Big Quilt - Ack!

I mostly make quillows, along with a few wall quilts of widely varying sizes. A month ago, I was visiting my son and I noticed that the quilt I had made him eight or nine years ago was looking a little tatty. Of course it might just need a good laundering (he's a bachelor grad student going on to a phD program next fall). However, at one point during the visit, he mentioned that he'd like a new quilt "dark green with maybe some music fabric."

So I've started making the blocks for a large queen size quilt for him. I'm using Bonnie Hunter's Boxy Star pattern

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I have to say that I'm not looking forward to this as much as I should be! I haven't wrestled a big quilt (It'll probably be close to 100x100") through my machine in a long time, and even pinning the sandwich will be hard work that I'm not used to. So I've been procrastinating like crazy. Even DH noticed that I've been avoiding the sewing room! I used a standard harp machine on the last big quilt and now I have a Janome Horizon, so it should be easier.

So what's my problem, I want to know. Getting busy today I think. Oh, one other thing - after considering Bowling Green in Ohio, and U of Texas El Paso, he's decided to go to Florida State University in Tallahassee....so he might not have a lot of use for this quilt anyway!

Iris

Reply to
IEZ
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There's always the option of quilting it in sections and then joining the sections. Congrats on getting a Horizon! I've been drooling over those new machines but love my 6600 sooooooo much- I'm not sure I can part with it as a trade-in!

Have fun with the quilting- that's part of "what it's all about"! ;-)

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I mostly make quillows, along with a few wall quilts of widely varying sizes. A month ago, I was visiting my son and I noticed that the quilt I had made him eight or nine years ago was looking a little tatty. Of course it might just need a good laundering (he's a bachelor grad student going on to a phD program next fall). However, at one point during the visit, he mentioned that he'd like a new quilt "dark green with maybe some music fabric."

So I've started making the blocks for a large queen size quilt for him. I'm using Bonnie Hunter's Boxy Star pattern

formatting link
I have to say that I'm not looking forward to this as much as I should be! I haven't wrestled a big quilt (It'll probably be close to 100x100") through my machine in a long time, and even pinning the sandwich will be hard work that I'm not used to. So I've been procrastinating like crazy. Even DH noticed that I've been avoiding the sewing room! I used a standard harp machine on the last big quilt and now I have a Janome Horizon, so it should be easier.

So what's my problem, I want to know. Getting busy today I think. Oh, one other thing - after considering Bowling Green in Ohio, and U of Texas El Paso, he's decided to go to Florida State University in Tallahassee....so he might not have a lot of use for this quilt anyway!

Iris

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Roberta

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

I traded my 6500 on the Horizon. I'm happy with the Horizon, although some people aren't. I mostly use it for quilting with the dual feed and freemotioning. It's great for that. Yeah, the dual feed feet are a bit awkward to put on and take off, but I've gotten pretty good at it. For freemotion, sometimes I use the blue dot bobbin case I bought for the 6500 and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I use the new, non-hopping fmq foot, and sometimes I go back to my old hopping foot. I've also tweaked the pressure and tension settings. Right now the fmq is just about perfect, no ladders on the back even if I go a bit fast. So that's all good.

A lot of people have issues with quarter-inch piecing. I think those issues are just a fact of nature when you have wide feed dogs that are too far apart to catch the quarter-inch seam allowance on the right side -- I've had this issue on my Pfaff and my 6500. Janome did provide, completely free, a redesigned quarter-inch foot (they sent it to everyone who had registered their machine) and that foot does help quite a bit, much to my surprise. But, for me it wasn't an issue anyway because I use my old, 5mm feed dog Bernina for quarter-inch piecing.

