meg Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 hi - i just took my first quilt off the frame and the back is a hot mess. so, it looks like i need to deal with tension. any good reads or videos you can recommend? should i invest in a towa gauge? does the towa come with clear instructions for the feeble minded? and secondly, i am wondering what the D stands for in the acronyms you all use for your friends and family..dear? darling? dopey? demonic? demented? dandy? disdainful? democratic? delusional? dysfunctional? diapered? drunken? darn? daffy? disingenuous? deserving? doggone? dapper? inquiring minds want to know... meg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing bear Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 dancing bear always crawls under quilt to be sure tension is still "bear"ing up ... ok, ok ... anyway, i use a light when i am crawling under quilt. I just don't trust either my thread or myself at this point. And so far all is good. This way you can find the mess before it becomes a hot mess. yikes! And I'm thinking that the D could stand for many things, like Dancing! but i think the original intention was Darling! Now be sure to glide, and swirl, and twirl ... and bow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 dancing bear - i also crawl under there from time to time to check with a flashlight. i had ripped alot out - thought i got it all - clearly i was mistaken.....oh well, live and learn. darling, huh? how predictable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Originally posted by meg i am wondering what the D stands for in the acronyms you all use for your friends and family..dear? darling? dopey? demonic? demented? dandy? disdainful? democratic? delusional? dysfunctional? diapered? drunken? darn? daffy? disingenuous? deserving? doggone? dapper? meg Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltermidwife Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 .......and I always thought 'D' stood for 'dear'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 D=Dodo. Tension takes some practice. I asked for advice about a month ago. I can't remember the title of the post but I got so much good advice and it helped a lot. The back of my quilts are still not 100% perfect all the time, however they are much, much, much better. Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Originally posted by meg i am wondering what the D stands for in the acronyms you all use for your friends and family..dear? darling? dopey? demonic? demented? dandy? disdainful? democratic? delusional? dysfunctional? diapered? drunken? darn? daffy? disingenuous? deserving? doggone? dapper? meg Methinks it stands for all of the above! Oh and yes, it's a good habit to check your quilt back regularly to make sure it's looking OK. Also if your machine is making an "odd, slightly funny noise" that you're not used to hearing... that is a warning that something possibly is amiss in the abyss. Sooo... don't ignore those weird little sounds... ask me why I know this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 jessica - thanks i found that thread and put it in my favorites. shana - i had been checking the back but must've missed some. come to think of it - i did hear some change in my machine. it was almost sqeaking, so i hit it with some oil, thinking that was it. maybe it was something else. i'll try to listen better. thanks gals for answering... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingshirley Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I think we've all been there. I have one of those cheap long mirrors for putting on walls or doors (the light weight ones) and put it between my tracks on the table. I look at it every so often to make sure the tension still looks good. I'm not about to crawl under my table cause I'd never get up again. Of course you do have to quilt some before the machine gets out of the way for you to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I love my Towa guage, and could not live without it. And yes to all the "D" words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda G. Craig Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I agree with all the "D" words too, LOL! I too use the long mirror under my work. This way you don't have to crawl underneath for a quick check. Once I'm under there I have a hard time getting back out. What's up with that! Sheeeesh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 love love love the mirror suggestion. headng to target tomorrow to get one. i think i might bite the bullet and get a towa gauge. anyone know where you can get a good price on it??? i really am a PITA tonight, aren't i? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I like the mirror idea too. Thanks Shirley. Love the 'D' words you came up with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I crawl under my machine and check the tension many times (gotta get some return on yoga classes). In addition, to tension I look for "tucks" in the fabric. The mirror is a very good idea. I don't have them but Deloa (can't spell) sells lights for under your table. Any of Dawn's threads on tension are great. You can get a towa gage from APQS, Bayside Quilting, Kingsman Quilting and many others just do a search for the best price, they can be pricey but worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabric007 Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I just feel under the quilt...those loose stitches have a bumpy feel ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I feel under the quilt. I hate crawling under, but I feel lucky because I rarely have tension issues...knock on wood. I do love my Towa gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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