Q. for Machine Quilters

Hey Sherry

You can use cotton, cotton/poly or poly on the machine. It's up to you what you want to use. I use all cotton when piecing but have been known to use poly/cotton for the quilting.

That's a rather large machine. Is she going to use in on a machine quilting frame? As with any machine, clean the lint out after every bobbin change. A drop of oil, especially the bobbin race after every other bobbin change. Lint is a way of life with all SMs. Some threads shed more than others. Machine quilters use King Tut, Superior, Aurifil, etc. We usually buy by the cone not by the spool.

If you don't want to disappoint yourself, practice, practice, practice first on muslin. When I am finished with a practice piece I usually cut it up in large pieces for things like padding for the kittens box, or a large bath mat. I don't bind them, just serge around the edges. Even been known to cut them up to make a tote bag or two.

Have fun learning and try several brands of thread.

Kate T. South Mississippi

Hi Kate, Thanks! D'oh, yes, it was a cone, not a spool :-) We have 2 sheets with batting on the machine now to practice. It's harder than it looks to freehand. Experienced quilters make it look so easy! Yes, it has a frame that can be used up to a kingsized quilt. She ordered three of those "groovy boards"...but we are waiting on the lady who sold the machine to show us how to use them. I never heard of them, I was just excited about the laser stylus thing! It's just the most fun toy I've ever played with :-) I sewed up a "Sweet Sixteen" quilt top, they're quick and I think pretty, for my first real machine-quilting project. Will let you know!

Sherry

Sherry

Hey Sherry: Oh are you in for some frustrating times and many, many happy hours of zooming around on the fabric doodling in thread.

You will learn words like pantographs, eyelashes, etc.

I live in south Mississippi and finding someone to "teach" me how to machine quilt on a frame is non-existent so... I contacted a lady by the name of Mindy Casperson. She has made a couple of DVDs. The first one is the basic stuff of loading a quilt on the frame, how to re-time your machine if you knock it out of time, how to check your tension, etc. The second DVD is more on the use of rulers, marking a top, etc.

She uses a Fun Quilter and the Hinterberg frame, BUT.. the "How to's" are the same no matter what SM and frame you use. I am not connected with her company in any way, just a happy customer. Having a personal teacher at 3 in the morning is a life saver.

Here's a fun exercise. Get one of those white boards with dry eraser markers or just some plain paper and a pen or pencil. Hold the pen with your fingers of both hands. No resting the hands on anything. Now try doodling. Pretend you are free motion quilting. Don't give up on this exercise. If you take a good look at it and then look at what you are doing on your practice piece on the frame you will see the simularity.

Keep us all posted on your progress.

Kate T.