Mercedes Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I have a quilt that I'd like to SID on my sit down machine cause there's a ton of it in small blocks. I'd then like to move it to the long arm to do the overall quilting. Has anyone every done this before and how did you do it, how well did it work and what are the pitfalls. I'm not sure if this is even something that can be done. Appreciate any feedback before I make a final decision on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing bear Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Tried to send you pm...your mailbox is too full? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethDurand Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 The only thing I can think of is "why?" Personally, I find it much easier to SID on the longarm than on my DSM because I don't have to cram anything through. However, if you were to do this, you might machine baste it together before you do you SID, then remove the basting stitches as you come to them either on the DSM or longarm. Let us know what you decide and how it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggy (SewAsylum) Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 It is easier for me to SID on my domestic machine because I can do straighter lines with the feed dogs. Although it is difficult to do with a large quilt. As a newbie, I have not resolved this issue. I am not too good yet with a ruler, even doing straight lines. Also, when you SID on a pieced quilt, do you do EVERY ditch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I have done a double bed quilt like that, but I also use a sit-down machine to quilt. I used my Pfaff for the SID and then did the design quilting with George. I had pin layered the quilt before SID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlnewell Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Here's my opinion....If you aren't good at SID I wouldn't attempt it. If the piecing is such that SID could only be accomplished with the extreme control you have with a DSM, I would come up with a quilting plan where SID could be avoided. All that being said, I have quilted several quilts on my longarm, and then gone to my DSM to SID along some Outer borders. Those have been high contrast colors and the pressing resulted in seams not laying to one side. Keep practicing though. You will eventually get the hang of SID with your longarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes Posted May 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 In my opinion, this is an opportunity for you to practice if you own the quilt top. Ruler & base extender will be your tools, don't worry, you will get the hang of it after this quilt. Just take a lot of breaks. I never went back to DSM after I bought my Millie, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferBernard Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 I have the same issue with SID! I have practiced with it a lot on my long arm. I am also very picky about it because I make quilted garments for national quilt show competitions. On my latest jacket I wanted to outline my strings of geese 1/8 inch outside the geese so the thread would show on the dark background. I background quilted the pieces on my long arm first to hold things in place. Then I used an edge guide foot on my Viking to outline all the geese which were so busy they didn't need any more quilting. It worked very well. You can also use what is called a joining foot with a guide down the center for SID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes Posted May 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 This is all great feedback however I am not comfortable doing SID on my Millie. I have only done practice quilting and never on a quilt. This would be my first quilt ever stitched with Millie and I've never done any ruler work - simply can't get the hang of it. I don't want to ruin my quilt - that's why I'm thinking of doing the SID on my sit down machine and then moving it to the long arm for freehand quilting. My only other option is to do it all on my sit down machine. I haven't felt that I'm good enough to do actual quilting on a quilt using Millie. Maybe I'm just too cautious but when you spent so much time piecing a quilt it's hard to just go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Maybe you can do the freehand on Millie and then finish up with the SID on the DSM The freehand would have everything held in place for the DSM quilting. I consider each one of my quilts as a practice piece. You will continue to get better with each one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Are you going to enter this quilt into a major show? If not then it would be the perfect opportunity to perfect your ruler skills. Do not start directly in a corner but on a straight line. Do your vertical and horizontal lines first to get some idea of the feel of the machine. Take it slowly. Leave the diagonal lines until last as they take a bit more skill to achieve. If you keep putting off trying ruler work or only doing it on practise pieces you will forever be scared of it. Try it on a real quilt and don't look back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s.waits Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Mercedes, How do you attach your backing to your leaders? Do you pin, use zippers, or some other method? If you use zippers, you can load your quilt and baste it on the longarm, take it off and do the SID on your domestic machine, then zip it back on the long arm and do the freehand quilting. If you pin, this would probably not be the best