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Showing content with the highest reputation since 03/29/2023 in Posts

  1. Well, I guess I've solved the "hairy, smelly quilts" issue in a way we never expected. We have moved from Washington State to Kentucky to be closer to family. My husband has been dealing with cancer and heart issues the past five years and we're both in our mid 70's now, so I sort of took it upon myself to begin searching for a home nearer to family who can help if needed. When he saw what I'd found in a home and the awesome price, he readily agreed to the move. Hubby is in remission at this time and we are so very thankful for that after nearly 54 years of marriage! Our eldest grandson helped with the long-distance inspections, etc, and we bought a house sight unseen! WHEW! It needs a few changes here and there, (and I'm sure grandson will be helping, lol), but it's a great home and we're enjoying the wonderful views of the countryside and mountains in the distance. We sold all our furniture and things that wouldn't fit into a U-Haul Pod, shipped what we coculdn't part with and hit the road in my new Kia Soul. It was a fun adventure, and we're finally settled again. My Lenni is set up again and I'm happy as a clam to be able to work on my own quilts for now. Many thanks for all the input on the above subject! I'll keep all the suggestions in mind, should I decide to quilt for others again.
    3 points
  2. Every year I tell myself that I need to finish three UFO (Unfinished Projects (don't know where the "0" fits in)). This year I've set the goal at 3 completely finished projects for the year and my stretch goal is 6 fully completed projects for the year. I've also committed to not starting any new projects until I completely finish at lease 3 UFOs. Well, my friends, it's only February 21, 2024, and I've already completely finished 3 UFOs. *insert fireworks here* Okay, to be honest, two of the UFOs just needed binding, but they had been sitting around unfinished for a very looooooong time. Now they are done. The other UFO I finished was a block swap quilt top with 25 different 12" blocks. The top has been finished for several years, but I was never sure how to quilt it. Well, I just put in on the frame and custom quilt each block, simple sashing and feather borders, roll over binding, and voila, it's done! I'm so proud that I actually finished this one. It has been intimidating me from the corner for far too long. ; ) Now I'm working on two more UFOs. #4 is a flannel pinwheel square in square baby quilt. I need to make 8 more blocks (maybe more depending on how big the finished quilt will be). Then quilt and bind. #5 is 30 embroidered inspirational blocks (27 were already done). I've already embroidered one, just need to embroider two more blocks and then add sashing, borders, quilt and bind. #6 ???? ooooh there are sooooo many to choose from, but now that I'm on a roll, I'm really excited to get these old projects finished. I started making an inventory of unfinished projects and it is a little daunting -- over 25 (mayby close to 40 or 50 quilt tops, but some of those were my mom's that I brought home with me after she passed), a dozen totes and other bags, half a dozen table runners and coordinating placemats, and a few miscellaneous projects. I think I'll do at least two quilts for every three UFOs that I work on. Does anyone else out there have UFOs? What is your strategy for getting them done?
    2 points
  3. dbams

    Millie 2013 forsale

    Guest JerryPrawl reported
    2 points
  4. So it ended up being 2 things! 1) When you take out the bobbin case, inside there the toe of the hook has to be straight up and seated in the center. There is a screw that holds it in place, which seemed a bit loose. So got it centered and tightened the screw. 2) The hopping foot was situated too high - not sure how, when or why, but it's lowered now. So far, everything is AOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .For Now! Thanks everyone! Linda
    2 points
  5. I finally got the hook assembly to move. I kept wiggling the flywheel and it began to move. A drop more oil, and it began spinning normally. Now I can see a thread all the way in the back of my hook assembly (the bobbin is removed). Some tweezers helped me get that out. I will need to sew on some scraps to let the oil drips run through before continuing my quilt. Whew!
    2 points
  6. Cagey

