tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post5232609560100018366..comments2024-03-18T15:18:57.324-05:00Comments on crazy mom quilts: Machine Quilting 101:IntroductionAmanda Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311818385469850186noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-28624710449091328742014-04-30T01:02:29.050-05:002014-04-30T01:02:29.050-05:00I've favourited your post because I've dec...I've favourited your post because I've decided it's about time I quilted my own quilts instead of sending them away for long arm quilting. I want a quilt to be ALL mine! I'll be following the series and can't wait to begin.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17769428408767311874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-78147858948668511022014-04-29T22:06:05.160-05:002014-04-29T22:06:05.160-05:00i feel comfortable in my straight lines, and i do ...i feel comfortable in my straight lines, and i do like using them - so many variations! - but i'd love to learn how to approach/plan designs that are more creative and changing, yet fluid across the quilt. i'm not really drawn to stippling. i want something more open, organic and relaxed... something that doesn't take the quilt too seriously. oh, and i wished i made more sense!<br /><br />regardless oh my rambles, i'm reeeeeally looking forward to your proposed series and many thanks to you for doing it! jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07476861106944711115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-14328076599023249152014-04-28T21:40:39.113-05:002014-04-28T21:40:39.113-05:00oh, this will be exciting. I am terrified of FMQ. ...oh, this will be exciting. I am terrified of FMQ. All of my quilts have had pocket sized wrinkles in the back- but I've only pin basted and was hoping that spray basting the next one would do the trick!!<br /><br />Oh, and I get similar "helpful" advice from my husband...Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14267651974427560092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-72885427979871818392014-04-28T20:57:05.823-05:002014-04-28T20:57:05.823-05:00I look forward to following along, I have only FMe...I look forward to following along, I have only FMed 2 quilts so far, spray basted them both, and no puckers!!Connihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07952713268203866489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-40325445601906925512014-04-28T20:12:01.348-05:002014-04-28T20:12:01.348-05:00Okay, I am belt-n-suspender type quilter. I spray...Okay, I am belt-n-suspender type quilter. I spray baste AND pin whether I am doing a quilt-as-you-go project or anything larger. <br /><br />I don't do free motion quilting. I'm not a big fan of it on pieced quilts. I find hand-quilt designs that will work with a domestic machine and mark my quilt tops before basting. <br /><br />The other thing I do is straight-pin the line I am quilting about a foot in front of the needle; which has helped beat the pucker issue where the current line of quilting crosses a previous line of quilting. Along with stretching the sandwich a little front and back which seems to also help (the belt-n-suspender thing, again).<br /><br />So I'm going to follow your tutorial with interest because I'm always interested in exploring different ways to do the same thing.Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06530748998376076224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-25155899483331078232014-04-28T19:09:59.540-05:002014-04-28T19:09:59.540-05:00This should be a great series. I've wondered a...This should be a great series. I've wondered about spray basting, but worried I wouldn't like it. I pin baste everything now and I think I'll stick with that. I can't seem to get a consistent stitch length. Maybe I just need more practice, though.Leanne Parsonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07944797294783593234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-23491621269864641792014-04-28T17:43:28.997-05:002014-04-28T17:43:28.997-05:00I am SO interested to know how to choose neutral t...I am SO interested to know how to choose neutral threads that do a nice job of the quilting, but sink into the quilt rather than riding on top. I notice quilts that look so good, and seem to be continuous quilting, and the actual thread color is SO hard to see. Is it 50 wt? I'm sure eager for help and photos of the process. <br />Kaarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13628313219392004658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-51529151652572372592014-04-28T17:39:38.483-05:002014-04-28T17:39:38.483-05:00So looking forward to this series. Many times whe...So looking forward to this series. Many times when following a quilt tutorial I feel like I am left hanging, when it says "quilt as desired".i have been reluctantly FAQ for several years, but do not feel very confident or pleased. I have a baby loc ellageo and a large surface which helps a lot. I did not see this problem when reading all the comments and hope you can address. When different designs are used in different parts of a quilt , how do you make your starting and stopping look nice when you are in the middle of the quilt? Also, glad you are addressing thread color, if I match the quilt front, sometimes my backing is a totally different color and my FAQ is very exposed on the back. Last problem, I know I should do a better job of having quadrants and plan, but sometimes I will run into a basting pin. Thanks so much and looking forward to your series!!!