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Gail O

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  1. Like
    Gail O reacted to BonnieJ in Another new bag for daughter   
    Thought I put in pictures.
  2. Like
    Gail O reacted to BonnieJ in Another new bag for daughter   
  3. Like
    Gail O reacted to BonnieJ in Quilt wolf   
    Here is one I did with scraps had and made up design.

  4. Like
    Gail O reacted to quiltmonkey in Snappers, Grips or Zippers?   
    Neither. I'm a pinner. The only time I use my zippers is if I am working on a heavy custom quilt that I need to zip on and off the frame multiple times. The only other time I use zippers is to put on my large practice sandwich to test out designs or get my memory back on how to quilt something. Otherwise, if it is just a quilt I load one time only, I pin directly to the leaders. It is hassle free, very quick and everything is loaded in less than 10 minutes and I'm quilting away... otherwise, I'm fussing with sewing things to zippers, or snapping things to fabric. Not a fan of the snappers. they are a PITA, IMHO. 
  5. Upvote
    Gail O reacted to Jan Kendall in “Shelter in Place”. Completely covers my car.   
    Originally envisioned for the QUILT TULSA 2020 quilt show. Turned into my stay-at-home project. Took much longer than anticipated. Used left overs, class samples, rejects, cheater cloth, test blocks, random fabric, etc. Quilted in 6 parts on my APQS Millennium. 

  6. Like
    Gail O reacted to Debhaugen in Broken needle now hitting on uptake!   
    Dialed in and quilting!  Thank you
  7. Like
    Gail O reacted to Heywyre in Heywyre   
    I have just finished a wall hanging that is approximately 40 inches square.  It is a pattern called "Mexican Stars" and now the quilting part and I don't have a clue of where to start or what pattern to quilt.  Do I keep it simple (and safe) and just do stitch in the ditch or something a little more challenging?  Help!!

  8. Like
    Gail O reacted to Heywyre in Heywyre   
    Thanks for the compliment Sue.  This is the second one I have done but I kept it REAL simple - basically stitch in the ditch and nothing more - as far as the quilting in the first one
    The first thing I thought about was try and find others that had done this quilt but I really haven't been successful in that regard to give me any ideas.
    I know there are some great spaces and before my mind starts wondering off too much, I really don't want to take away from the "stars" either so perhaps do some quilting in a white thread in those blocks or perhaps a very light blue so as not to distract?

  9. Like
    Gail O reacted to Gator in Minkie/Fireside back problems   
    I use glide thread top and bottom not problems.  Do you ask your customers where they bought the minkie?  There are some really terrible copycats out there.  I have problems with the cheap brands.  I prefer "cuddle" over minkie, it comes out perfect every time.
  10. Like
    Gail O reacted to Cagey in Catching and breaking bobbin thread when free motion quilting   
    This may sound stupid, but give this a try.  
    Remove the upper and lower thread, and leave the needle in the machine.  Then get yourself a piece of notebook paper.  The kind kids use at school.  You want thin/light paper to get the best training.  You can draw some lines on the paper to follow if you desire, but you want to be able to clearly see the holes in the paper.
    Take the paper and put it under the hopping foot, and quilt some straight lines, and then progress to some swirls.  Quilt your signature.  Quilt all over the paper.  Have fun.
    Once done, remove the piece of paper and look at the holes the needle left behind.  
    If the holes are large than the needle diameter, then you are moving the paper/fabric against the needle as it is trying to loop the thread.  This movement is probably messing up your stitches, and causing you tension problems.  
    Practice with the paper until you can move the paper in relation with the needle without distorting the hole size, or tearing the paper.  
    You can also quilt on paper with the top and bobbin thread installed.  Give it a try on two pieces of paper stacked on each other. 
    If can quilt on paper, without distorting the hole size, try setting your feed dogs to zero.  
    I have read that some machines do not quilt well with their feed dogs down.  This could be because the quilter is trying to move the fabric when the needle is down, and the feed dogs help hold the fabric against the hopping foot.  This prevents the needle from being deflected, and messing up the tension.
    Remember, the feed dogs stop moving the fabric when the needle is down for that instant the loop is being formed.  On a longarm, the stitch regulator increases or decreases the needle speed in relation to how fast the head is being moved.  
    When you freemotion quilt with your hands, you have to do the same thing.  If you want to move your hands fast, you have to depress the foot peddle more to increase the needle speed.  If you do not, you will distort the needle hole or even tear the paper.  
    Your mind is the best speed controller ever devised.  It just takes a few pieces of paper to develop the skill.  Notice how the space will change between the needle hole punches as you speed up and slow down your hand movement.  
    If you have thread in the machine as you quilt on paper, notice how if you do not speed up the needle as you quilt a circle, how the edges of the circle are not round.  The gap between stitches will form straight lines, that try to make a circle 
    Best of luck to you.  Tell us how things turn out.
    Cagey
  11. Like
    Gail O reacted to katquilter in Needle hitting   
    Hi - Thought I would update  - I spoke with the Amazing Amy and it might be I can just do a belt adjustment !  She sent me videos, and once I find Allen wrenches and do a little Yoga to slow my heartbeat down, I'll be doing this chiropractic adjustment on my machine …  
  12. Like
    Gail O reacted to ffq-lar in Take up roller brake   
    You have several things to look at---it doesn't have anything to do with the brake. First, make sure the backers you load are perfectly on-grain. This can be done with tearing the fabric instead of rotary cutting. If it's always on one side, your rollers may not be perfectly parallel or level. Just a small bit high on the right side will cause that side to roll tighter, which magnifies with every advance. Use a long level to check for horizontal level. Then adjust the bolts that attach the roller to the frame until the roller is level. Unfurl your leaders when you check for level so you are on bare metal and not the canvas. The front roller can also be off as far as distance between the take-up rollers. If the right side is farther out, it will roll tight on the right side. The solution is looking at the bolts that fasten it to the frame. You need to count the bolt-threads on each bolt, left and right. If the numbers are off---make them match. You can also count the bolt-threads on the back roller attachments if you don't have a long level. Finally, your leaders may be un-square/off. There are lots of tutorials that show how to fix warped or saggy leaders. Usually having (or making) a straight edge, then pinning the leaders together works well. Pin them, spritz them with plain water, tighten them, and let them dry. Hoping this is helpful!
  13. Like
    Gail O reacted to JustSew in 3 at once   
    I mounted 3 baby quilts at once.  I used the same length of backing fabric for all 3 but used different battings.  Used my faithful 2002 Millenium.

