Little Tips for Newbies

[mrsbishwit]

Wow, that's great! Like I said congrats :cool:

Isn't APQS just the greastest when it comes to customer service? I am not aware of any other company that goes the extra mile for it's customers.

Way to go APQS!!!

Joann

[Judi]

Originally posted by Mary Beth

There was a tiny piece of white something sticking out where the thread runs under that little do-hicky on the bobbin case. Even with proding with my tweezer I couldn't get it, so I loosened the little screw that adjusts the bobbin tension and there was a huge wad of lint or something. I think my bobbin is going to work much better now

Oh those nasty little goobbers!! I use a plastic dental floss

pick to get into and under that little metal flap that holds

tension on the thread. Some people just use a pin, but I

worry about that scratching it. I use the same one for many

months... or course - just on my bobbin case - not my teeth!!:mad:

I wonder about the tape on the quilt edges.... would pulling

that off, pull and distort the fabric? I personally baste - stitch

one stitch at a time.

Yes - I have a few bobbin cases too - for different threads -

and I store them with the bobbins of that kind of thread.

Very good idea!!

[barbm]

I'm a newbie, and I'm working on my very first show quilt. It's a purple and blue batik sampler quilt and the back is a very dark batik. I want to SID and stipple in each square - in the lighter parts. What is the appropriate way to set the tension? See little light "pokies" on the back? Or see a little bit of the dark on the front? Or do Ihave to go back and fuss with the tension more?

I also have a customer quilt - earthtone sampler squares with a darker background - with the same question. Which do I do?

[ramona-quilter]

Hi Barb and welcome to the forum,

A newbie doing SID on a show quilt. You go girl!!

It hard to tell without knowing what kind of batt you are using and what size needle.

First, knowing me, I would verify that I hadn't accidentally put the batt on upside down. I know, but it happens.

I like the flex of a 4.0 needle but sometimes the hole in batik is just too big, maybe a 3.5. If the batt is thin, Warm & Nat or Hobbs, you may need to play with the tension. Poly makes the quilting look good and leaves room to make the stitch. My preference is always cotton so I fuss with the tension. And if the quilt is dark, a black batt might be the answer.

Anybody else got an idea?

[barbm]

I planned on using Hobbs 80/20, looking for a more traditional drape, since this quilt is going to a charity auction right after Innovations. Right now I'm working on a test piece (leftover square) with a 4.0 needle, scrap of 80/20, BL thread top and bottom. Maybe I should switch to PolyDown? I'm afraid if I switch to a black batt, it will show through the lighter batiks on top.

[Katydids]

Barb, if you're using batiks and Bottom line thread, I would definately change to a 3.5 needle. The holes will be smaller and you shouldn't see the thread in the hole as much.

[chickenscratch]

Barb, I don't know if it's too late for this suggestion or not, but I just learned it myself. If the quilt you're doing has a light top and dark backing (or vice versa) use two different colors of batting, stacked. White or natural to the light side of the quilt, black to the dark side of the quilt. I think it would have to be fairly thin, but it is supposed to stop the showing through that occurs.

[barbm]

Thanks, Teresa - I had thought about something like that, except that I live in the boonies, and (of course!!) this one's a rush, so no time to order in extra-wide dark batting - this quilt measures 84x108.

And, Patty - thanks also for the suggestion of a 3.5 needle. I don't have any - have the larger sizes, but never thought of using smaller. My closest LA friend uses a different kind of needle, so no help there, but the local quilt shop lady has a longarm and uses those same needles and has a pack of 3.5s that she will let me have.

I hope to get this quilt on the machine tonight and get started on it. I'll let you know how it goes!

Thanks for all the help, ladies!

[iquiltit]

I keep a small trash can at both ends of my machine, they are just the right size for walmart bags.Then when I cut threads I toss them on the end of the table and hand sweep them to the end and wallah they are trash. I also use a business card magnet ( the sticky ones) on top of my machine to hold a small pair of scissors. I have a Gammill Classic