SewCuteQuilting Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 A customer recently brought in this top and it's a -turned- appliquéd falling lotus flower type pattern. She originally wanted me to just go around each of the flowers but the flowers get pretty dense at the bottom and told her that there would be too much open space in the quilting to not do anything inside the flowers. We settled on an E2E pattern and now I'm second guessing that decision. I am super nervous about needle breaks when it tries to clear the center of the flowers, there is up to 8 pieces overlapping at that point. I'm at a loss right now as I know it won't be stable to quilt around the appliqué but I'm not sure my iQ infused Millie will like those thick appliqués?!?! Any input or advice?? Thanks everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 She has made these appliques by using interfacing, and turning each piece right side out before attaching. She has sewn them on with her DSM, apparently with no problem. You might encounter issues in the dead center of each flower. Try a needle up/ down before you begin quilting and see how it goes in those centers on a couple of the flowers. You will have a better idea then. I don't have a computer, so I don't know if you can avoid the thick areas. You may not have the problems you are expecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewCuteQuilting Posted December 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 Thank you Lynn! I am probably over thinking it as usual. LOL. I did think about the DSM she used to sew them all down and not seeing any problems so I will do a couple tests before I set her loose. Thanks again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisquilter Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 I don't know. Not having seen it or touched it, I would be more inclined to treat it as a hand guided overall so I could avoid those thick areas. With a panto, you have pretty much no control over where that needle will cross the thick areas. 8 layers seems like a lot of thickness to me. You could bring a swirly design into the flowers from the outside points and avoid the thick center altogether. Good luck, let us know who it turned out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 When I encounter this issue I choose a panto that is pretty random like Cascade. Then I check the "thick" intersections before doing the row. I have plastic over my panto so I can use a wet erase marker to alter the panto around those points.That works well for me. I also have just done a freehand edge to edge avoiding those spots. Don't be intimidated! You can do this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 Put a couple drops of Sewers Aid on each thick center area, and it will tend to stitch easier. Not saying it won't break a needle or stall the machine. I just have had so much experience with these bulk piles, that it is what works for me. Sewers Aid is a miracle product.. silicone! lol Put the drops on the center just before you stitch it, not ahead of time. rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewCuteQuilting Posted December 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Well I decided to stare at it for a day or so and loaded it up this evening! And yet another reason I went with APQS and the Millennium, this is stitching like a dream with only a couple minor tweaks! Thanks to everyone and their advice, here is what I ended up doing…. Raised my hopping foot to 3 business card thickness Used a 120/19 size needle Sped up the machine a touch (Glide thread top and bottom) The only minor downside is that I will have to sit and babysit the machine so it doesn't flap over any of the petals, as evidenced in the included pic on the top left All in all I am ecstatic that it's quilting out beautifully, although I will admit I held my breath a little when it hit that first purple flower! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewCuteQuilting Posted December 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 And now I'm dead in the water I was basting down the last part of the edge on the quilt bottom and my hopping foot literally broke off at the top. I did have an incident with it a few months back and bent it backwards when it got caught behind the dowel in my leaders. I didn't notice it until it was too late and after I gently bent it back it was never the same. I have apparently used it to it's death. Royally suckville being this close to Christmas and I still have probably half a dozen quilts to get done. *sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Maybe they can overnight one to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmkeindl1 Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Yikes! hang in there - you are on the right path but sometimes it seems like a quilt with so many problems causes you to question yourself?! Was any of the background fabric cut out behind the applique? For another problem like this, that might help! Good Luck, it is looking great so far! Maybe now is a good time to switch to the "interchangeable" foot if that will fit your machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 I certainly hope you are up and running again, real smooth. APQS is wonderful and overnighting the parts.. Good Luck.. remember, relax, one step at a time in working on the machine. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Remember, your machine has a very powerful motor in it that can withstand this thickness. You can certainly quilt this. Just go slower in the thicker areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewCuteQuilting Posted December 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 I got all the way down to the last (and most dense) row when the hopping foot came off on me! The parts ladies at the warehouse are amazing! I got a new shaft and foot (just for peace of mind) overnighted, scheduled to be here tomorrow! This machine is so awesome, I was hesitant to put her through that much thickness but she thumped away until I killed the foot! I actually found that speeding up the machine helped push through the centers of the flowers, when I had it going slower it seemed to want to stall out. I think the larger needle helped too. I replaced the needle bar recently so I knew how to get back into the top of the machine but I'm stumped on how to get the broken shaft out. Guess I'll have to wait for the directions..lol... Thanks for all the support and encouragement, I do love this company and it's wonderful, helpful forum members! Jenn And no, the whole backing is intact so that added another layer of fabric to go through…I can get the interchangeable hopping feet but I haven't really needed them and I'm not sure another would be useful in this instance. I need to research the interchangeable feet a little more, I'm not sure what the purpose is for the others and what applications they cater to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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