Cagey

Ann,
If you are going to go to all the effort to quilt feathers in the outside border, I would be sure to use a gold or brown that matches some those bright colors in the inner part of the quilt, so the feather stand out.
Concerning the inner blocks, I would either purchase the book "Shape by Shape" by Angela Walters, or go to the app store on your phone and search for the book.  Then look at the free sample.  There are a number of triangle shapes that you could use to fill the triangles.  I would suggest a feather or fern so they somewhat match the outside border.  Look at triangle #2, and #8 in the free sample 
Also, look at the Wild Feathers in the free sample of the book. 
Take a look at this video to get an idea of the blocks that you want to stand out.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-1QUaqp0P4
Here is another video that should give you some ideas;  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4bjgaRLC6U  Look at the minute and 20 second mark.  Even though she is using it to fill a diamond shape, it would be the same in a triangle.
You could fill the large center square formed by the 4 triangles with this design; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1xHCRAHYtM
Hopefully those videos or some of Angela's other videos that go with those above videos/challenges will help you decide what to actually quilt in each area.  
Please post pictures of you finished quilting.  As you have asked for inputs, you should share the final product.
Best of luck and I am sure it will turn out beautiful.
Cagey

Contact you local high school to speak with the computer programming or business department.  The teacher and students can see what you have and then possibly suggest or even put it all together for you.  
Recently my daughter's class was Business Academy was asked to help with promoting and developing advertising for local restaurant that was opening.  The kids got real world experience and the business got some great ideas and options they used in promoting their new business.  
The business gave back funds they earned to support the high school program in the future.  

SueD,
As I do not do FaceBook, thank you for the update.

Great job.  Thank you for sharing pictures of the finished quilt.
Cagey

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

Williams,
If you put your curser of the poster's name, you will see when they last visited.  Deb S who asked the question has not visited since December 2016, so I would not expect a response.  
Cagey

Helen,
Only a suggestion to assist with your sale of George, but most buyers would like a picture, and the year/age of the machine.  There have been a number of different George tables over the years, so the picture address that issue too.  I'm guessing it is an older single fixed foot model, as you did not mention feet.  
Best of luck with selling your George.  It sounds like someone will be getting an outstanding well loved machine.  
Have a great day.
Cagey

Mwrubles,
Every batting has a minimum quilting distance.  Warm and Natural is 10 inches minimum.  Hobbs batting minimum is primarily 4 inches Other battings may have a shorter or longer minimum quilting distance.  See below and checkout link; https://www.hobbsbatting.com/products/.  Read your batting instructions to find your minimum quilting distance.
I would quilt the top at a minimum of the required quilting distance.  Otherwise you are asking for future problems after the quilt is used/loved and then washed.  Try following some of the designs of on the shirts if you are concerned about free motioning the quilt blocks.  Make the highlights of the individual shirts stand out.  
You could also flip up the shirt collar and quilt a line where the color joins the shirt, and then follow it down the button area.  You could also add a line where the collar folds back on itself.
Best of luck with your project.
Cagey 
Quilt or tie up to 10″ apart! Quilt Warm & Natural right out of the package, as pre-washing is not necessary. Once quilted, machine wash and dry your finished quilt in cold water. 3% shrinkage can be expected in the first wash with cold water. To achieve an antique puckered look use warm water for 5% shrinkage. Warm & Natural won’t distort when hanging, hooping or when used in quilt frames. It can be used for both batting and as an exterior craft fabric to create stuffed snowmen and rabbits.

I would email the above picture to APQS, and then call them in the morning.  The upper joint (I think it is actually a bearing) looks like it is not fully seated together.  APQS can give you the best method to fix.
If you have to quilt tonight, I do not believe it would cause any issues to used sparingly.
Tell us what APQS tells you.  Best of luck with your repair.
Cagey

PKS,
Do not be afraid to ship a machine.  You can find a packing company in most cities that will come to the home of the seller, remove the item, and then pack/ship the items to you.  They will normally use a freight company to do this, and the items will be delivered to your driveway.  You are responsible from there for moving into your home and assembly.  
I would hope most sellers would work with a buyer to complete this process.  I shipped a large George table from Detroit to Florida, and it was approximately $400 for the entire process.  You can ship cars across the county for less than a thousand dollars.  It depends on the weight, and the size of the item.  As the APQS machine with frame is rather light and can be packed relatively in a small area, the cost to for packing and shipping should not be excessive.
As you would not be viewing the machine in person, you would have to arrange viewing the machine via FaceTime or some other video system, so you can ensure the machine is fully operational.  Though most quilters are an honest lot, so you probable get what is described, maybe even a little more.
If you drive to the seller to check out the machine, you can always drive the machine head, table frame, and other items that will fit in your vehicle home, and only have the rails shipped via freight.  If you have an SUV with a roof rack, you might be able to purchase a 10 foot long 2x10.  Strape the rails to the board, and then strap the entire thing to your roof rack and drive your purchase home.  Just be sure to not overload the roof rack weight limits.  Wrap the rails in plastic wrap to protect them if it rains.
You can rent a U-haul trailer, or even possible barrow a small trailer.  The APQS parts will not weight that much.
You have many options of buying and getting the machine home.  When the time is right, the perfect machine at the right price will turn up.
Best of luck to you finding what works best for you.
Cagey

