Spudgrandma's Thoughts on Quilting & Life!

We are making progress!

We are making progress!

Sunday, we set the machine on the frame and figured a few things out. It is starting to make more sense to me now that it has the machine on. 



Now, I'm trying to figure out the leaders. I've found quite a bit of information on how to make them, but I do so much better when I can see things and I have not found any pictures that I can tell exactly what they have done. I'm going to try to make the leaders tomorrow,  I plan on putting Velcro on them but could not find any, at JoAnn's, that I thought was wide enough; so, until JoAnn's gets more Velcro, I am going to try just pinning the practice quilt on the leaders.

After three tries, I think I finally matched the white background fabric for my Irish Chain. I cannot believe I did not buy enough the first time. I cut out my 6.5" squares and enough 2.5" strips to get going again. I hope to get some sewing done before I have to put things away again when Deana's boys come.

Tomorrow is supposed to be triple digits again, so not sure how much I will actually get done.  I need to start the water again or everything will start dying.

T Lynn - SW Idaho

 

Life's Bits & Pieces - Quilted with Love

Posted: Tue, Jul 21 2009 11:39 PM by Spudgrandma | with 10 comment(s)

Comments

gini said:

looks like you're making progress.      now, how soon  was i supposed send my tops for you to quilt?  they're all boxed and ready to go.   gini

# July 22, 2009 4:21 AM

Spudgrandma said:

Ha Ha Gini, Not that much progress.  Truth be told, I'm so anal about things in my mind I'll never be good enough to quilt on someone else's quilt.  LOL  

# July 22, 2009 8:28 AM

Scooter said:

Yes you can I could send you one of my quilts.

# July 23, 2009 11:15 AM

Judy Iliff said:

You're getting there, Lynn! I'm anxious to see the first quilt you quilt with the machine!

BTW, where have I been that I didn't know about the blog posts?!!!

# July 23, 2009 10:47 PM

Joyce Brenden said:

You'll, have it up and running in no time, I'm sure.  Judy, I keep forgetting to check the blogs, too.  There's just so much stuff to keep up with on this site.

# July 23, 2009 10:59 PM

Thea said:

I shouldn't have asked for pictures - they were already here... your frame looks a lot like my gracie except mine is all wood...

# July 26, 2009 9:18 PM

Anita said:

Hi Spud Grandma,

Its me again. Tell you I'm just cruising QNNtv and found Linda's Long-arm quilting Video about setting up your  long arm machine. Leaders and much more. She uses both Velcro and pinning Also there is a site called "handy quilter" on the Internet. Give it try.

Anita

# August 1, 2009 1:10 AM

Marge Campbell said:

So, leaders are on, practice quilt on....you are on your way!  

The velcro that was used for my leaders...was used to attach the leaders to the poles... Tin Lizzie says to pull of the leaders every time...NOT!!!

Why not?  Because you will never get the leaders back on the poles in the exact same place every time...and you need to have every leader center marking exactly match the other leaders.  this is one of the most crucial in getting the designs quilted correctly.

I also see you have no table under the machine.  Both my machines have a surface (table) to lay panto designs on.  Rarely use them anymore...mostly freehand (not very good freehand, but freehand non the less).

Your quilting area will change as you roll the quilt...so freehand is your best bet for now.  Later, when you feel more at ease...you can try some quilting stencils (I just print the design the size I need it, trace onto tracing paper & pin it to the quilt, where I want it to be.  They have rolls of paper for this...but tracing paper works.  You can make ten or more copies of a design by laying layers of the tracing paper under the printed design, pin and then sew over the lines using your regular machine & no thread in the machine or bobbin...

You will basically follow the same rules as the big girls machines.  If you have any questions...I'll help if I can.  Have had most of the problems machine quilting can offer...some several times!  LOL.

http://www.lmcam1.com/

(always under construction)

TinLizzie18 LS

NuStyle 227

Visit my Webshots Albums

community.webshots.com/.../margecam52

# August 1, 2009 1:24 PM

Spudgrandma said:

Thanks Anita,

I will give that a try. There is an awful lot to learn, but I will get there.

# August 1, 2009 2:01 PM

Spudgrandma said:

Marge,

I am on my way, I am just very very slow, but I guess I'm not going anywhere... LOL

Thanks for the tip on the Velcro on the leaders.  I made leaders but I thought, after I got them on, that they had too much give in them; so, I ordered some and they are here so I need to get them on after I finish playing with the practice quilt.

I can put a table under mine, I just did not get the two extra poles to do it. I'm using a 9" harp so I figured I would be mostly just doing freehand, I really like the meandering and loop de loop, I just like the looks of them. I bet your freehand is very nice.

Thanks for the offer of help, you may regret it LOL

# August 1, 2009 2:08 PM