sewingfarmgirl Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Hi, I am new to machine quilting. I am a little frustrated when trying to follow a panto. My curves or circles most always come out with flat sides, not nice curves. When I try to do circles, small to large, I end up with something similar to a square with curved corners. Am I just uncoordinated, or is this a learning curve. I prefer working from the front of the machine just freehanding it. Am I alone in this square/circle world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvrchota Posted August 28, 2003 Report Share Posted August 28, 2003 ...try loosening up your wheels--i was doing square circles until sylvia convinced my husband that my wheels needed to be loosened...it made a huge difference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingfarmgirl Posted August 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Thanks, we loosened the wheels and it does seem to flow better, but have discovered some friction or restriction right around the middle of the table. I think that the tortion(?) bars are adjusted too much, maybe need to be backed off on. My husband is going to make adjustments. This is a 2yr. old used machine that we set up ourselves. Perhaps we did not get it set up correctly. Thanks for info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earlandann Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 I will be ordering my first longarm soon. I am wondering if you ever got the nack of making round circles, now that you've had your machine longer and have had more practice. I have a friend who also had the same problem, but eventually mastered the technique with lots of practice. Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue in Australia Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Hi Ann and everyone Hope you all had a great Christmas. The advice about adjusting your wheels should help to give you the free movement you need to make smooth circles. I like all my wheels to be resting on the carriage or table rails and for the rails to be an equal distance from the inside curve of the wheel. Usually my wheels are touching the top of the inside curve of the wheel. APQS machines are the only ones where you can adjust the "tightness" of the wheel to suit the feel you like. Someone talked about the tension bar under the table top. It is very important when setting up the table to make sure that the table is level in all directions so a long spirit level comes in handy to measure this. If you are having trouble in the centre of the table it could be that the the bolt on one side of the table is lifting the table higher than the other side. The other thing to check is that the bolts on the aluminium cylinders are tightened equally so as not to distort the table top. Connie will be back on Monday and she is excellent at talking you through setting up the machines and the table. Best wishes Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evelyn Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 I can do great square circles still when I'm tired, tense or holding the handles too tight. Besides all the great advice you have received, it helps if you relax your shoulders, arms and hands while sewing. I think when I'm in front I'm thinking more about the pattern I'm doing and I'm not as tense as when I'm doing a panto. I have a millenium, it's wonderful! Good luck, Evelyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernview Cottage Aust Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 Hi all I am finding that my circles are coming out pretty square too - but I've only had my "Millie" for a week so I am still learning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Absolutely Heirloom Posted May 16, 2004 Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 While I much prefer to work from the front of the machine, this is one of those things that panto's helped me with. When I got my machine there was a panto pattern in it that was a lot of circles. Since I have the stitch regulator I kept it on and just took my time while i reminded myself to relax, not grip so tight...etc. While I cant do a perfect circle freehand, the practice did make an enormous difference when I moved back to the front of the machine. In fact, now that I think about it maybe I should get the other pantos out and see if they teach me anything too Cynthia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted May 17, 2004 Report Share Posted May 17, 2004 I can attest to the square circles coming from being tense and having the machine not adjusted just right to you personally. I spent yesterday after noon with my rep (THANK YOU LINDA) and I was so nervous and excited. I made really nice designs that were all squared-off. They would have looked nice on an Aztec motif quilt! I'm sure that if the machine were adjusted to me personally or I were more relaxed or if I had TONS more practice (boy, am I gonna need a lot!), I would have done better. Anyway, it sure wasn't the machine! Linda could do them beautifully! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSusieQuilts Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Forgot to intoduce my self and machine I am Linda Sue and Susie is my machine. thus our business name Linda Susie Quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 mmy circles are still a little square on the panto side of the machine as well. Only had my Lenni a little over a week, so I am still practicing with her. they do seem to be getting a little more rounded going in one direction but the other direction still more square. I can't remember if they are better clockwise or counter cw. I think CCW was better than CW. It must be more natural to go one direction than the other. But PPP will make Perfect circles eventually. Now the odd thing is free motion circle or loops are easier and look better than following the pantos. I was told that the learning curve was steep but worth it. So Practice, practice, practice I will go. Jeanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyA Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 I'll just chime in here. You are going to find that you begin to develop 'muscle memory'. It's just like riding a bike or when you do some downhill skiing - you adjust your body movements without thinking. The same applies to LAing. There's a weight and a way the machine moves, and as you practice your body learns your machine and you automatically adjust for the direction you are moving in. It's hard to explain but honest, in a short period of time it happens. Just make sure you are practicing daily - a great way to get some donation quilts done!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 I think it helps to look ahead to where you are going rather than at the spot where you are. Think ahead, look ahead, and your hands will follow. Have you ever noticed when you're driving a car that when you look to the side, your hands turn the steering wheel in the direction you are looking and you have to correct? It's the same with hand guiding these machines. If I focus on the needle and inside the hopping foot, I wobble endlessly. When I look ahead an inch or two, my hands just follow and things go a little more smoothly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Sew Simple Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 I have been doing this for only 3 months now and still once in awhile I'll look down and see where I squared off a circle. It doesn't happen often but I have to think, "round, round." When I relax and just enjoy quilting they come out nice a round! My advice is loosen up and have fun with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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