Packing Up For The Drive Home

After one quick week visiting daughter in southern California, we're packing up for the the drive back to Ohio. The packing will include the following:

1. Ulmer Quilt Frame. Daughter loaning it to me since she has a longarm quilting machine for any larger quilting projects.
2. Three bags a clothes that grand daughter has outgrown. Hopefully will fit another grand daughter back in Ohio.
3. Christmas presents that were purchased in California.
4. More fabric that was purchased in California.
6. Lots of ribbon that was purchased in an fabric and trim remnant store.
7. Lots of chocolate.

We don't have too much room this trip. We drove the Toyota Rav 4 because it gets better mileage than the van. While at daughters house I was able to do the following:

1. Make some adjustments to her long arm quilting machine to reduce thread shredding.
2. Go through several adjustments to the long arm quilting machine to begin to understand how to properly adjust the upper and lower thread tension.
3. Learn to properly load the quilting machine with the quilt top, batting, and backing.
4. Quilt one large quilt top on the machine.
5. Re-write the instructions on adjusting and loading the long arm quilter in simple easy to follow language, supported by step-by-step drawings.
6. Carve several Christmas tree ornaments
7. Nearly complete my "Quilt In A Bag" doll quilt for the swap.
8. Pick up some new fabric.
9. Buy some Christmas presents for folks back home.
10. Have fun with daughter, son in law, and grand daughter.
11. Meet and have lots of fun with Cooper their one year old Picardy Shepard 62 (Winn Dixie dog)

Continuing Adventures with a Long Arm Quilting Machine

First and foremost! People with high blood pressure, no patience, and only two hands and suspect eye sight have no business trying to set up, adjust, and operate a long arm quilting machine. After finally adjusting the machine to not shred thread, and where the quilt back was without loops and rats nests I loaded the quilt sandwich, and was ready to quilt. Loading the three layers of the quilt is where one would benefit by having two extra hands. Made a few test stitches and found everything to be perfect and ready to go. WOW, WOWEE! This was fun, fun, fun. Quilted about ten inches of the top and it looked really professional. Then all of a sudden the machine started looping thread stitches on the back of the top. The tension had loosened up considerably. This cannot be natural. I only have two more days to figure this thing out. But when it works properly it's real fun. My hope is to finish the one quilt top, Then figure out why the thread occasionally gets shredded, and why it won't hold the proper thread tension; and load another top on for my daughter to complete after I leave for home.

Yippee! I think I've got it. Crap, I also thought I had it yesterday too. But maybe this is the time. After considerable un-sewing (quilting), lots of adjustments, I got it done. I hope I have learned enough to leave some simplified directions for set up, adjustments, and operation, so that my daughter will have more success with the machine. The instructions that came with it assume way too much.ad are just plain lackings. Example: while many photos are used, they show quilting with a light colored thread on a light colored fabric. That just photographs great for contrast and clarity. Also, the printed instructions are not always on the same page as the photos that they attempt to explain.

Friday Work and Play

Since we discovered that JO ANNS was closed on Thanksgiving Day, we had to postpone buying quilt batting until today. So my daughter and I walked to a Michaels at 7 am to purchase some batting. A 20 minute brisk walk there and 20 minute back. Good exercise. Used a 25% 0ff coupon. Ready now to set up long arm quilter to quilt a full sized quilt. Also spent some time yesterday working on my QUILT IN A BAG SWAP QUILT for my swap partner. I plan to finish up this swap quilt except for the binding, today.

Some continuing observations about southern California. I think I have discovered Arnolds plan for increasing the fitness levels of the citizens. Crossing 4 and 6 lane streets is absolutely impossible during the limited time the walk signal is on; unless one runs. I don't know what you would do if you walked and stopped on the median island in the center of these streets. The plan must be working for some, because I saw no one still stranded.

More later....

New Buddy

Here's a photo of my new buddy, Cooper. He's my daughters one year old Picardy Shepherd (Winn Dixie dog). He's sittin on the couch. Yep! he's a pretty good size puppy, all 62 pounds of him.

