micajah

Generally the thread break indicator beeps when the thread is not being pulled thru smoothly. If your check spring is faulty, or you loose tension in the thread anywhere along the thread path from the cone to the needle.. I find that if I add a bit of batting to the first thread guide just above the thread cone, that helps a lot.

Either machine is a good choice. However, for the computer system, be aware that innova requires lightening stitch regulation with its in house system. And LS is $4000 if it is not already on the machine you want to buy from the dealer. Intelliquilter is a system that does not require stitch regulation, it runs in manual mode. You should look at the many videos online for IQ and the innova mach 3 systems for a comparison between the two. I have an innova with LS and hardly ever need the LS since I use the IQ for most every quilt. LS is only used when I am doing stitch in the ditch or piano keys. IQ is less expensive than mach3 and you can choose a variety of options to begin with and later upgrade at the cost of the difference in the options. AND IQ is an easier system to learn, does more than mach3, plus any updates to the system always free. Not so with mach3 or navigator from INNOVA. You always need to buy those upgrades or something to enable you to use the upgrade. I've had my innova since 2011, it's not ever had any issues I needed a tech to fix .A phone call is all it takes to fix most issues.

I would try this first, before you undo any sewing, let your leaders down all the way toward the floor and measure their width from where they are attached to the bar to the floor edge/corner of the leader - this will tell you if the leaders are uneven from one end to the other. If you find that one side is wider than the other, take that end off the bar and cut it to square it and stick it back down on the bar.

I would love to see pictures of your creations. Can you post a few?

I would suggest you remove the bobbin from the case, then clean under the bobbin spring with a thin pin. Place the bobbin back in the case and recheck the bobbin tension. The batting should not be causing this issue. But you do need to reset both the top and bottom tensions so they are more equal in strength and sew a sample until you get the tension adjusted. I use a towa gauge and set all threads around 170-180. Any further adjustments I make are to the top thread. Jamie Wallen has an excellent video on you tube on how to set the tensions.

Betsy, could you send me the address too? I would like to send a Christmas card to Himself. Rita helped me so much when I began my longarm quilting. thanks Debbie

It looks to me like the seam on the inner section of the quilt and the first border is tight or the fabric twisted on the bias esp at the corners resulting in the quilt cupping. I would try to unsew the corners on that seam first, lay it back down to see how it looks unsewed. I would not unsew the long sections without doing this first because if the long sections will lay flat with the corners released, you may be able to fix it by adding or subtracing a little fabric on the corners. Post another picture if you decide to unsew so we can sew how that looks.

I'm still using pellon 906FW interfacing for my tees. I can hardly tell it is on the back of the shirt blocks. Walmart sells it online and it is cheaper to buy it by the bolt. If you do a search on walmart.com, it sometimes is a lot cheaper than at the stores, like JoAnns.

Hi Mary, You are welcome. This is an old post from April 2014. Wanted to say, I am still using the same press. I've not had a minutes' problem with it. The heat is still even across the surface and I haven't found a need for a larger one at all.

Hi Carmen, It is just beautiful! When I first saw it, I thought of flowers in pots. You said you wanted to do 1/4 inch lines away from the seams in the white blocks, but I see flowers in colored threads, many different colors.(or varigated thread) on the white. Do you think that maybe her friends could sign the colored blocks instead of the white blocks? The colors look light enough for it. You could do the straight lines in the colored blocks and they still would have room for names. I'm sure others will see something different. Only it is such a really cheeful quilt! Debbie

So sorry to hear this. Praying for God's blessings and comfort for her husband and family. Debbie Fowler

My block is done, but I don't have any white on white fabric for sashing. Can't go shopping until the end of the week so my block, sashing and binding pieces will not be mailed until friday or saturday. I live way out of town,so have to make my trips to town count for more than one errand. But it will get there eventually. Debbie

The heart quilt is really cute. Is that a paper pieced heart block? I'm game for any pattern for Rita's quilt. Just give particulars...... Debbie

count me in!

Wow, she was scheduled for surgery in December, at least that is what I seem to recall. Glad you were able to contact her dil. Thank you Heidi.