a bit wonky so a little more wonky won't really matter, however, I am quite frustrated. Here is why, I started out doing this free motion thing on the Viking #1+ because I did my samples on it and they worked out very well. Enter real quilt and not so much good going on. I have wasted several hours of my life trying to make this work. I know Leah said practice, practice, practice. But listen to me, I am not getting any younger here and I have a lot of quilt tops to finish.
Then I remembered similar problems with this machine some time ago. See what I mean about getting older? I'm forgetting important stuff. So I brought out the old Viking 990 and put on the free motion foot, did test samples, etc. etc. It worked well for quite a while then Snap, thread breaking. I put in a new needle. Still snapping away like a mean turtle. Could this be operator error? I decided to break rules. I removed the free motion foot with it's cute little spring that is supposed to help with this stuff. I put on an open toe foot, reduced the pressure foot pressure to 2, set the tension at a hair off of 4 (multiple samples required with this adjustment) stitch length is at 4 and dogs are down. Guess what? It works quite well. I got a lot done, stipple, stipple, stipple. I still have a lot to go.
Some of my stitching is pretty good, some not so. This machine does not have a speed control or needle down so I sort of had to work on that for a while but I have found a fairly comfortable speed and try to remember about the needle down thing. I'm about 1/4 done. I will surely require some sort of therapy by the time I finish this and all the fiddling required. I am still not sure if machine quilting is for me. This sort of turning into a quest, all garment sewing is on hold until I finish this baby!!!
 |
| sort of looks like worms burrowing around doesn't it? |
 |
| I know it is hard to see on this print, but trust me it's there, the wet marks are tears....... |
*addendum: the stipple stitch is the most boring, mundane, mind numbing stitch in the world. I am trying other patterns from Leah's site. I'll let you know.
**addendum: I am not sold on this yet, I know practice, practice, practice. Did I mention I am a little impatient?
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
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