dbams

Joyce. Call APQS anyway. Tell them the situation, that you don't know the name of the part, and can you text them a picture of it. I have had the need to send videos, audios, pictures, and they stayed right on the phone with me. They will help you! Blessings!

Well, after lots of thought, I went with my Circle Lord Jester boards.  I really like how it looks, and so do my daughter and son-in-law!

Well, after lots of thought, I went with my Circle Lord Jester boards.  I really like how it looks, and so do my daughter and son-in-law!

When I saw your quilt this is what comes to mind.
Corner blocks - SID and that is it
Trees - trapunto trees so they have two layers of batting behind them so they pop out at you.  Then a tight pebble, meander, something you are comfortable around the trees to stitch down the blue.
Hearts - flowing feathers to fill out the top points
Cabin - SID all the seams, and then horizontal log lines in the wood areas, vertical or sudo-wavey lines in the roof, stitch around the clouds in the sky, so they stand out
Sides and bottom border - definitely bear claws pointed different direction, or possibly on the sides make them so it looks like the bear is walking up the quilt, that is say they stair step up on each side, bottom from corner squares pointing inward, top same bear claw only smaller and pointing different directions around the words.  Maybe use a thread close to the yellow on the the heart blocks to standout a little so all your thread breaks are worth the effort; https://www.clipartmax.com/middle/m2i8i8d3i8A0N4H7_american-black-bear-bear-claw-brown-bear-clip-art-bear-claw-clipart/
Angela Walters has a book "Shape by Shape" that can give you ideas one how to fill particular shapes if you do not like the suggestions.
Let us see the quilting when you are done.  Best of luck with it.
Cagey

Spam

Never mind, figured it out. Had cleaned the machine and lost one of the gold washers under the stitch plate. Replaced it and it works now. 

Serere and Gwyndolin reported.  

Lora
Are you talking about the aluminum axle being loose on the bottom of the head?  From memory they are held on with two Phillips screws each and I think you can access them by laying on your back under the machine.  
 
Nigel

Serere and Gwyndolin reported.  

I have just inherited three antique quilts that an Aunt of mine quilted.  Her Motherwho would be my Grandmother, was a quilter and apparently taught her to quilt at a young age.  Both are deceased and I never met either one of them.  A cousin of mine inherited them in a cedar chest from Aunt Vera.  They lived in Iowa.  Recently my cousin told me after hearing me talking about quilting that she had the quilts and thought they would be better off with me.  Two were quilt tops and one was a completed quilt. One top is tumbling blocks and the completed quilt we are looking for the name of the design.  I have a Grandmothers Flower Garden and that will be my first top to tackle.  One flower was apparently chewed by mice while in storage. I spent 3 days creating a new flower.  IT WORKED!!!  Our guestimate would be that this quilt is 100 years old.  I am also concerned about hand quilting it and what type of thread to use as the fabric seems so fragile in comparison to our cotton fabrics.  The flowers are surrounded with white hexigons and I used an antique handkerchief to replace damaged pieces.  Those hankies are fragile also and worked out beautifully.  That will give you an  idea of the texture of some of the fabrics in it.  I read article after article about washing them and finally put them in the bathtub with some special detergent and Oxi Clean as suggested in an article.  I took the chance and you would not believe how beautiful the colors are and how white the white is now.  I dried them over the porch railing.   If you could help me decide what thread to use I will soon be ready to sandwich Grandmothers Flower Garden and quilting.  I think it will take me forever to quilt it but I am so thrilled to be taking care of it. I would appreciate any comments you have.   

For those looking for alteration of a Rulermate base---contact a local machine shop. A welding shop or even an auto repair shop may have a milling machine that can remove a sliver along the edges so it will fit. They'll need very specific measurements (though a bit too big will still work since the base is supported and the screws are what holds it secure). If you have a relationship with a local machinist, give that a try. 

I've had my Millie since 2005 and I've never seen a stitch count. I believe that APQS machines don't track stitches. If I am wrong, I hope someone corrects me and tells me how to find the count. I've never seen anything or heard anything about a stitch count on an APQS machine.