  14. Like
    Gail O reacted to tootsquilts in Ruler Quilting with Texas Hold Em Bracket - How do you keep your ruler base from hitting your side clamps?   
    This is how I solved my problem with my machine/ ruler base running into my side clamps.  Just take a look at the pictures.  Its very simple using a dowel stick.
    Good luck.


  15. Upvote
    Gail O got a reaction from harcathy in Baby Quilt   
    Absolutely gorgeous!  Love the sheep.
  16. Like
    Gail O reacted to ffq-lar in COVID 19 and Quilt Intake   
    I have my customers put the parts in a seal-able bag (like a big Zip-loc) and drop it in front of my garage. I put out a wire bin on a small table that is under cover. We may talk at a distance. They put any instructions in the bag. I wear protective gloves, wipe the bag thoroughly with a disinfectant, then it goes into an un-used, un-heated shop for three days (or longer).  I phone to discuss choices of thread and quilting. After quilting, she picks up in the same way and she uses whatever method she's comfortable with to assure it's safe. I'm in Washington State where people are advised to disinfect anything that comes into your living spaces. And I have a hubby with some lung problems so I'm not taking any chances. So far no one has balked and everyone is dropping off. I do four quilts a month so it isn't a parade of customers. One thing that stuck with me was a statement that "if you overreact, you'll never know if it was the right decision. If you under-react, you will know immediately". Stay well and safe. And if you decide it's necessary to stop all contact, provisions are in place to provide benefits to self-employed workers.
  17. Like
    Gail O reacted to Cagey in Glide thread vs Superior   
    Linda,
    It is great to see new members using the forum.  I hope to see some of your quilting in the future.  
    Here is a link and the information to Superior Thread, where they address the issue of thread life, both cotton and polyester.  While the polyester thread color may fade, it appears that it will not deteriorate as cotton does over the years.  Their input may surprise you.  
    https://www.superiorthreads.com/education/what-is-the-shelf-life-of-thread
    Have a wonderful day.  I guess as we stay indoors we have more time to piece and quilt.
    Cagey
    How many years does thread last?
    Q. I have inherited a rather significant thread stash from a friend. It's a grand selection with a wide range of cotton threads and some are even wound onto the old wooden spools that make me think of my grandmother's sewing area. I'm worried about using old thread and having trouble with it as it runs through my machine. How can I tell if the thread is still OK to use? Is there a shelf life or a recommended period of use for thread?
    A. A good quality thread that is produced today will last much longer than thread which was produced 15 or 20 years ago. Even the best quality cotton thread of a generation ago did not have the advanced processing techniques available to us today and it would probably be best to not sew or quilt with old thread that exists today.
    However, a high-quality cotton thread that is manufactured today, like MasterPiece and King Tut, will probably be fine to use in 40 or 50 years from now. Why will threads that are manufactured today last longer than threads manufactured 20 years ago? The difference is due to the advancements in spinning, dyeing, and twisting technology and the evolution of genetic engineering better cotton plants. Because cotton is a natural fiber, it will degrade over time. A good test to check whether or not the cotton threads you have been given are OK to use in your machine is to hold about a one foot section between both hands and pull apart. If the thread snaps (you should feel a nice, crisp break), then it is OK to use. If the thread just separates and pulls apart easily (think of pulling a cotton ball apart), we don't recommend using it.
    As for polyester thread, the color may fade over the years with exposure to sunlight, but there is no evidence that the thread deteriorates like cotton threads, so it's safe to say that synthetic fibers will last longer.
  18. Like
    Gail O reacted to Gator in Dust cover for Apqs Milly ?   
    I keep mine covered with a sheet.
  19. Like
    Gail O reacted to tootsquilts in Labyrinth Walk for friend   
    This is one I just finished for a friend.  She pieced the quilt and I quilted it.    I thought it turned out really well.  I used Quilter's Dream Batting, and light gray thread on top with white on bottom.