option for you, though. I love using the zippers just so I can take the quilt off and put it back on again without struggling to line everything back up. I have done this when I found something that I could only fix on the DSM, and it worked fine. I would really encourage you to try doing the SID on your longarm. It can be scary at first, but just go slow (very slow for me), and take your time, and you'll get the hang of it in no time. My problem was that I wanted to go too fast. So I slowed down, and my SID still looked lousy. So I slowed WAYYYYY down, to what seemed like an absolute crawl to me. But guess what, my SID looked great! I don't do too much SID, just because I don't really like doing it. But when necessary, I use my ruler and go very slow, and break it up with freehand work in between, and it looks good. I probably won't ever enjoy doing it, but I can if I have to. Take a deep breath and just go for it! If it just really looks awful ( even after you've gone away from it and come back a day later) you can always frog it. OK, that's my encouragement for the day. Did it help any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKQuilts Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 I had a customer who wanted to work on a quilt for her husband. So, she helped me load the quilt, we basted it and she took it home and completed the SID on her domestic machine. I told her that it was an experiment and I could not promise the outcome. I turned out great! I finished the background quilting and we were both pleased. I would not do this with just any customer... I would do it on my own quilt in a heartbeat! No, I really wouldn't because I enjoy SID with the bliss rails. The point is that it worked. I would like to encourage you to do SID on the longarm but perhaps this isn't the one to start with. When you are ready it will be awesome and you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. That particular customer will be an APQS owner one day. I can just tell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 I feel your agony, I don't like to SID on the long arm either, but I do it when it's needed because I think it's easier than using my DSM. I've found that using very fine thread is the best thing to hide the oopses. I love invisafil for SID because it is 100 wt, hardly visible. Choose a color that matches the fabric if possible. Or go lighter in color and have a good set of colored fabric pens or pencils (prismacolor are great, available at Staples) to disguise the oopses. With that, I give you permission to do what feels most comfortable to you. Try doing SID on your DSM then moving to the long arm to finish quilting. And let us know how it goes! The best thing about having a long arm is that it is so much easier to quilt on. Don't let it stress you out, that's counter productive! Quilt any way you want to and be happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 You might think about doing the block quilting with your longarm first. With careful loading and quilting, the whole thing will stay straight and be stable. Then try some SID on the longarm. If that is too frustrating, unload it and SID with your DSM. Several quilters here do the SID last. I recommend invisible thread (Essence by Fic-tec is my fave) for outlining and SID. Very forgiving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes Posted May 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 I use zippers on my longarm so it sounds like doing the SID on my sit down isn't going to be a problem. Not sure if I'll do it first or last but it sounds like either way works. It's great to read all the feedback and different ways of doing things - such creativity! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cegates Posted May 25, 2014 Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 I think it is a royal pain trying to load a quilt that has already been quilted, which is what you will be doing if you SID first on your DSM. If you have not had much experience working with your longarm this part will be particularly painful. My recommendations are to first put together a simple 4 patch top and practice SID on that. Then load your quilt top, buy yourself a really great seam ripper, then very slowly and carefully SID your quilt. Look at this project as a learning experience more than just getting your quilt finished. Have a little talk with yourself so that you can stay calm and be ready to rip out and re-sew when you make mistakes. Take frequent breaks and don't expect that this will be easy, it's just part of a rather steep leaning curve. You can do this!!!!!! Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted May 25, 2014 Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 I have to disagree with Carol here. I find loading a quilted quilt much easier than loading the separate pieces.-You only have one piece to attach- I don't find SID too difficult. That being said, I don't agonize over small mistakes, so my work might not satisfy others here. Either way, I'd quilt the quilt first, then the SID, either on the longarm (there is no way I'd do it on a DSM!), or the DSM. Try an invisible thread, or a color that matches the piecing, that will help with the small mistakes. Remember, it is quite likely you will be the only who ever sees the mistakes you've made. I do most of my SID freehand. I'll use a ruler on the diagonals if the thread shows, or if there is something about the piecing that makes freehand unacceptable, otherwise....but then I don't really like to use rulers. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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