You can find blogs and websites where the heavy-hitters share their quilting. Margaret Solomon Gunn comes to mind. Also Karen McTavish, Lisa Calle, Bethanne Nemesh, Karen Marchetti, et al. I had a great class (in the before times) from Renae Haddadin about what judges look for in competitions and what they mark down on. Check out any of these talented people and then find out if they have videos or classes available. Also look for the judging criteria of the separate shows. Many stress piecing over quilting, some will split the difference. But winning quilts are usually an original pattern and have spectacular quilting. The "stretchers"---those who come up with innovative, cutting-edge quilts that they build themselves are Margaret Solomon Gunn and Bethanne Nemesh. I assume from your statement  (you're getting competition-level quilts) that you longarm for hire and perhaps have customers wanting to enter some shows.  If so, check the rules for all the big shows. The categories are sometimes capricious---like two-person quilts have to be a collaboration and not paid-for-quilting (but the makers share ribbons and prizes) or there is a separate category for paid-for quilting. Go over the various rules with any interested customers. Good luck and have fun! ( I had two quilts from the same customer accepted at Houston one year. It was a huge thrill!)

Thank You very much  !   A pantograph would be better than the hand quilting I am presently doing. Am including files of some of the quilts I have finished all quilted by hand. Most of them are !00" x 100"  (my idea of a queen quilt ) - The Lisa Quilt was made with my own copyright patterns.  Katie's Quilt was made in 1997. It is all satin with rayon embroidery thread where I used it.  I have been looking for a longarm for quite some time now, but Alaska doesn't have many up for sale that I could afford. I have a chance at the APQS U2 and was wanting to find out more about it. Thank you for your help.

Jo, the first thing you need to do is determine if this is a problem just side-to-side, just front-to-back, or all directions.  That will help narrow down which stitch encoder is having issues.
 
Next, you need to figure out whether you are getting "missed" stitches or "long" stitches: missed stitches are the result of the needle going down through the fabric but not making the stitch with the bobbin thread - you will see needle holes underneath the line of stitching.  Long stitches are usually a result of an encoder wheel not making proper contact with the machine wheel, so that your Millie doesn't know that you are moving it, so it doesn't even try to make that stitch.
 
Once you've figured out these two things, get back on here and we'll help you figure out the solution!

I finished my Petit Fours quilt last night! I'm very pleased with how it turned out. It's a layer cake/jelly roll pattern from Hummingbird Highway.  I tried a new binding technique that was shown at our last quilt guild meeting and just LOVE the effect it has on the quilt. It's a flange binding which gives it the piping detail look. Very easy to do and I think it gives this quilt a 'Tuxedo' look to it. 

Check with APQS.  I think they can probably get you one.  Regards.  Jim

A customer quilt from 2019. I did a combo of feathers, CCs, and freehand swirls. Every area/border was stitched differently-but-similar.

Have you checked the fuse? I had to change the fuse on my when it stopped working. I know the box says not to open, but my husband works with electricity and electronics all the time and he fixed it. It was quite easy. Good luck!
 

I quilted a baby clothes quilt with everything but the kitchen sink on it. The maker more or less appliqued whole items to the blocks. I did a simple meander around and on the items to tack them down, taking extra precautions when I came to the boxer shorts waist. I see no reason you can't use the upper part as long as you remember you will have to be careful when it comes to quilting and that may limit what you do. 

Probably here are the instructions.  https://www.apqs.com/fuse-replacement-video/
 
Nigel
 

I also want to know how quilt a polyester T-shirt with rubberized logos and I am glad I have found my question answer over here.

If you plan to do all SID first, start in the center. That's where the most fullness will live and where the eye focuses first, so it needs to be flat and symmetrical. The big issue with this is what happens to the rest of the quilt when you start in the middle. You'll need to float it, so secure the top edge of the top with pins (don't stitch it down because you may need to re-position it later). Then advance to the center, smoothing as you advance. When you reach the center, adjust so it's symmetrical then stitch baste or pin baste horizontally above and below the center. Then baste the entire top, stepping out from the center and keeping areas straight and flat. You will immediately see where else there is fullness and needing extra care. I've quilted over twenty Judy Niemeyer quilts as a pro, and none of them was flat---ever. With it fully basted, you can start anywhere you like, but I'd do the center first. Also, you aren't stuck with doing all the SID first if it involves a lot of thread color changes. You can SID and custom quilt a section at a time. The photo is my latest---Dinnerplate Dahlia. Good luck and have fun!

If you undo the four thumbscrews that hold the handle clamp on and let the handle hang.  You will see a couple of Allen head screws holding the back part of the clamp to the head. Tighten them up and reassemble.
 
Nigel

"Lots of stops and starts with concentric circles."
Good point, Shana!