Gerald,
You do understand the post if over 10 years old.  Plus, Matt; the individual you quoted, has not visited the forum since 2016.  
If you hover over the poster's name you can see when they last visited the site.  
If you do an internet search for "anti-fatigue floor mats" you will find a number of possible solutions.  
Best of luck shopping.
Cagey

Jim,
You explanation on the tension magnification makes perfect sense.  Thank you for sharing.  
Cagey

DD,
You might increase the font size to 72 for the words 
SOLD, SOLD, SOLD.
Yes it's SOLD!
That might catch their eye.  Other than that, you just have to remember certain invaluable words of Dave Ramsey about things you can't fix.
Cagey

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

Kathleen,
Your post is somewhat confusing, as it sounds like the entire needle feel out when you first hit the ruler.  Is this correct?  I would have thought the needle would have broken, and part of the needle fell onto the quilt.  Though your sentence above would indicate the entire needle feel out.  
With your needle first hitting the ruler and then having it fall out multiple times, you have had ample opportunity for your machine to come out of time.  Thus, I would suggest you watch the APQS timing videos, 
     Tools needed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u4RgOAeSJ0     4:30 magnifier to see the hook assemble and diagnose problem
                              https://www.apqs.com/introduction-timing-longarm-quilting-machine-recommended-tools/
     Steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWeqiuvwk5E
                https://www.apqs.com/timing-apqs-machine-video/
After watching the videos, I would suggest with a needle installed watch what the needle is striking when it is lowered.  Have someone turn the hand wheel slowly while you watch the needle descend with a bobbin both not installed.
Once you know exactly what the needle is hitting, you can better determine what needs to be done to get your machine working.  Give APQS a call after you know what the needle is hitting, and they can steer you in the proper direction.  
Best of luck with your repair.
 
Cagey

From 2017, posted as multiple pictures.
 
   

Gorgeous quilting, and piecing.  It is an outstanding job.
Cagey

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.

Cathy,
It turned out wonderful.  I am sure the will be absolutely pleased with it.  
Though after looking at it on the bed, she may need to lie down to steady her equilibrium.
Outstanding job, thank you for sharing.
Cagey

This is from the Hobbs Batting webpage, it may help fix some issues.
Cagey
 
What are “pokies”?
This term usually refers to small bits of batting fibers appearing on the back of the quilt during the quilting process. This is most common with cotton or cotton blend battings and the bits on the back will wash away during laundering. Occasionally seen during the long arm quilting process, it is most often a result of an oversized needle or a needle that has a slight burr that is not visible to the eye. Changing the machine needle will usually correct the issue. Thread choice can also be a factor. Cotton is a dry fiber and occasionally cotton threads will pull at the cotton batting fibers during the quilting process. Changing to a polyester thread can alleviate the problem. Using high quality thread is very important to successful machine quilting.   Lower quality threads generate a great deal of lint and break easily at the high speeds used in machine stitching.

Ok, as it is the backing, then the bobbin tension is winning.   Thus you have to tighten the top tension or loosen the bottom tension.  
A technique I have learned is to write your name in cursive in the overage areas of the quilt sandwich to check your tension settings.  You normally have to change directions when you write your name, and you have already learned the muscle memory to write it well.
 

APQS website pricing:
L Bobbin Case - $11.95                       M Bobbin Case - $54.00
L Bobbin -            $00.90                      M Bobbin -           $  3.00

The price, where it is located, why you are selling, email address, and if you are willing to ship the items will be helpful to interested parties.
Best of luck with selling your machine.  

Being a southerner I was taught you can use your toes when you run out of fingers.  Though it does get hard with number larger than 20, or if you lost a finger or toe like Uncle Mick.
Cagey

Being a southerner I was taught you can use your toes when you run out of fingers.  Though it does get hard with number larger than 20, or if you lost a finger or toe like Uncle Mick.
Cagey