Getting CONTROL for intense Quilting

[pfrost]

Gayle, I\'d love to see a photo of your setup. Removing the belly bar was not an impossible task, but it was a lot of trouble. It allows your hands to be on the same plane as your arms, rather than having the hands flop over the bar to try to manuever the needle in & out of tight areas. Yet, I\'ll be lifting that belly bar back into position when the next quilt is loaded. If it\'s not too much trouble, would you post a photo? Thanks.

Have been sitting at the frame practicing the echo quilting & a few other detail techniques; it is much easier to control the movement of the needle when you\'re right down there with it. I don\'t seem to be rushing the process. Also, increased the stitches per inch on the S/R, so they look smoother going through curves. But like I said, the belly bar will go back into position when I load another quilt top.

Thanks, Gayle, for your suggestion.

Pat

AZ:cool:

Mille

[Judi]

Pat be sure to post a photo too if you can, love to see how others do the

same thing - but yet it is always looks different! (plus I just like to look at

quilts!!)

Yes Gayle - please show us how your machine frame is set-up. I am trying

to picture it without my bellybar, but I don\'t usually do a Full Float of the

tops. I like to have a bit on tension on them... just seems to work best for

me. But ya\' never know - it is good to try new things out and see if maybe

it would work better that way!

I can understand the added benifit while doing tight up-close work....

[jacksong]

Hi,

My internet failed me for a day but I\'m back. I\'ll take a picture of it and post tomorrow.

[jacksong]

Here are the pictures you requested. DH made this for me to replace the long quilt top bar so that I would have clamping control of the quilt bottom bar. I like to be able to rest my arm on the quilt and not have to point my elbows to the ceiling in order to sit and quilt.

[jacksong]

Another view. Pipe fits in clamping device.

[jacksong]

Extra pic. Sharon\'s method for clamping the sides. Works beautifully.

[pfrost]

OOoohhhhh! I really like the idea of being able to put tension back onto the #3 roller, so the quilt sandwich is taut again. Will have to give this a try. Seems that one could just use a piece of pvc pipe in the clamping device...anything to put the tension back onto the bottom roller bar. Wouldn\'t that work, too?

I don\'t do a full float of the quilt top, so it looks like I\'ll be reinstalling that #2 roller when loading the next quilt.

Thanks, Gayle, for providing photos. Looks like you\'ve got an excellent setup for getting into those tighter spaces without having your arms flapping in the air!

Pat

AZ:cool:

Mille

[jacksong]

Just a PVC Pipe (or other type pipe) alone won\'t hold the clamp. Notice the small piece to the far right that goes into the little hole. You have to stablize the bar in order to clamp it or the darn thing goes limp.

[jacksong]

Another picture showing the end.

[catsigler]

Gayle, could you post a shot showing the whole machine with the quilt loaded?

[jacksong]

Notice no bar on top. More comfortable to do intricate work. When I need the bar, DH and I just lift it up and reattach. For newbies: remember to stablize your project with a basting stitch or pins across/up&down if you are floating your top.

[TishMarshall]

Raquel,

Can you repost your class sometime next year for those of us who can drive over to you?

Thanks.

Tish

[TishMarshall]

Thanks for sharing your pictures with us. Sometimes it really helps to \'see\' what it is people are chatting about.

I\'d love to have my machine set up like this.

On another thread there was chat about putting foam on or under the leveler bar to help stabilize the quilt top....is that correct?

Tish

[jacksong]

Tish, check the beginning of this thread (page1) for Raquel\'s comments on the foam. I\'ve seen Sharon do this at MQS. I plan to try it soon, just haven\'t purchased my foam. Raquel, I need to come see how you attached it to your take-up bar.

[catsigler]

A much better setup, using the "belly bar" as the quilt bottom and top bar, and having the quilt coming off the bar from the top instead of from underneath. That is making much better use of that bar, which is now just in the way, keeping me too far from my work. Also I think you can then leave your extended baseplate on all the time and not have it bumping into the bar. Much better. Thanks so much for posting the pictures, Gayle. My husband is retiring in Dec and his "honeydo" list is going to be so long by then he may wish he were still working so he could get some rest.

[Sandra Darlington]

Hi Cathey,

I just did a quick look through your webshots and saw your spiral lone star. My, oh my, that is one beautiful quilt! I made a lone star about 2 years ago at my quilt guild\'s Saturday workshop, but I never saw a spiral one. I\'m really in awe.

Sandy

[pfrost]

Gayle, as I was looking at the setup of your adjusted belly bar situation, I realized that the manner in which your belly bar attaches to the frame is different than mine. Attached is a photo of the setup for attaching my belly bar; it\'s been removed, but I stuck a piece of pipe insulation into the cutout for that belly bar, clamped it down & now the backing leader is taut again! Voila! (The pipe insulation isn\'t so fancy, but it was the quickest thing I could find just to try whether or not the "adjustment" would work!)

Pat

AZ:cool:

Mille

[pfrost]

And one more photo of that adjustment from the other side: