Long Time No See!

It's been too long since I've posted here.  Especially too long between quilting projects.  I have a project with the quilting group that I help with.  One of our members is in the middle of a move from Ohio to Florida.  We decided to make her a quilt with Ohio stars in her favorite color - purple.  I was tapped to machine quilt the project.

On loading the top, batting, and back I discovered a problem that now has to be overcome.  The back is the same size as the top....

I like the back to be larger than the top.  It sure makes loading and lining up the layers easier.

 

Another problem I have encountered.  The learning curve to load the layers and then actually adjust the machine to quilt is only surpassed by the lengthy forgetting and remembering curve....it's been a while since I've done this.....

 

I'll update with posts......

Leprechaun Pins

For the past several years I have whittled small Leprechaun pins, and traded them for beer.   March 17 is St Patricks Day, and I've got a head start on the pins.  I think I'd better quit!  This is probably enough beer - maybe too much.

Packing Up for Florida!

On Friday we leave for two months in Florida, on the beach.  This packing up is something else.  Remember, this blog is QUILTING AND CARVING.  The Long Arm quilter cannot be taken, but my carving stuff can be.  I expect to carve four sets of animals for four Noah's Arks - for sure.  I'll be doing lots of other carving and whittling too.

The main beauty of the beach is that one can truly relax and do what he or she wants to do.  There's no unfinished projects that need your attention.  In fact, the secret to a successful vacation is to limit the decisions you have to make.  I plan on whittling, carving, reading, walking, and just about anything else that I want to do..

 

NOTE:  That white stuff around the house is sand, not snow!

Some Christmas 2013 Carvings

Oh Goodie Lots!

My quiltin daughter, Tracy has set out to make a whole bunch of mini quilts.  Me, I have set out to whittle a whole bunch of Santa ornaments for Christmas 2014.  Since I'm retired and can pick and choose my whittlin time; I've got a huge advantage of folks who have to work for a living.  So I know I'll meet my goals.  I start every day whittling (carve with only a knife) with my morning coffee.  I whittle at least one Santa ornament or pin each day of the year.

Here's my daughters start:

The largest of these is about 16 x 16 inches.

 

Here's my start: Whittled on December 25th and 26th.

I'll end up with about 360 of these, each one different.  Most of these whittlings will be finished natural or darkened a wee bit, but some will be painted.

 

New class project starts!

My maleness (not to mention my skills) will be tested today.  I still co-teach a quilting class, and am the only male in it.  We're doing a purse today.  No, not a man bag, a real honest to goodness female purse.  It will be quilted though.  I just cut fabric, assemble squares, assemble squares into flat quilt tops, and quilt the flat piece.  So, you see the challenge ahead for me.  Today I am a student.

Lesson #3290 - Bent needle!

For a while I thought I was loosing it.  Started putting the binding on a new quilt.  I machine sew one side and use a blind stitch on the other.  When it's done correctly one never sees the stitch.  Well, everything started out fine.  Good progress was being made.  Then I couldn't sew a stitch without the needle going all the way through to the quilt top.  I thought I'd had a stroke or something.  Further checking, and I found that the needle was bent.  This meant that sometimes as a made a stitch the needle was pointed up and sometimes down.  When pointed down, the needle went too deep.....And the needle was not bent all that much....just a wee bit.  New needle, no problem!  Thus the 3290 lesson that I learned this year....

Santa Is Coming!

A sample of some whittlings for the Christmas season....

Tree ornaments, pins, and earrings.

Quilt Class Activity

Some know that I help several others instruct a quilting class at the local Senior Center.  Here's some samples that the class has completed in the last several months;  and some that are in the process.  I am sure that you can see that these ladies are quite talented quilters.  In fact they have far out run my humble talents.

Blocks ready to assemble for a Christmas quilt.

Some blocks for a Halloween wall hanging.

Completed large quilt.

Detail of the machine quilting on the top of large quilt.

Detail of the quilting on the back of the large quilt.

Quilted tote.

Quilted tote.

Demonstration on proper method of assembling long strips of assembled blocks with sashing.

Table topper.

Practice is Over - Now the real Thing

The Voyager 17 and the Hinterberg Stretch Frame are cleaned and reassembled.  I've loaded and unloaded practice non quilted sandwiches, and adjusted the machine for a good machine quilting stitch.  I've practiced and practiced operating the long arm.  All the while, I've been assembling a twin quilt top to put on the long arm.  The quilt top is done and assembled with batting and the back, on the frame.  A new needle and full bobbin has been installed in the Voyager.  I've consulted with an experienced long arm operator, for a list of swear words that are appropriate for quilting on a long arm machine system.  I can't think of anything else - Let's give it a try!

Several hours later.....Long arm machine operating smoothly.  After a minor upper tension adjustment (due to different batting) the machine quilting stitch is fine.  It's working fine as long as the operator does what he is supposed to do.  I need to work on remembering to lower the presser foot when operating.....I have a small sign that reads LOWER THE FOOT.  I'll be making a larger sign....