    2006 Millennium

    Sylvia Is the circuit board no longer being made or is it just out of stock for awhile until it can be manufactured again? While the machine head is close to 20-years old, it is disappointing that APQS does not have a replacement board or a facility that can accept the circuit board and repair it for quilters. It is sad to see a high quality machine to be made obsolete because of an old electrical part. If you are or were the original owner, it makes you wonder how APQS is going to stand behind the lifetime warranty. Finally, contact a local automobile repair facility and find out where they send their older model circuit boards for repair. Then contact that facility to see if they would be willing to take a look at your circuit board. I had to have an older model car circuit board repaired and it cost $250 to have it repaired. Best of luck getting your machine up and running soon. Cagey
    2 points
  7. You can also try Maple Leaf Quilting Company out of Cochrane AB
    2 points
  8. https://www.whirlsnswirlsquilting.ca/collections/machine-accessories In Whitby, Ontario has Red Snappers if that is what you are looking for. Nigel
    2 points
  9. You might want to double check about having the Bliss system... it doesn't look like you do.
    2 points
  10. jimerickson

    14 ft to 10 ft

    I don't know whether you'll get a reply or not (you might want to personal message her), but if you've found a machine you like at a price you like, I wouldn't let the table length stand in the way of a purchase. All you need to do is find a local welder/fabricator, and follow the instructions I offered above. I haven't had this done because I did all the work on my table myself, but I shouldn't think it would cost more than $200 or $300. Good luck. Jim
    2 points
  11. SueD

    Arlinda

    There were several posts yesterday. They were reported as spam to the admin and have since been removed.
    2 points
  12. Hot Mess is right! Why is it so hard to set boundaries when we are inately generous? Eighty is not that old if she's active enough to sew a top every month! Explain to her that the pet hair has become a problem---that the hair/dander transfers to your leaders/clothes/area and while you aren't allergic, you may have others you quilt for who are. If she can't clean them up to remove the hair and the smell (yuck!) (or have a friend do that for her) you gently and reluctantly tell her you will need to stop quilting for her. This is absolutely appropriate and I guess I'm not kind enough to continue doing something that makes me miserable every month when she has some control over the issues. Bless her, of course, for still having the passion for piecing. But your time and talent are your own to manage and you should not have to do so many extra tasks to make her quilt presentable when she doesn't recognize the issues and has no incentive to help. Does she have a close friend that you can bring into the mix---who can be the go-between for suggestions and boundaries? Sorry if this seems harsh, but I'm also "old" and would like to spend my longarming time stitching and not fixing someone elses careless piecing and smelly, hairy tops.
    2 points
  13. Tammie: Have you considered simply having your table cut down? I think it's doable, and having it cut down may be easier than replacing it. good luck. Jim
    1 point
  14. Tammy: Used APQS machines are great. Industrial quality, great factory support. You can hardly go wrong buying a used APQS machine. Start looking in the used machines for sale forum here. Good luck. Jim
    1 point
  15. Spam reported
    1 point
  16. srichardson

    10 ft table

    I have a 2008 Millie. My leaders measure 103.5 inches. The size of table was dictated by the size of my sewing room. I would have bought a twelve foot table if I had the room. In reality the ten foot has served me well and I haven't needed a larger frame. I don't have a quilt business and haven't needed to quilt any king sized quilts.
    1 point
  17. I just jumped on apqs fb and did a search. I found out that the top of the baseplate has recessed screw holes. Solves my problem!
    1 point
  18. Spam reported
    1 point
  19. Well when all else fails turn the machine off and back on. Seemed to fix my problem. Yeah!
    1 point
  20. RunningThreads

    Mag collar

    Mag collar is how the machine knows to stop at the correct needle up or down position. If it is not properly adjusted you will have problems pulling up the bobbin thread. Nigel
    1 point
  21. RunningThreads

