Gator Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 I\'m excited, my topper should arrive any day!! I have the CL and see advantages to having both systems. I already bought a ton of the pattern boards and love them already, they\'re well made and the price is right!!! I bought some of the medium pattern boards and they work just as well as the LA size. If anyone in Virginia wants to see them or try out the topper (when it arrives) come on over or down to Virginia Beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 I have gone back to Linda\'s web site to look at her topper again. I really think this is going to be a great tool, and to be able to use it with other companies products is a real plus. I\'m starting to think it is in my future!! Just need to recover from MQS first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmyhogan Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 I have the CL and love it. I also see that the Topper offers some advantages to making quilting easier so I intend to try it. When it comes to this kind of quilting tools I would rather buy something that has already been put together and tested than do a lot experimenting with building my own. With so many fun things to do I leave the product development to others. Fortunately I don\'t have any old sour grapes I have to squeeze to take up my time either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelalan Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 I\'m hope that the Topper will help some peoples quilting, not everyone can afford one nor will it work on all models:D, I don\'t need to spend money for something I already have that is similar:) Buying something that\'s already put together is a plus for those who can\'t do it for themselves, you go Jimbo. Fortunately no sour grapes, keeping my money is just common sense and practical, and a fool and his money are soon parted. :D:cool::cool:I\'ve been in the LA world longer than most of the people on this site and have had real classes from big name teachers, not show and tells, I know and have known some of the best quilters in the world, some are departed now :) I\'m sure that you\'ll produce award winning quilts and stun the quilting world with your talent and your WD-40:P:P Quilt-On Michaelalan Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 I don\'t think there really is a need to get ugly! The simple question was what rulers and products do we like or recommend. Michaelalan you seem to have a need to put down others in order to make your opinion known. While I think it is wonderful that you have the capability and desire to devise your own system there are simply those that don\'t have that desire and luckily there are people that want to invent new things. Nobody was asking you to personally spend money on something that you currently have and I think it is great that you were able to adjust that to meet your specific needs. There are some that might disagree with you and think that there was no modification necessary. Does that make them wrong...doubtful! I can\'t speak for anybody else but personally I don\'t want to come to this site to see people attack each other. Give your opinion and let it go. I could be wrong but I\'m getting a feeling that you have a need to put down the topper for some reason or another. I don\'t know exactly how you know so much about the Topper since it is new to the market and my understanding is there are currently only 2 in use. I think questions are best left to Linda and Dennis or to somebody who has actually used the Topper. I for one am thankful that there are products on the market that I can evaluate and make a decision on what is right for me! There are many wonderful products on the market for us to evaluate and we should make our decision based on need, ease of use, price, etc. Be sure to contact the makers and compare. When I\'m making a big decision I keep a list of questions and specific needs. I compare all products and buy the one that fits my needs the closest. If I were newly researching these products and came across this post I would discount anything Michaelalan had to say because in my opinion you seem to have a vendetta of some kind. As soon as my topper arrives and is tested I\'ll be sure to post my personal opinion based on my use of the product. I don\'t have the CL or HF so I won\'t comment on those. I just decided that The Topper was the best product to meet my needs. So far my experience with working with Linda and her husband has been fantastic!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelalan Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 :DGreat advertisement, I\'m not putting down the topper and what it does, I hope Linda laughs all the way to the Bank as Sherry Rogers said. I\'m just letting people know that there is a cheaper way to go about it, not just the topper other devices, and they aren\'t new, many home quilters have made gizmos over the years for their machines and may not have been marketed but nevertheless they are out there. For those of us that can, well I\'m just supplying the info for them too, and they are out here. Jim has been commenting about me off and on so I commented back, so why would I care what Jim thinks after giving advice to a person to spray their quilt with WD-40. I\'m telling it like it is, the truth, ...;) I\'m not playing the superiority thing, but if you want to comment on me go ahead, I\'ll be glad to return the favor.:DI\'m just being economical and letting other people that read these threads know about alternatives, I don\'t rely on quilting for my income....I come to this site to see what is innovative and creative and new also to share info, no vendetta Heidi, your opinion is of value, but don\'t worry, I\'m very seldom wounded by opinion. I hope you enjoy your new Topper and have fun using it. ;)Info is Info, thanks :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 There are twisted people called "flamers" in the internet world who join chats to agitate, demean others by name-calling and trying to make people feel stupid. It is a twisted form of bullying. It is insidious because they are invisible and may hide behind "smilies and winks" as they spread nastiness and sarcasm. I have had enough and will be emailing APQS to investigate and step in to censor or block our "flamer". What used to be a wonderful island of good will here is now sometimes too unpleasant to visit when you see who is replying. I encourage anyone else who has also had enough to join me. I guess I will start with Heidi. Here is her addy. heidi@apqs.