Sparkle

Bump

I have sent you a U2U message.

I have an assortment of threads. Most are Superior So-Fine, Lava and Omni. I also have a few cones of Connecting Threads Essential Pro. And I have a stash of Maxi Swirl serger thread I use on occasion as well I've only used the sample cone of Glide thread in a Gold color. Ran well. Shiny thread, so it depends on the "look" you want--- I do use Fil-Tec Magna "Glide" prewounds all the time....My bobbin winder is collecting dust! I've been using the Glide pre wounds for about 6 months now, and I don't think I'm ever going back to winding my own bobbins. I run the pre wounds with all my Superior and other threads---no thread or tension problems.

Georgene, Do you have your old leaders off the rollers? Are your present leaders "glued" to the rollers? I remember that was challenging to remove all that old glue when I redid my Ultimate II leaders. My husband used some type of scraper to remove the glue residue and then we wiped them down with some type of cleaner---sorry I don't have the name of cleaner. I just this past week installed Zippers on my Prodigy leaders and one of the leaders on the take up roller was not straight I discovered when I zipped the take up leader to the front zippered leaders. So, I ripped that one off, and re taped it. I have taped leaders onto rollers (Super Quilter, Hinterberg, Ultimate II and now the Prodigy) using Scotch Clear Duct Tape. Scotch makes the very best adhesive tapes. Once you use their tapes compared to others ---well, lets just say there is a big difference in how well they adhere, and how long their tapes stay put. You need to find some form of seam line on your rollers, use the previous line or create one with a chalk line. If you have no one to help you, this is the method I have used in the past to attach cloth leaders to conduit or metal rollers. Buy several rolls of regular "double sided" (sticky on both sides) Scotch brand tape. It is about 3/4" inches wide. Apply this double sided tape to your metal conduit roller FIRST with one edge right on your reference line. Now, press the edge of your cloth leader to this sticky double sided tape. It will hold the leader in place just long enough for you to apply the Scotch 2" Clear Duct tape onto the leader fabric. Overlap half of the duct tape onto the leader cloth edge, and the other half onto the metal. The double sided sticky tape is left under the edge of the leader fabric. You may also do another length of the Scotch Clear Duct tape just overlapping the first if you wish, but one length seems to be strong enough. Hope this helps--- PS. I found Karen's instructions for leaders and zippers a bit confusing. But, it could be me----I used The Quilt Connections marked zippers set, and their instructions were great for installing the zippers. I can post pictures of the zippered leaders if you want. I don't know why it has taken me years of pinning to finally decide to try zippers. Loving them!

Oma, It all is so much to absorb. You did a fabulous job of organizing everything! What a lovely place to spend your time sewing, quilting and paper crafting. I have been looking for storage for under my frame, and really like yours. Thank you for mentioning where you found the storage units. and thank you for posting all the pictures. Wonderful! PS: Glad the track lighting worked out in your room. Perhaps yours function better and don't cast shadows because of the height of the ceiling. I now have a torch floor lamp near the ironing table and cutting table to help out.

I have always used a Pig Tail bobbin case because I think it aligns the path of the thread from the bobbin, and helps keep tension more even. I had one on my Ultimate II, and my 2009 Prodigy came with several bobbin cases that have something similar to the pigtail bobbin cases. It's down in the curved out portion of the bobbin case right after the thread slit. I've never seen a bobbin case like this before. Anything that helps keep the bobbin thread in sync with the top thread is O.K. with me! Try your pig tailed case, and maybe you will like it better than the regular case. As long as the needle and top thread clear in the downward swing, it should be fine.

I bought all my Circle templates at Tap Plastic Corp. http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=14& I've also had Tap Plastic cut special quilt cutting templates at times. Better than cutting your own out of that thin stuff you can buy--- Tap Plastic also made the clear view side for my Ultimate II so I could see inside the machine where the oil wicks came down on the take up rod and handwheel. It sure saved me when I could see inside the machine when the thread broke, and was pulled inside this area as I could see what had happened fairly quickly. Otherwise who knows how long the thread would have stayed wound around all those parts of the machine.

Hi Bonnie, I have the Janome 6600 and use plain old Schmedz needles 80/12 for piecing, 90/14 for free motion quilting if I'm sitting at the machine. The Janome 6600 is the model just after the 6500 with the AccuQuilt built in walking foot. Both machines are basically the same model the newer 6600 has some added features is all---