Also, I am happy to report that we have the long arm quilting machine all adjusted and in balance. Now we are ready to start quilting a full sized quilt top tomorrow. Early Friday morning will find me in line at JO ANNS with my 50% off coupon, ready to buy some batting.

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving.

Adjusting Longarm Quilting Machine @#*%?

For some of you younger readers, that's "Snuffy Smith" language in the posting title. Before one can operate a quilting machine it must be checked and properly adjusted if necessary. And I am beginning to think it's always necessary. There are lots of variables that must be considered when adjusting a long arm quilting machine. Most typical problems will appear on the back side of the quilt. There might be open loops, excess thread, etc. Most of these problems can be fixed by making sure the machine is threaded properly (needle thread and bobbin thread). What adjustment remains is the tension (the amount of pressure that is on the thread to ensure a proper stitch on both the quilt top and back). Actually, adjusting one of these buggers is like juggling 5 balls in the air, with 2 more thrown in at any time).

The machine I am playing with is the VOYAGER 17, with CRUISE CONTROL stitch regulator, on the HINTERBERG frame.

I am sure it is much more fun once the machine is adjusted to the sample fabrics and batting I would like to use. Right now it's no fun.....Well, it's no fun only because I don't have lots of time. I do think it's an incredible machine and system.

Travel Excitment! Mini Crime Spree!

I would say that after nearly 70 years, of which 55 have been at the wheel of a vehicle, I would have encountered every possible adventure while traveling. Not so! As a result of two incidents on this road trip I am probably wanted in two states.

First, on a toll road in Oklahoma, the posted toll was 65 cents. The toll gate was one of those unattended ones where you toss the exact change into a "funneled" bin. As soon as the machine registers that the change is correct a stop light changes from red to green and off you can go. At least that is the way it's supposed to work. Not this time! I tossed in the exact change, waited, waited, and waited. No green light. I looked around for a call button. No call button. There were people starting to stack up behind me, so I said the Hell with it. I upheld my end of the deal. I paid. So I pulled through the red light. All hell breaks loose, Loud clanging bells, etc., etc., etc. I looked around for the police, but all I saw were signs that said NO TOLERANCE on PAYING TOLLS. I kept going! Then every time I saw a toll road patrol car, I thought I'd be stopped. Haven't been stopped yet, but they probably have a photo of the car with the License plate number, and I'll hear from them.....Wanted in Oklahoma...

Also now probably wanted in California. As seasoned travelers know, that all vehicles entering California must go through an agricultural checkpoint. At these checkpoints they ask about where you are coming from and whether you have any fruits or vegetables onboard. If you say yes, they confiscate them. Well we had an orange in the car, but my wife told the inspector that we had no fruits or vegetables on board. Luckily we were not searched. I wonder if the penalty for smuggling an orange into California is the same as taking a knife onboard an airplane.

Curmudgeon's Guide To Travel

After just completing umphteen drives across the country I have made many observations. Some of these observations were made as a much younger man, while some are recent. The recent ones may be tainted by advancing age, and a certain lack of tolerance, patience, and understanding. You may wish to consider the following as mere observations, suggestions, or rules. That's up to you. For me they have become RULES!

1. Always check out a motel in the light of day, cause they are all really scary after dark.
2. Never check into a motel that has bars and bullet proof glass around the checkin desk.
3. Do not check into a motel that has truck parking next to the building. There will always be at least one truck that is left running all night.
4. Sorry folks, but avoid "pet friendly" motels. There are too many ill trained pet owners as well as ill trained pets.
5. For that matter, avoid "kid friendly" motels! But since that's not possible, stay away from ones that offer free Mexican Hat Dance Lessons in the rooms above yours; and races in the halls.
6. When traveling, never make eye contact with anyone over 70, unless you're prepared to talk at length about where you are from, where you're going, and the price gasoline.

Please feel free to add a comment with additional travel tips!