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelalan Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 :)The Info.... It\'s not illegal to advertise your products on APQS, I for one am for it. I also believe that this site is for sharing information, ideas and opinions. So lets share how to save a buck or two. Newbies are thrilled and wide eyed when they first enter the world of LA\'s, they want to buy every new item out there that will help improve accuracy. The pockets must be deep to buy the things they want or need, but after shelling out big $$$ for a LA, saving money would be great. Buying products not tested widely yet isn\'t wise, they may be very good products but waiting for the product to be proven is prudent, time is the key factor.. Many times the talent or drive or whatever it is isn\'t there. Through the years I\'ve seen quilters, LA\'ers and so on come and go. They buy a expensive machine and it is used a few times till something happens and then up for sale it goes. I\'ve been offered so many LA\'s over the years I\'ve lost count. I don\'t profit from quilting anymore, I never relied on it for my living, I just enjoy the art of it and like passing it on. I have seen people over the years come to my shop and take pictures of my setup and what it does, so they could go home and duplicate or even improve. The very first person ever sent to me was a person wanting to see a LA before she bought it. Marilyn Badger called me at home and asked if I would let this person come to my home to see my APQS, I of course said yes. Jeff J. owned the company then and had refereed the customers to Marilyn for teaching, but she used a UI and not a UII, this person wanted to see a UII and not pay for Marilyns class to just see a UI when she wanted a UII. I could understand that so I got my first person ever to see my system, a very basic 1997 UII. She bought a UII also, and right off the bat had a Hartley like base made by her husband, I haven\'t seen it but she told me he did, and said it worked great. One of the boyfriends of another lady I had in my shop pulled out his camera and snapped pictures of my system and even wanted me to start up the computerized carriage so he could get video of it moving so he could do the same for his girlfriends UII. I was e-mailed by a guy named Craig, I explained what system I used how it was hooked up and he went and made a complete computerized system for his wife\'s APQS with a similar OS and it worked great,,,,,Making things for your LA isn\'t a new thing. When someone "INVENTS" something as an ad on product if they would look into the origin of their new product first. Was it made already or something similar? There are many ad on products to the LAs and a few I\'m not gonna mention. The HF has changed some over the years and then came the CL, there was debate on this, is it the same product or basically the same thing with a different design, who\'s say, but so many people have their opinion about this one or that one. My HF came with my machine but I paid $500.00 back in 97, I believe they are around the same price now. Works on APQS and ? Cost plus delivery and any extra ad on products. It could have been built for approx. $60.00. local hardware store products. I am happy with mine and my modifications and think my improvements to it make it a better product, but would rather have paid less of course. Today I would build it, but back then I didn\'t have any idea really what it was for till I saw it. The CL is over a $1000.00 with the basic disc and squareicles things, unsure on delivery, and the ad on parts, made to fit most all frames, must order for specific frame... If you were to home build, it would be harder to make but can be done, and most of the parts from your local hardware store, less than $100.00 for main body parts. Requires more assembly, the moving discs are the hardest to duplicate, may consider purchasing discs from dealer if you make your own base and arm or from e-bay sales....I would make this too, but don\'t need one for my UII, still not to hard to put together. .:cool: The Topper is a new product approx. $230.00 with free delivery, not widely tested yet, doesn\'t work with all frames, some roller bars may be to flimsy for this product, doesn\'t have design to fit drop off front at this time. May use pattern boards with it. Can be made from local hardware parts for approx. $30.00. :cool: now your name calling, twisted and flamer, That\'s subtle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Hello? Ummm..... topic is rulers and which ones to get started with. Not who said what or when. Typo\'s are typo\'s and everyone has their own way of approaching the issue in front of them. Everyone on the Chat is very creative, & I don\'t think anyone honestly wants anyone kicked off for any reason. (Thinking of an incident last year re: Karen McTavish, oh and one about Quilting Naked). I, for one, am very interested in the topic of rulers for starting out, The Topper, pattern boards (don\'t care who makes them), CQ, IQ, etc; and am also interested in hearing about the upgrades Michaelalan or anyone else has made to their machines, Hartley Fence or WHATEVER! I don\'t have the tools to do the things that are in my imagination. I read the posts here and thoughts cross my mind about "what if you just dd it this way?, or "I bet if this would work, I wonder if there is something someone already has that would...?". So having said all that in the midst of verbal bullets flying, and having re-read all the posts in this topic can we get back to the creative part of the conversation? I want to know what Mikey has done to his machine that helps him turn out the quilts he\'s so generously shared pictures of, I want to hear about Linda\'s Topper and how it fits and how it works, I want to know about the CL, RNS, CQ, the APQS Msystery Computerized Quilting System, IQ, Statler, templates, patterns, designs, new fabrics, old fabrics. I want to share new tat\'s, & tramp stamps. I want to know how Patty\'s Bill is doing, I want to know who won at the last show, I want sneak previews, and to know how you would quilt this. I want to go to MQS, MQX, HMQS, Sister\'s, and every show on the planet. I want to know that Claudia got her quilt back undamaged, dunking in silicone or not? I awnt to know is Nancy Jo making it back and forth in one peice and want to pray for her if not. I don\'t want to lose a single one of you, Lurkers and all. I don\'t want petty nitpicking, and I sure don\'t want censorship of this site. We have so much freedom here that just is not available anywhere else. So everyone go to your separate corners until you can play nice again. If you can\'t play nice, then just lurk for awhile until you think you can and then come back. I love you all, and I don\'t care about anything else, I