KathyP Posted November 6, 2017 Report Share Posted November 6, 2017 I installed a Quilt Suspension System behind my George machine and it makes it so much easier to handle a large quilt on a sit down machine. There is more information on my blog, so click over there if you want the details. http://cottoncellar.blogspot.com/2017/11/quilt-suspension-system.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 7, 2017 Report Share Posted November 7, 2017 Kathy; Your blog mentions that the George table is only 24 inches deep, have you tried using a portable table that aligns with the rear of your table to give you more support for the non-work area of the quilt? My old style George table has a flip up rear section which gives me about 3 feet of table behind the hopping foot. I have to periodically fluff up the quilt top to keep it from binding or dragging the quilt as I stitch. Do find any issues with having to continually to relocate your support clips? Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyP Posted November 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 Cagey, I thought about adding another table behind, but didn’t want to give up the floor space. The clamps work really well for me. I don’t have to reposition them too frequently, and they’re within my reach, so I don’t even have to get up. I leave enough slack so I can move the quilt quite freely for a while before I have to reclamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 Kathy; I can understand the floor space issue. Luckily my table has wheels that do not work well on the carpet, but you can pull it out and then flip up the rear table arm that lays flush with the rest of the table, and then push it up against the wall. I am rather surprised that APQS does not have this option for their new George table. They need one on the far left side of the table providing that sticks out about 2 feet, and one that would be to the left of where you sit, but flip up towards you about 2 feet forming a L-shaped quilting space that can be pushed into the corner of the room. It is hard to imagine how hard the quilt top can be to move around and quilt when it is not fluffed up to make is smoothly float on the table top. Also, it seems like a large quilt will be ripped out of your hands or even break a needle when a large portion of it falls of the table, and tries to take the area your working on with it. Looking at Patsy's systems, I can envision a light/clip bar easily installed over George to provide both light and quilt support. I am glad the system works for you, and thank you for sharing. It will help us George quilters perfect our art. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyP Posted November 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 Your table sounds great Cagey! I don’t know why they changed to this smaller table, but I’m making it work. As you can see, I have two small tables, one at each elbow, to help support the quilt in front, with just enough room between for my chair. I also have an Ikea cart for all my “stuff”. My big cutting table is to my left of the George table, so the excess quilt can sprawl over that way too. The only place that was cramped was behind the machine, and the clamps took care of that. I guess we all make the best of what we’ve got to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 9, 2017 Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 Kathy; You have yourself a great setup. Lots of light with the big florescent overhead. I see you use the foot pedal the way APQS/Yamaha designed it, pushing it down with your heal to control the speed. I could not get the hang of it that way, so I spun it around and put a sandbag in front the pedal to rest my heal/foot on and then push down to increase the stitch speed just like I do on my DSM. Keep pumping those weights next to your cutting station, and no matter how large that quilt top, you will be ready to beat it into submission. Thank you for sharing what works for you. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyP Posted November 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 I keep my heel on the floor and use my toe on the pedal. Works for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 9, 2017 Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 I guess we do it the same, by pushing the part down with your toe that is normally done with your heal. Not sure why APQS chose this pedal, but I would love to have one that worked like most DSMs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyP Posted November 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 I’m happy to report that the quilt suspension system behind George worked great! I was able to complete my first big quilt with no problems. I did a really dense allover freehand holly leaf design. My DIL started this quilt 10 years ago, and finally asked me to finish it for her, just to get it done. I was a little nervous about quilting an 84” x 84” quilt, but it was a good opportunity to practice. I’m amazed at how easy it was to work on this, with the suspension system in place. Although I have to be honest, there were times when I thought I’d never reach the end. I was quilting holly leaves in my sleep! It took 15 bobbins and and many hours. I didn’t keep track. Next up is 104” x 104”... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 17, 2017 Report Share Posted November 17, 2017 Kathy; It turned out gorgeous. You had better share with your DIL that she truly is quilt worthy with all that tight quilting. Great job, and thank you for sharing. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbams Posted November 17, 2017 Report Share Posted November 17, 2017 Love both the quilt and the quilting. You finished it at just the right time of year, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.