njquiltergirl Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hi. I am trying my hand at Pantos and find I am not as smooth as I cross or run along a seam line --- my curves flatten out as I get near them. How do you get the control needed over seams you do not see from behind the machine? I do not want to "white-knuckle" it but I do need to have extra control near the sudden seams. Also, how do you more "expert" panto folks handle the machine? Some say tuck your elbows in...keep it close to your body...quilt from your center...move your whole body...only move your upper body...use one hand...use two hands. Obviously, I have not found what works for me yet! Do you move the machine from your wrist, arm, or body? Thanks for any tips, hints or help you can give! I am determined to "get" it!! Lisa APS Liberty NW New Jersey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Lisa, As far as how to handle the machine - you are right - you need to do what works for you. Just this week I was able to watch JudyL quilt, she uses both hands, says she feels like she has more control. I use my right hand on the left handle and rest my left hand on the top roller and away I go. I\'m a rebel I guess I have to say I don\'t even notice seams unless I am doing a t-shirt quilt. So I can\'t help you there. Maybe I just get off in La-La Land and don\'t pay attention. The curves will happen as you practice more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Lisa, You might try looking ahead of your needle on the panto pattern to get your curve. Sometimes it is easier to see where you are going...just like when we drive a car, we look ahead not right in front of the car...well, most of us do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Lisa, I wonder if you need to raise your hopping foot just a smidge. You shouldn\'t have any problem going over seams or get any distortion of the design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Hi. Thank you both, Mary Beth and Darlene, for replying. This is a wonderful group! Yes, Mary Beth, I wish I was so competant at this point that I could be in "la-la-land" as I effortlessly quilt! VBG. Not yet. Darlene, I just lowered the needle to the lowerst position using the fly wheel, and can barely fit a business card in there! I had placed the card in front of the needle, lowered it to the lowest position and had to yank the card out! So...you are right...it should go up a bit. My manual includes instructions on raising it. The APQS instructional DVD showed a folded business card being used as a reference...I\'ll go watch it again. What is your reference on it...just be able to slip the (unfolded) flat card in with ease? Thanks you so much for thinking of this! I was all set to go, having your instruction and the panto and quilt all set. It is nice to have the issue not be me!! Lisa NW New Jersey APQS Liberty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Hi Lisa, Mine is "just" a little snug. I think this is a personal preference tho\'. Take into consideration the types of quilts you get. Do many of your customers like "fat bats"? Then you\'ll need your hopping foot a smidge higher. If they use thinner cotton "flat bats", then a smidge lower. The height of the hopping can really affect the tension. I just checked both my Millies, and one foot is tight getting the card out. The tension is not perfect on that machine, so I\'m going to raise it just a touch. Thanks for asking the question! We all need to be reminded now and again to try the obvious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Hi. I am happy to say I raised the hopping foot and it made a huge improvement in getting over the seams. The adjustment also improved the thread tension. I thought the stitches were very nice before...well, now they are perfect! The batting I\'m using is QDCotton in select (mid) weight. Before the adjustment, the stitches looked good, but I never noticed the quilt was flat looking. Now, the stitches are just as nice and the quilting creates a beautiful definition from puffing it up a bit. The quilt I am working on has 9-patches made of 2" squares and alternate plain blocks. Many of the 2" squares are batik and very tough to get through, some are looser wovens by Kaffe Fasset. He is known for shot cottons woven in India, which are soft, thin and very soft. I may raise the hopping foot a tiny bit more. Where I squared off my circles, it is because I was "riding" the seam. Darlene, I so appreciate your menting this. It was a great improvement to my Liberty and my quilting. Next thing I\'ll tweek is the speed of the single stitch. I read in the manual after a new machine is broken-in, the speed should be increased a bit. Thanks again! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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