Yes,the only time I get around to the back of the machine is to turn it on or off and most of the time I can reach it from the front. Live and learn. I also found out that I can't leave my machine with the needle in the fabric. I have to finish and push the carriage to one side to keep it from sitting in one spot and causing dimples in the tracks. makes the carriage jump just a litle.
MNnancy:So I took a look, and by golly, I do have a hand wheel! It's pretty hard to reach though because I don't have access to the back side of my machine and frame due to a narrow room.
I have the same problem Nancy...I can't really get to the back of my machine either. Sometimes makes it rather difficult and because of this I have been unable to use pantographs, but I sure would like to. I keep asking my DH to knock at that wall and make the room bigger, but since we live in a manufactured home, he just laughs at me and says when you win the lottery we'll just move into a bigger house.
Karla:and because of this I have been unable to use pantographs, but I sure would like to.
Yeah, me too, Karla. Oh, well, this will force me to get better at freehand.
On the banks of the Mississippi River in north central Minnesota (Brainerd lakes area)
MN Nancy,
Glad you took a look and now know for the future that it is there. :-) I can get to both the front and back of my machine. I've had to do this a few times to dislodge the thread. The wheel towards the front of the machine doesn't seem to work as well for this, the front wheel I have on my Gammill.
That is wonderful, Vivian,
Quilter's are unique in that we keep trying until we get her done! I use a long bristle artists paint brush to brush up between the plate and the bobbin. Usually, like RamonaC, I also turn the Hand wheel and brush again.
Judylee
I just joined and started reading this section. That is a great idea to dance a little to loosen up from quilting. I am taking clogging and line dancing so this will be a good time to practice while quilting.
MN Nancy and Karla,
I have never tried this but when I first got my machine part of the package contained a large rectangle piece of plexiglass. If I understood my setup guy, I could take a pantograph and place it under the plexiglass and use the panto from the front of the machine. I have a 30x12 throat area and a 24" quilting space. There is enough room to place the plexiglass and still have room to quilt. Like I said, that's if I understood him correctly. :-) Sounds like it would work in theory. I also have a square piece of plexiglass that I could place a design under for a block design. I'm not in the state where my machine is or I would give it a go and see if it would work.
Gram,
Welcome to the group. There are a lot of talented quilters here. A good place to bounce off ideas and gather information. Glad you are here.
I also found out that I can't leave my machine with the needle in the fabric.
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Great idea. I also move my machine over to one side. I never leave the machine sitting over the quilt as there is a possibility that, remote as it may be, oil may get on the quilt. I also release the tension on the quilt to keep from stretching the fabric over night by just releasing one of the bars.
RamonaC: I also found out that I can't leave my machine with the needle in the fabric. ------------ Great idea. I also move my machine over to one side. I never leave the machine sitting over the quilt as there is a possibility that, remote as it may be, oil may get on the quilt. I also release the tension on the quilt to keep from stretching the fabric over night by just releasing one of the bars.
Granny M
Patti
Love your quilt, and especially love the idea you used for family reunion quilt . It was smashing! I bet you were the hit of the party
Wow, this is an interesting conversation! Since I have no one in my sewing room, I do leave my needle down on certain projects. If it is complicated, with my mermory loss, I would probably waste alot of time trying to figure out where I left off. I leave my quilt tightend but with a little play, I figure that the fabric already rolled on the bar is at the proper tension so I just match that tension. I also never put a really tight tension anyway,.
I know that if I had children running around, I would never leave a needle down. As far as oil leaking, Baby Lock doesn't have that problem...the only place that oil is added is at the bobbin assembly.,which is below my fabric, I may have just been lucky!
I do so enjoy all the new subject, the ones that make you go HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Turns out I do have a wheel and I can't (or couldn't get it to turn) I'll have to call the service people to find out how to dis-assemble it. I got it part way apart but it is jammed and I don't have the patience to figure it out today and maybe not until we get home from Jamaica.
Vivian : Turns out I do have a wheel and I can't (or couldn't get it to turn) I'll have to call the service people to find out how to dis-assemble it. I got it part way apart but it is jammed and I don't have the patience to figure it out today and maybe not until we get home from Jamaica.
Heading down to do my second Quilts of Valor for the month so I can get them in the mail. Then I hope to do several quilts for charity this weekend. I am trying to do 12-15 a month and I've done 7 so far. They are small and I'm not spending a lot of time on them. I do have some panto's I want to practice on, though, so that will take longer to do the quilts. No matter what I get done, I plan to stay home and quilt this whole weekend!