  20. Like
    Gail O reacted to ffq-lar in SCRIM on bTTING   
    With all batting, the scrim goes next to the backer---so it faces down. With that said, most scrimmed cotton batting has the scrim buried within the layers. The fibers are needle-punched into  the scrim (a sheet of very strong and very thin polyester) and the key to placement is the direction of that needle punching. Your machine needle should go through in the same direction as the needle punching. So look at the batting---one side is smoother and has tiny visible holes (dimples). The other side will be rougher-looking and a bit raggedy (pimples). So the rule is "show your dimples---up---and hide your pimples---down". Another way to tell is most batting is folded with the "good" side out, just like fabric. That good side goes up and the uglier side down---look for the center crease/fold line. Make it a mountain instead of a valley when it's loaded. Poly batting may have a chemical scrim---an application of a chemical that bonds the poly fibers on only one side. That side feels much rougher and it will be placed next to the backer. Hope this is helpful.
  21. Like
    Gail O reacted to Gator in Piecing with dress shirts   
    Personally I would leave the starch in the shirts.   I starch all my quilting fabric.  When piecing the fabric holds its shape better, less shrinkage, etc.  As far as becoming a wrinkled mess when the quilt is washed, it depends on many factors?  What was the shirts made out of, cotton, polyester, silk, etc?  What type of batting are you planning on using?  Are you quilting it dense or light, this will probably be the main factor in how much it wrinkles.    If the batting is made out of the same type of fabrics, you should be able to wash the quilt like you would the shirts.  It's a quilt so after washing it should have texture.  I doubt you want it to look like a heavily  starched shirt.  You would want it to be cuddly?  Just my thoughts.
     
  22. Like
    Gail O reacted to Gator in Batting storage   
    Have you tried searching this forum?  There have been many storage ideas throughout the years.  Here's my favorite, easy to move and fairly cheap to make:

     
  23. Like
    Gail O reacted to ffq-lar in L Bobbin Quickly Runs Out Of Thread?   
    Two options for you---spend the $$ to convert to the M size bobbin. Or wind your own (or purchase pre-wound bobbins) using thinner thread. There is no rule that the thread weight, or even color, has to match top and bobbin. BottomLine (Superior) thread is poly and 60 weight---and designed to be used as bobbin thread using other weights of thread as top thread. The pre-wounds hold 119 yards of thread. If you wind your own, probably 90-100 yards will load, depending on the tension and how full they are wound. With a 3000 yard cone of BL, you can wind 30 bobbins at 100 yards each. The cost for a cone is wholesale $7.90 and retail $14.49. If you do the math you'll find out how much a bobbin will cost in just materials. If you can figure out how many yards you load when winding say a 40 weight thread to match what you're using as top thread, then figure the math using the cost per spool/cone, you can see if the thinner thread bobbins are more economical. I know they will last much longer. I do custom quilting almost exclusively and find a bobbin of BL will last me close to an hour of medium-speed stitching. If you opt to try thinner thread, ask opinions here for what colors blend the best and which neutrals are good to start out with.
  24. Like
    Gail O reacted to Gator in Getting started on Millie 2005   
    Ditto on missing the old gang!
  25. Like
    Gail O reacted to LAF in Stitch regulator   
    Thanks that was the problem.
     
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