    Missing Part

    This is the on board bobbin winder. Flip the lever on the black box down and it will shut off.
    1 point
  22. @Daniel Galiher Posts do not get removed from the forum. However, you can edit the original post to add the word "sold" in the title.
    1 point
  23. I think the idea for having multiple spools is when you are using multiple thread colors on a quilt. You can keep the spools on the holder.
    1 point
  24. It attaches to the top of the machine with heavy-duty double stick tape. The easiest way would be to purchase a Dritz Cone Thread Holder, Heavy Duty at Joann's. You can always find a discount coupon. Then cut the thread rod to a shorter length, and stick it to the top of you machine using double stick tape. You may need to put something on the bottom of the cone holder if it is not flat. Cardboard or part of one of those plastic yard signs cut to size would work fine. Best of luck with your MacGyver project. Cagey
    1 point
  25. I have had both - currently have an IQ on an older Millie (2008). I don't have any knowledge about the updated QuiltPath but I found the one I had very difficult to use for custom quilting. I also found it quite slow to do anything. One example would be that even when I set it for the fastest sewing speed, it was extremely slow. Also, we were told to set the design up and send it to the system to sew. It would take forever to be ready to sew. We were told to go get a cup of coffee while we waited. This was unacceptable. I am hoping the system is more powerful now and can process faster. There is absolutely no wait time with the IQ. Also, I found the QP extremely difficult for me because the way you did things was not the way I think. IQ thinks like I do. Test both systems thoroughly - centering a quilting pattern inside a hexagon, a circle, a block, etc. Don't take it for granted that everything will be centered properly! How easy is it to split a design to fit your quilting area or change the design slightly? How easy is it to tweak your design to follow an area that might not be 100% perfect? It is quite easy with the IQ, it wasn't on the QuiltPath I had. Good luck with whatever your choice is but I do recommend quite strongly that you test both systems in operation to be sure you get what will work best for you. My mistake with purchasing the QP when it first came out was a very costly mistake for me.
    1 point
  26. Contact Angela Huffman at Quilted Joy in KY - she is an APQS Repr, very experienced in both (she sells both). The systems use different technologies for the operating systems and depending on how you learn or like the operating system may help you decide. www.quiltedjoy.com
    1 point
  27. Thank you, dbams, I really appreciate your response, and agree. I wouldn't need to expense anything I buy that I don't use in the business, either. That's probably the best route for matching revenues to expenses anyway. I am curious as to why Rebecca's accountant hated it, but in my experience, most accountants are not also quilters. My guess is that the level of detail needed to run the business is quite different from the level of detail required to do the tax return.
    1 point
  28. Thanks for the info, I also want to know it.
    1 point
  29. Sorry Betsy, I don't have a camera, nor a smart phone, so photos aren't an option. What I did was to use the large wire spool guides that came with my Ult 2, and faced them backwards (toward the back of the machine rather than to the front as intended). I used the screws that held a cover on the back of my machine, to fasten them. I had replaced the original wire guides with some Gammill ceramic eyed guides earlier so the wire ones were just laying around. I took some heavy stiff wire, and bent a hook on each end that captured the wire guide eyes, made a large loop around the cord with a zip tie, then hooked a coil spring about 5 inches long, one end to the zip tie loop and the other to the wire between the two repurpaced thread guides. The full length of the rig is short enough (actually adjustable by the size of the zip tie loop) to lift the cord up and keep it from dragging on the table. The spring serves to provide movement and forgiving tension in the event the cord should get stuck on something. The spring just happened to be one I had laying around salvaged off something else I had at one time. It looks like a short screen door spring with the typical hooks on the ends. Hope this helps you understand what I did. Jim
    1 point
  30. Jim I think it is not that you cannot fit an IQ to a vertical wheel machine but they don’t have a kit for an APQS machine with vertical wheels. Seems to me your Gammill has vertical wheels and I bet there is a kit for it. I’m sure with your skills you could make the brackets if you spent enough time looking at some other installations.
    1 point
  31. Jim, Patty Butcher https://www.katydids.net/index.html is both an APQS and Intelliquilter dealer. Other than Myrna Ficken we hardly see any dealers on this site anymore. Actually all the forums I belong to seem to be dying out. I don’t do Facebook but I hear those groups are still very strong.
    1 point
  32. mamu

    1Ofoot or 12 foot TOP SIZE

    I have a 12 ft table and have been able to quilt king size quilts on it with no problems. If I get a oversize king, more than 115", I wouldn't be able to do it because the backing would be larger than the top and it wouldn't fit.
    1 point
  33. barbm

    Bobbin thread won't pull up!

