quilted charm Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Can anyone give me some ideas for quilting this, and what color of thread would you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Ooooo! A nice bright pink thread--Metro if you have it. Second choice would be lime green. Ooooo again! As for quilting, you can quilt each pinwheel separately but that will require a maddening number of starts and stops. I would opt for an overall design. Panto, freemotion, or pattern board, whichever you like the best. If that pretty outer border has an even pattern all around, use those diagonal lines to quilt on. Very pretty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Lime green for sure, and nice fun flower follow the lines in the small border out through the outer border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Ok, so I started quilting it with the lime green on top (which does look good BTW). I am using red on the bottom because the backing is all red. I bought a towa gage for the bobbin tension as I can't seem to get the tension right. I set it at 200 like it says, and it seemed to work good for a short time, then all of a sudden, red thread poking through on the top. I took the longarm to the side and adjusted top thread over and over, but can not get the red to stop showing through. Question: When the thread is set at 200 like it recommends, it doesn't drop at all with the old fashioned drop test. I thought it should drop slowly but continually? Also, is there a difference in the towa TM3 and the TM1? Mine is the TM1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 (FOR ME) I do the drop test. I use perwounds but it is the same if I were to wind. I set my bobbin to drop about 4 inches and stop. All other adjusting I need to do I do from the top tensioner. If you are winding your own bobbins please check the tension this way on every new bobbin just to be sure. BTW, I try to match the top and bobbin threads. I just tell my customers before hand. If you are getting bobbin thread on top and your bobbin tension is set as I said your top tension is to tight. Call me if you want me to go over it with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 There's another thread on the forums about thread colors and tension - check it out at http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=27481&page=1#pid348845 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Originally posted by barbm There's another thread on the forums about thread colors and tension - check it out at http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=27481&page=1#pid348845 Funny Barb, I was just reading that thread:) My problem is that no matter what I do, the bottom thread still shows thru. Adjusting the top thread doesn't seem to make any adjustment what so ever, and changing the bobbin tension just makes it worse or the same, but not better. I wish I could set it back to factory settings and start all over like you can with a computer:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Leslie, how thick is the batting you're using? If you've got a real thin quilt sandwich (and especially if you've got it real tight on the frame), there isn't a lot of quilt thickness to hide the knot - you might actually be seeing the knot within the sandwich. Check by running your fingernail along the stitching line - if you don't feel/hear a "click, click, click," then the knot is properly inside the quilt. Another question: what size needle are you using? If you've got a bigger needle in (say a 4.5 or 5.0), your hole may be big enough that you're seeing the knot. If you want to use two highly contrasting threads (like lime green and red), here's a trick I've used, but only on my own quilts so far: balance the thread more to one side of the quilt (in your case, to the back), then get a pigma permanent marker in a shade that will color the thread "pokey" so that it doesn't stand out on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I'm using Hobbs 80/20. What battings are thicker and don't give as much trouble? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I use Hobbs 80/20 all the time, so it should work for you. What about the tightness and the needle size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I loosened the tightness because I read that on another thread. I'm still using the #4 needles that came with the machine. do you think a 3.5 would be better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Depends on the thread you're using - I read back on the posts but I don't see what type/weight thread you're using, just the colors. Or did I miss it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted April 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Oh, I guess I didn't say. I'm using glide thread and magna glide in the bobbin. I was wondering last night if the magna glide bobbins might change the way you would adjust the bobbing tension? I went home last night and loosened it to where it drops a little, and it seems to be better. You can mostly just see the red thread on the sharp curves and when changing directions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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