don\'t even care if we all agree all the time. We\'ve lost one person that I know of over hurt feelings, I don\'t want to lose anyone else. We are here to share and learn, and I\'m so thankful that APQS has stuck their necks, (and coconuts), out to give us this place to come. Lets not make them regret it, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltfarm Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Well said Kenna. I have to confess to buying a few (well ok, a lot) of gizmos when starting out, partly because I freaked out and didn\'t think I\'d ever be able to freehand as well as I wanted to. I have learned heaps, and am now happy freehanding. I have the CL, I will re-read these posts and study more, I would LOVE to be able to use their cross hatching board from the front. Their big designs like the Interlocking swirls are great. I love Sherry\'s Dainty Stitcher ruler, and the clear guides that come with the APQS expander base. Happy quilting and discussions everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I am compelety afraid of freehanding! Have no machine yet, just living on visions of swooping and flooping, and twirley swirling, and SID, and echoing...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenslug Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Didn\'t think Michealalan comments were nitpicking. Just thought he ws trying to give helpful iformation for people who perhaps could not invest in some of these products by helping them to develop their own. I didn\'t get the impression that he felt you should do this - only that maybe some of us can help ourselves. (I am one of those who is not clever, so I have the Circle Lord and am very happy with this product. My husband has helped me make some small adjustments on my Milli table which has been very helpful.) So - if you can do some of these things yourself- why not? And if you want to purchase them, well that is fine also. And I am glad that there are people who develop products for those of us who are not so clever. But I sure do admire those who can do it themselves. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore1223 Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I\'m with Kenna, please don\'t fight. I love everyone one on this forum and I don\'t want to loose a single one of you. Coleen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Hi Kenna - I saw that you mentioned my DH Bill :)and he is doing ok. He worked this morning and then came home at noon and some friends came down to visit, so he was really tired tonight. He just doesn\'t have the energy that he used to have and gets tired really easy. We start the next round of chemo on Thursday. BTW - my favorite ruler is the itty-bitty. I think that because it fits so comfortable in your hand it is easy to use for SID and it has a curved side so that you can move from one motif to another using that to help you along. I think that I would like Sherry\'s Apple Core ruler also, just because of the size. I don\'t seem to do as well with the bigger rullers as they are a bit more combersome for me. But, I\'ve never taken a class on ruler work, so I might not be doing things quite right. Anyway, I just thought I would bring you up todate on DH. He\'s a trooper though and is ready for the next battle to get thru 4 to 6 more months of Chemo. Thanks for thinking of us.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Patty Jo - I will continue to keep you and Bill in my prayers. I would say that you are both troopers. He is so blessed that you are by his side thru this struggle. Keep on keeping on. Now the ruler question. I use Megan Best SID ruler more than any other ruler I have. But I saw some really cool circle rulers at MQS and am starting to kick my butt for not getting at least a couple of them. They had these little tab things for making circles and continuous curve. I think they were called CQT; they were the tiniest booth at the show. Does anybody have their web address? Hey, Donna, which ruler do you find yourself using most often? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Linda, I got some of the CQT rulers at MQS. I bought them from Deloa Jone\'s booth. I\'ll look at the packaging and see if there is a web address on the rulers. I haven\'t tried them yet but I got 5 of them. I like the idea that my curves will be smooth, especially for the bigger areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Their web site is www.customQT.com I bought them too, and was trying to show Jeanne how they work...and I forgot!! Dang it!! I knew I should not have slept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelalan Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 ;)Went to the site but no pic. Does anyone have a shot of these?:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I know the subject is "rulers", but do all of you who do ruler work, use a extended base on your machine? I know this subject has been covered before, but it was on my list of possible "buys" at MQS and I did not purchase. Can you folks steer me in the right direction? Or is there something I can use "creatively" to do rulerwork, that does not cost arm & a leg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Barb, You really need the base to give a good base for the ruler to sit on. I bought the extended base from APQS directly. I recall there being one posted for sale not too long ago. You can always make one out of plexiglass found at the hardware store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelalan Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 ;)I have 2 home made bases one metal, one plexy glass, both work great for ruler work, I don\'t make rulers because of the accuracy, I like to buy mine, I prefer laser cut rulers, I combine ruler, freehand and other methods for quilting. If your handy you can cut out your own extended base ,counter sink the holes and viola!!!!! Lots of people make their own, but if you prefer to have one made for you then their $$costly, but out therel:cool::cool: PS: at one time I posted a few pictures of my home base, it might be on the APQS threads I think;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 CQT ruler/templates...whatever they are.... These are the small circles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Here it is with the center removed...they are made this way to pivot so that you can line them up with the seam or find just the right place you were stitching if you get off track... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 The larger templates were made with one flat side, so all you do it pivot the circle to complete the stitching.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.