I'm not wild about the APC (automatic plate converter). This is a gadget on the throat plate that slides into place to convert the zig-zag opening into a single hole opening. In my opinion, this is just over-designed. On my machine, the needle is dropping just a bit off-center to the left, so when the single hole converter is engaged, I'm very close to that edge. I've broken a couple of needles and I think it's because they bent ever so slightly and hit the rim of the APC. And of course, you can't just shift the needle position over a smidge because the machine is SMARTER THAN YOU and won't let you move the needle at all if the APC is engaged. The benefit (I guess) of the whole APC system is that you don't have to unscrew and change a plate to switch from zig-zag to single hole. BUT - you have to remove the plate regularly to clean and oil the wick anyway. So what's the big deal? It's just fancy I guess. Judging from other forums I read, the dropping-too-far-left thing was a common thing with some Horizons (which is a bit of a disturbing quality control issue, I think) and I should have just taken the machine back for the simple adjustment, but I live a long way from the shop. So I just don't use the thing. My freemotioning is fine without it. But, I think I am going to take the machine in soon, since I've had it almost a year, and have them fix it and do a maintenance.

The jog dial to select stitches is okay, but I prefer the old system of just entering the number of the stitch from the underside of the top. It's quicker. One other thing - you need to purchase the thread stand for large spools separately. Once you do, however, it goes on easy and works well.

I don't mean to sound negative - as I said, I like my Horizon. It does what I want. Oh, I've made clothes with it too and it was just fine for buttonholes and zippers, etc. I did hear that they might be coming out with a slightly upgraded model in the fall. The "upgrade" may just be that they now include the thread stand, I don't know. There's also going to be (supposedly) a new really wide arm Janome intended to be put on a frame, or so I've heard. So you might want to hold on a bit longer to trade.

Iris

Reply to
IEZ

As it happens, I just made one from that pattern too! I made a quillow (in greens!) and it went together well, which is why I'm using the pattern again.

Knowing my son, there will be a lot of "less than pristine" bedding to be covered up!!

Iris

Reply to
IEZ

Thanks for the info- I appreciate it. I'm one of those people who will not buy anything until it's been out for 2-3 years and the manufacturers have had a chance to 'work the bugs out'. I may be waiting a long time if I wait for the one with the larger throat space to be out for a couple of years! VBG

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I traded my 6500 on the Horizon. I'm happy with the Horizon, although some people aren't. I mostly use it for quilting with the dual feed and freemotioning. It's great for that. Yeah, the dual feed feet are a bit awkward to put on and take off, but I've gotten pretty good at it. For freemotion, sometimes I use the blue dot bobbin case I bought for the 6500 and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I use the new, non-hopping fmq foot, and sometimes I go back to my old hopping foot. I've also tweaked the pressure and tension settings. Right now the fmq is just about perfect, no ladders on the back even if I go a bit fast. So that's all good.

A lot of people have issues with quarter-inch piecing. I think those issues are just a fact of nature when you have wide feed dogs that are too far apart to catch the quarter-inch seam allowance on the right side -- I've had this issue on my Pfaff and my 6500. Janome did provide, completely free, a redesigned quarter-inch foot (they sent it to everyone who had registered their machine) and that foot does help quite a bit, much to my surprise. But, for me it wasn't an issue anyway because I use my old, 5mm feed dog Bernina for quarter-inch piecing.

I'm not wild about the APC (automatic plate converter). This is a gadget on the throat plate that slides into place to convert the zig-zag opening into a single hole opening. In my opinion, this is just over-designed. On my machine, the needle is dropping just a bit off-center to the left, so when the single hole converter is engaged, I'm very close to that edge. I've broken a couple of needles and I think it's because they bent ever so slightly and hit the rim of the APC. And of course, you can't just shift the needle position over a smidge because the machine is SMARTER THAN YOU and won't let you move the needle at all if the APC is engaged. The benefit (I guess) of the whole APC system is that you don't have to unscrew and change a plate to switch from zig-zag to single hole. BUT - you have to remove the plate regularly to clean and oil the wick anyway. So what's the big deal? It's just fancy I guess. Judging from other forums I read, the dropping-too-far-left thing was a common thing with some Horizons (which is a bit of a disturbing quality control issue, I think) and I should have just taken the machine back for the simple adjustment, but I live a long way from the shop. So I just don't use the thing. My freemotioning is fine without it. But, I think I am going to take the machine in soon, since I've had it almost a year, and have them fix it and do a maintenance.