    Please call the Service Department at Grace Co. for help on this - our machines are not that different, but there may be subtle but critical differences in the hook area. We can give you general suggestions but your machine's manufacturer is the proper source for help.
    1 point
  34. Sounds more like timing issue than tension. Check your owners manual section on timing, and see if you can't ID, and resolve your problem. good luck. Jim
    1 point
  35. The number one reason is the needle is in backwards. Two would be you hit a bad seam or your ruler and the timing is off. Third I would check the hook doesn’t have any fore and aft play, to check this take out the bobbin case put your first two fingers behind the hook and your thumb on the centre post and pull and push. There should be no play if there is you loosen the Allen screw on the collar pull the hook forward, push the collar back and tighten the screw. Please let us know how you make out as it may help the next person. Nigel
    1 point
  36. My son is convinced that Alexa and Google listen to EVERYTHING (and they do!). He is very entrepreneurial and always coming up with invention ideas. Whenever he has what he considers a really good idea, we have to go out into the middle of the back yard and whisper, so none of the smart devices can eavesdrop on our conversation. At first I thought it was a bit ludicrous, but not after I saw an ad for one of his idea only a couple of months after we talked about it in the house.
    1 point
  37. Lita

    Circle Lord directions

    Hi, kif. I have acquired instructions for several. Maybe this weekend I can send you a list. Or you can send me a list of the templates you have. See also Fans of Circle Lord on FB.
    1 point
  38. Also on June 2, 2020 posted machine sold.
    1 point
  39. Unlikely. The original seller hasn't been on the forum since June 2020. (You can see this by clicking on their name.)
    1 point
  40. I'm all about doing it on the cheap. I made long side clamps instead of buying the red snapper ones. I got some free paint stir sticks (2 for each side) and stapled some rubbery shelf liner on them. (The sticks are like the outside covers of a book and the liner is the binding and inside covers.) I fold it in half and sandwich the quilt between the liner and sticks and clamp it on with the machine clamps. I have more even side tension that way rather than just where the clamps normally would go on the fabric.
    1 point
  41. Thank you. I have edited the post.
    1 point
  42. Hi, What size is the table? Are you happy with the stitch quality on this machine? Does this machine have a stitch regulator?
    1 point
  43. RunningThreads

    UPS systems

    This topic comes up from time to time. Here is a good thread on the subject. Cagey’s info from APQS is quite helpful. https://forum.apqs.com/topic/41689-surge-protectors/#comment-542223 Nigel
    1 point
  44. Dana Jo, I don't think it's really worth capitalizing a purchase under $1,000. A collection of pantographs can add up, but on a per item basis, the cost is not much. I am a retired CPA, and would not want to mess with piddly depreciation on items like that. Obviously, you have to go with what's comfortable for you, and whatever your corporate return preparer recommends. Good luck with your business!
    1 point
  45. Sheilah: I don't think there are many Compuquilters here anymore. I think Kasa Engineering (Intelliquilt) has been supporting Compuquilter since the original folks went out of business. Try contacting them and see. Jim
    1 point
  46. 2010 APQS Millie with 14 foot table. $7,000. Auto bobbin thread cutter, motorized advanced with foot pedal, stitch regulator, acrylic base expander. Other features too numerous to list. Located in southern Pennsylvania, one hour from Harrisburg, on PA, Maryland border. Cash, bank check or personal check. Phone 717 655 7529
    1 point
  47. Sue E.

    Robotics for 2008 Millie

    I have a 2008 Millie with IntelliQuilter. I love it. The 2 work very nicely together. Originally I had a CompuQuilter and love those together but when the company started having problems I switched to a QuiltPath (pretty soon after it came out) and I hated that system. I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. I went with IntelliQuilter and have had it now for about 7 or so years. It can handle anything I throw at it from simple edge-to-edge, pantos, to custom. IQ has a great program that is being upgraded all the time and customer service is the best. Check it out.
    1 point
  48. mswings

    New Leaders

    Could someone please take a picture of the front of their machine to show me how these leaders are supposed to look? Thanks in advance.
    1 point
  49. Sharond

    Funny

    If you do customer quilts down the road,you should let them know you have a cat who loves your quilting studio. You can and will have customers who do have allergies to cats. It is best to disclose pet Information. My business is listed as per free and smoke free, since I have allergies to both.
    1 point
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