The Sewing Machine

Just sittin in the shop/quilt work area and assembling a queen size quilt.  The individual blocks are all assembled, and I'm sewing them into the rows.  Kind of a boring step, and my mind some times wanders.  Some times when this happens, the blocks get sewed backwards, upside down, or inside out.  But other times I can't help but marvel at what my little Singer Featherweight does.  My Featherweight is an older model, and I sometimes can't help but think of the original owner using it.  Sooner or later I think about a time before the sewing machine was invented.  When you stop and think about it, the sewing machine hasn't been around all that long.  Think about clothes 220 years ago.  Hand made.  "Hand made" then meant needle and thread.  Fifty years ago I remember asking my grandmother what invention meant the most to her in her life.  Without thinking about it she said the sewing machine, the electric sewing machine. 

Multi Functional Space!

My wood shop has now been downsized to eliminate space for any cabinet making.  Long arm quilter is now taking that space.  I still have some stuff to eliminate but I am already "multi tasking".  Currently I am switching back and forth between sewing squares for a large quilt, practicing machine quilting on the long arm quilter,  wood carving, and painting the carvings.

One observation worth sharing is that the language one may use when accidentally cutting the nose off a carving, and when quilting squares do not match up is virtually the same.

Whittling vs Quilting

I enjoy quilting and whittling equally.  However, there are some HUGE differences.  Take set-up time!  If I want to do some machine/long arm quilting I have to have the quilt nearly done, and on the frame.  This is fine if you have a quilt ready to put on the machine.  Well, it is and it isn't.  It takes some time to load the long arm with the quilt top, batting, and back.  But when whittling, just grab a piece of wood and your pocket knife.  My pieces of wood have been cut into shape on the scroll saw, and are usually in my pocket with my pocket knife.  I think you get my drift.....

Quilting Class Display

I am fortunate to be one of the instructors of a quilting class at the local Senior Center.  Several years ago the class started as a beginner class.  The class members had all at one time or the other used a sewing machine, but the actual quilting was new to most.  The class is still together since they all get along so well, and they put up with me.  Most have advanced well beyond my best efforts.  This is a display of the classes work over and beyond quilts.  We still make regular sizes of quilts, but for the display cabinets, the smaller projects were selected.

Intervention Dream!

This is too funny not to post.  You all now know why I haven't posted any thing lately.  I am in the process of kind of converting my wood shop into a quilting studio. with a long arm quilter as the main feature.  This morning my wife told me that she had a dream about my wood shop last night.  In her dream all of my buddies had stopped by and staged an intervention, to convince me not to convert the wood shop to a quilting studio.  She went on to say that her only concern was, what was she going to feed them all.  I asked her if my buddies were successful.   She replied, "I don't know, I woke up."

I am, however putting together a step-by-step on whittling a pair of Christmas earrings....This will be up soon.

Voyager 17 Quilting stitches

Those who have set up, adjusted, and used a long arm quilting machine will understand when I say that I am happy to achieve this much on this machine.  This longarm quilter has been in storage in a garage for a number of years.  The parts were not covered and various spiders and rodents regularly visited.  And as I remember, it was always a tempermental machine.  After cleaning, lubricating, reassembling, and adjusting the system it's operational.  What remains is for me to spend lots of time practicing and getting to know this machine.  Here's a sample of what I am so happy about.  The print side is the top, and the plain side the bottom.

The stitches are there!  I'll next load some plain dark fabric so the top stitches will stand out.

First efforts!

The first attempts at sewing a series of tests stitches, was a mixed bag.  Everything seemed to work as well as I thought they would, until I looked at the back of the quilt.  OK, maybe not so well.  Then I noticed that the first stitches were fairly okay when moving up and down, but not okay when going side to side I replaced the needle, after it was suggested by Lisa, a member of the HINTERBERG QUILTERS Yahoo Group.  This helped, however, I will check the rollers on the machine carriage to make sure they are well lubricated and in contact with the rails that the carriage ride on.

So far, the problems encountered seem solvable by me.  However, many questions still need answered.  Here's a few:

1.  The needle seems to "stick" when coming up through the quilt.
2.  The back rail that through the sewing machine, and takes up the quilted quilt seems way to low to take up much quilt.
3.  The "tightness" of the stitches seems too loose.

Tomorrow, when the temperature is under 90 degrees I'll re thread the machine and add more tension on the top thread.  I'll also check the rollers on the carriage. 

I am also trying to find better instructions that explain the position of the  quilt "take-up" Rail.

Maybe I'll also get a book on brain surgery and give it a try.......

Maybe Tommorow!

Loaded up a test quilt sandwich.  This I will use to see what problems there might be that I must identify and over come.  Then I'll adjust the machine.  This activity will wait until after a good nights sleep.  Being the pessimist that I am, I must be ready for some problems...

 

 

SLR Attached

Finally attached the Stitch Length Regulator (SLR).  This is the control that lets you move the sewing machine in all directions and at any speed, while the length of the quilt stitches remain the same.  The manufacturer of the SLR states that this attachment "Helps" maintain the same stitch length....We'll soon see whether the gizmo does, doesn't, or just helps......

Long Arm Quilting System Reassembled

After surviving disassembling, moving, and storage in a garage. and transport across the country; only a few bolts were missing.  But it looks like it is supposed to look - I think.  I've cleaned and oiled the machine, and tomorrow will clean the rails and wax the frame.  Next will be the purchase of some batting, so I can "load" the system and begin to adjust the machine.