The jog dial to select stitches is okay, but I prefer the old system of just entering the number of the stitch from the underside of the top. It's quicker. One other thing - you need to purchase the thread stand for large spools separately. Once you do, however, it goes on easy and works well.

I don't mean to sound negative - as I said, I like my Horizon. It does what I want. Oh, I've made clothes with it too and it was just fine for buttonholes and zippers, etc. I did hear that they might be coming out with a slightly upgraded model in the fall. The "upgrade" may just be that they now include the thread stand, I don't know. There's also going to be (supposedly) a new really wide arm Janome intended to be put on a frame, or so I've heard. So you might want to hold on a bit longer to trade.

Iris

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Really? Thanks, it helps to know that!

Iris

Reply to
IEZ

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

I made one of the Boxy Star quilts too. I don't remember the exact size, but it's bigger than a twin. You can see it here:

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I quilted it on my Babylock Quest which has a fairly large harp, but not as large as your machine. You can do it!

Reply to
Alice in PA

And I am about an hour south of Orlando and we have one too many freezes last winter. Had to replace a lot of vegetation. Haven't had to do that since we left the north very often. Yep, it gets COLD. We wear winter coats to walk in the early mornings during the winter months. Anna Belle in Palm Bay

Reply to
Anna Belle

I wandered over to ebay to see what the Janome Horizon looked like. They didn't have the SM to sell but there were some tables designed to fit. Wow. That Horizon is just pure purdy. I'd like to play with it a while. Taking her on a long trip to get the needle set dead center might be a pain but you just as well get on with it. A hefty whack with a hammer might do it but I can't recommend such a desperate manner. C'mon now, go get that treasure fixed just right. And brag to us: how wide a stitch can she do? Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

I like the border on that! I just might steal that idea if you don't mind.

Sandy, I did one big quilt on my standard Bernina - in fact I think it's the one he has now. It's just the thought of fabric wrestling that's daunting. I did try quilt as you go once or so, but I had problems with the backing being neat, or something - I don't quite remember.

Polly, if I thought the hammer whack would do it, I'd be tempted. Apparently it's an easy fix for a tech, but there may not be one there to do it while I wait, so I'm planning to take it in before I go on vacation next month. They can take their time with it! I think the harp is 11" or something, and it really does help. I haven't really gotten into the decorative stitches yet, but I think the feed dogs are 7 mm.

And I sure am surprised at hearing how many folks get really cold in Florida! Winter coats, Anna Belle! Wow!

Iris

Reply to
IEZ

We are in Florida the last week of January til about the first week of March. And I have had to wear my winter coat there too. We stay near Daytona.

Nana Now in north eastern U.S.

Reply to
Nana.Wilson

Hey Nana, are you in the Deland area? Barbara in Eustis, near Leesburg and 30 minues from Deland during the Winter. That's an hour inland from Daytona, FL.

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

Alice, We have a sort of rescue dog. Cocker, Poodle mix. We walk in the areas of 6:00 & 7:00 in the morning. Usually go a mile. It was surprising how many mornings we saw frost all over. We have been in Florida since 1978 and I think this winter was the coldest yet. Just don't plan on going to the beach during this weather. With the wind added, it takes all day to get warm again. AB

Reply to
Anna Belle

I'm glad you liked the border. Somewhere I learned that you should try to repeat a part of your blocks in the border, so that's what I tried to do. There are pictures of the border blocks in Webshots too, in case you want to look at them.

Reply to
Alice in PA

Barbara, I have been to Deland. Great little quilt shop there (can't remember the name). Really pretty town.

Nana

Reply to
Nana.Wilson

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