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17987743902614293927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-86732646433147160992014-04-28T12:34:15.610-05:002014-04-28T12:34:15.610-05:00My ah ha moment is a bit like yours. I took a qui...My ah ha moment is a bit like yours. I took a quilting class and came away with the clamp/table method of basting. Up to then I was on the floor and to be honest my back just couldn't take basting on the floor any more. Moving ot the table with my clamps has made basting as fun as it can be. :-)<br /><br />As far as basting methods I've tried thread, pin and spray basting. I still like thread basting the best for large projects, then pin basting for medium or small projects. I can't handle chemicals in spray basting. They bother my breathing too much.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01222695502886799120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-32737018678686781092014-04-28T10:53:49.561-05:002014-04-28T10:53:49.561-05:00Wow, so many valuable comments! Wish I had time to...Wow, so many valuable comments! Wish I had time to read them all this morning!<br /><br />I've still only used a walking foot, though in a couple of cases after tearing out unsuccessful FMQ attempts. My big problem is tension -- the top or bottom lying on top of the fabric surface after stitching, no matter how I adjust the tension. I tend to get a ton of thread breaking too (every 3-5" of stitching!) so there's clearly something wrong there. I have a $100 machine and while I'm convinced it should be able to handle FMQ, I do wonder if it would be different on a better machine...but haven't gotten around to trying a class and don't really want to buy a new one. I do, however, madly look forward to this series! Thank you!!mailergoathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11216479332600097416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-54517462125643013782014-04-28T09:56:18.063-05:002014-04-28T09:56:18.063-05:00Holy Cow! This post sure brought out the comments...Holy Cow! This post sure brought out the comments LOL. How fun to be able to see your process. I'm a pin-baste convert too. Lately, I've gone from stipples to straight-line, just because I like the look more. It's probably just a phase. My big sticking point is that my arms and shoulders get so sore -- it's a lot of work!Thimbleannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03650582809426872051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-91546760549820101782014-04-28T06:19:39.377-05:002014-04-28T06:19:39.377-05:00Great post, love all your quilts, I have been foll...Great post, love all your quilts, I have been following you, sharing your moments with us, thanks for all what you share, <br />I love hand quilting, but, at this point, I think I should try machine quilting, I should give it a tryalejandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05606627614692381553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-22619384579971942692014-04-27T23:22:42.722-05:002014-04-27T23:22:42.722-05:00I owe all my machine quilting and basic quilting s...I owe all my machine quilting and basic quilting skills to you. when i first started to quilt, I found your blog, and it has since become my bible! :) I gained confidence in machine quilting on my domesticmachines,from you. It has been a learning curve. I have made my mother a lot of placemats with some horrible stippling, but I have come a long way. I quilt all of my own, nothing fancy, but I am doing it! I want to improve, so I am excited to follow along. I did pay money to have my recent king size quilted on a long arm. **gasp** it was pricey. I very much enjoy quilting on my machine and am forever grateful to you and your blog for teaching/inspiring/uplifting/encouraging and helping me find this hobby that helps me in all aspects of my life.Potter Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01663535825047078236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-13102940286735358162014-04-27T19:14:06.753-05:002014-04-27T19:14:06.753-05:00My biggest fear is wrestling the weight and bulk o...My biggest fear is wrestling the weight and bulk of a big quilt under the throat space. I agree that basting is key – get that right and the end result improves enormously.Granny Maud's Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14526026491886013457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-63200024675204216322014-04-27T14:31:57.076-05:002014-04-27T14:31:57.076-05:00Thank you! Thank you! I'm a hand quilter who h...Thank you! Thank you! I'm a hand quilter who has a fear of machine quilting. I would complete so many more quilts if I could just get over it. I trust you to hold my hand and guide me through it. I even have a quilt I'm piecing together now in mind for it. Rebecca MacNeillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13109416813268018620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-70195562628164826492014-04-27T11:17:21.507-05:002014-04-27T11:17:21.507-05:00I have a long arm machine that I've been afrai...I have a long arm machine that I've been afraid of for a year. I set myself up to fail because I thought that if you don't custom quilt everything like the pictures everywhere, you're not progressing. I've finally come to the realization that I can complete a lovely piece with simpler patterns. I'm now reminding myself that its necessary to learn to walk before you can run.minnesota nicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12420949964117552764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-28717667787379723752014-04-27T09:26:16.410-05:002014-04-27T09:26:16.410-05:00One of my sticking points is getting the layers sm...One of my sticking points is getting the layers smooth when pin basting. Can you post a picture of how you clamp your quilt down to baste it?pendiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12274523881536962570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-13475397364588176062014-04-27T07:56:31.127-05:002014-04-27T07:56:31.127-05:00Lots of people you'll be helping! I took two m...Lots of people you'll be helping! I took two machine quilting classes about a decade apart, and learned much as things changed during that time. I'm fine on small projects, but working with the weight of the quilt pulling against the sewing space on anything lap size or larger changes the freedom that makes working FM on the smaller pieces easy. I have tables all around to take the weight, but would welcome other ideas!debbi d-whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03480198556710403968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-65595270669494072682014-04-26T20:24:09.058-05:002014-04-26T20:24:09.058-05:00I absolutely love your blog! I am so glad and tha...I absolutely love your blog! I am so glad and thankful you are doing these posts.<br />I pin baste. I have no desire to try the spray. I tape the backing to my hardwood floor and then pin away. <br />I've straight line quilted a queen size but that's the largest. I have been making baby quilts in order to practice my FMQ'ing. <br />I get the 'eyelashes' too on the curves. I find if I just relax it goes better but I always am in a hurry to get it done. I forgot to lower my feed dogs and ended up with all loose stitching on the back that I had to pick out. <br />Can't wait for the next installment!Vanessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05825387589937400877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-1209797897367799072014-04-26T15:28:59.003-05:002014-04-26T15:28:59.003-05:00I forgot to mention that 80% cotton/20% poly batt ...I forgot to mention that 80% cotton/20% poly batt (I usually pre-soak) or 100% cotton batt gives me great results.lmnohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14786511253481576031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-33994925514189891612014-04-26T15:27:32.881-05:002014-04-26T15:27:32.881-05:00I found that the right batt as well as a new needl...I found that the right batt as well as a new needle and good quality thread helped my skipping stiches problem. lmnohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14786511253481576031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-5125192020882562502014-04-26T11:48:28.022-05:002014-04-26T11:48:28.022-05:00I am addicted to my walking foot but want to FMQ b...I am addicted to my walking foot but want to FMQ badly. In January I took a one day class and although the principle of FMQ is clear, my abilitiy is lagging. I know, practice, practice, practice. That said, I tape down my backings and pin baste and have had good success with smooth backs quilting from the middle out so I can also smooth a bit as I go. Feeding the quilt onto my dining room table has taken care of the weight of it hanging off the machine. If you are new to using a walking foot; make sure you read your machine's instruction for tension setting etc. Can't wait to follow along with your series!<br />Bennett and Graveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02967361562768782448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-22198249267199488652014-04-26T09:02:26.153-05:002014-04-26T09:02:26.153-05:00Wow, I wonder if it's possible to put the comm...Wow, I wonder if it's possible to put the comment box at the top of the comment section? That was a lot of scrolling on my tiny phone screen! Tho considering the phone and blogger also refuse to play nice in the comment box (any attempt to edit what I have written locks all typing), I should probably just stick to lurking!<br />Still, now that I'm here, editing my comment in the notes app as the blog page reloads, I'll share my two cents and then paste it in! I'm only on my second lap quilt, having made a couple small quilted items in the past, and what is keeping me from machine quilting is that I took apart a comforter for batting, so it's too thick to sew on the machine! Didn't realize it would be a problem till too late. I had to take them to the bedding-tailors' stall at the fabric market just to get them basted because I couldn't get that to come out smoothly either. Once basted, I tied one and hand-quilted the other. I just finished the binding (also by hand) on the first and have almost gotten to the point that I can prep the binding for the second. But never again will I use such thick batting. Ugh! One of the happy things about moving back to the States this summer, proximity to a craft store... Of course I also lose my close neighbor with a lendable sewing machine, but maybe I'll meet a new one!MissJubileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00684326347134441779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-1506773962909059232014-04-26T08:01:36.356-05:002014-04-26T08:01:36.356-05:00I'm looking forward to following you machine q...I'm looking forward to following you machine quilting series. Cathy Berningerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14201685443269625089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37018101.post-67518090723671753022014-04-26T01:32:37.869-05:002014-04-26T01:32:37.869-05:00My biggest issue with quilting a large quilt on my...My biggest issue with quilting a large quilt on my domestic sewing machine is handling the volume/weight of the quilt hanging down. I've tried setting up chairs around my machine to catch some of the overflow (which does seem to help some), rolling the quilt (not helpful at all for me) and even pinning up some of the excess (somewhat helpful). I spray baste and pin my quilts, which seems to work okay for me. Love that you are creating a series on the subject!nanajsewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12611703066576706987noreply@blogger.com