Would you believe it took ALL DAY to get to this point?
I could have titled this post "best laid plans" because we all know that as soon as you plan something - everything is going to go off the rails.
No, it wasn't as bad as finding a hole in the center of the quilt where seam allowances went from too narrow to wide open. I can't count the number of times that has happened - that gaping hole just swallows up the hopping foot and creates such a mess as the machine stitches itself into what I call "the black hole of death."
How come those seams are never discovered while pressing or even while LOADING the quilt into the machine so they can be fixed before hand?
There are a few other nightmares that befall long arm quilters - and we've all been there. (So don't tell me that you have NEVER done this, or that you ALWAYS check for these issues before hand!)
1. Backing too short. Been there done that!
I usually (if possible) mount my quilts sideways - with the longest sides of the quilt attached to the rollers. It makes the passes longer, and requires fewer passes. It also avoids the "striped" look that edge to edge patterns can sometimes give. I don't see "rows" in the quilting as much.
So if I fall short, it is on the width of the quilt, not the length. And it requires removing the quilt from the machine, adding more backing fabric - remounting, hopefully lining everything up again so that the quilting can be finished.
Yes - I have done this in the last couple of months!
2. Misaligning a row - undiscovered until a good portion of the row has quilted. This especially sucks if the tension is REALLY GOOD. Bad tension is much easier to deal with when it comes to picking out. I have done BOTH in the past month, requiring much unstitching. GAH!
3. Yesterday's "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!" moment - batting too short. Or actually - not wide enough because the quilt was mounted sideways.
I will get the name of this quilting design later today.
All that comes to mind is "Feathered something" (And that isn't it.)
Earlier in the month I had spent some time making "Frankenbattings" out of batting scraps, anticipating a few quilts that could use them.
I am STILL bound and determined to use up those batting margins as much as possible!
One of the chores was piecing together all of the batting margins from wool batts. Wool battings are delightful to work with - and the loft and quilting texture they give is fabulous - but still so LIGHT when the quilt is done - it's a totally different experience than working with 100% cotton or 80/20.
That said - I did measure the batting before loading the quilt. But I forgot that quilting a loftier batting causes more batting shrinkage as the stitches poof the design.
So by the time I got to the END of the batting, I found myself about 6'' short.
It wasn't a problem - just a small bump in the road, not a pot hole, thank heavens!
I didn't want to remove the quilt from the machine - so I grabbed some fusible batting tape, put my iron on a lower setting, and used the batting tape to fuse more on to the edge, I found it easiest to have the edge of the "main" batting right on top of the backing roller bar - using that bar as "ironing board" while I worked to add more.
I very RARELY use the fusible tape. I'm not thrilled about glue inside of the quilt. I don't know what it will do over time. And it was a fussy job, wrangling that long batting margin while trying to attach it to the main batting with fusible tape. I much prefer to zig zag batting margins together by machine - but when you fall short like this, you have to examine your options and use the best one at hand.
Binding was happening around 4:30pm.
I had so many plans for this day, and everything got away from me - but in all truth, what is the rush? I don't want to start out 2021 on a hurried note, do you?
All in all, I was where I wanted to be by nightfall!
If you are quilting with wool batting - just know to plan BIGGER than you would with cotton, due to the loftiness of the batting. That was the main thing I learned yesterday.
Before the snow was gone -
I took this photo yesterday morning - the temps got into the low 40s and all of the snow and ice was sliding off of the metal roof to the ground.
With the coming of 2021 I am hopeful that the inn will once again be full of quilters chatting, sewing, laughing, cutting, eating (oh so much good food happens here!) and sharing their beautiful quilts over the porch rail once more.
With the snow gone - everything is now a muddy squishy mess. But there is still much winter to come. I think I would like just ONE MORE big white winter wonderland to happen.
If you want to make your own Easy Breezy quilt it's not too late to begin. Our Leader & Ender challenges run from July to July - so there is another 6 full months ahead in which to get yours going.
You’ll find the block tutorial for Easy Breezy under the Free Patterns tab at the top of the blog. Two block sizes are given. Choose your block size, make as many as you want and decide on your own quilt layout. No full pattern is given - so use your own imagination on what to do with these little babies.
I really enjoyed making them!
Tuesday has dawned bright and sunny. Today I get to pick up where I left off - Much of the day will be spent at my desk getting ready for Grassy Creek Mystery Part 6!
And just to make you giggle -
The best nativity to represent the year 2020! LOL!
Anything fun happening in your world today?
What are some things you think about as one year rolls toward closing, and we open another door into the next new year?
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Quilt shared by Kevin the Quilter.
There are only a couple days of 2020 left. I love to end the year on a high note and think of all of the positive things that have happened this past year.
I am so grateful for so many experiences this year and am looking forward to the next adventure!
I love this interesting quilt that looks like spinning tops.
Or aircraft carriers on a blue ocean if you put them on point?
Have a wonderful Tuesday, friends!
33 comments:
I love how that quilt looks I've been usoing up my batting scraps too but I make my frankenbatting using a whip stitch by hand instead of a zigzag on the machine. maybe this would work next time instead of the fusible. Nina
When I see a log cabin block on point I always see a Stealth Bomber in the dark logs! Marilyn Marks
I remember the first time I was pin basting my first or second quilt and found the batting was too short, it was so disheartening to stop and figure out how to "fix" it. Thank you for reminding us about using wool, getting ready to quilt mine and doesn't it have a delightful feel to it?
It does our hearts good to hear you share that you've struggled and learned a new lesson! So many of my projects have come to a screeching halt because of one or more of the lessons you've learned. As I've aged, I've realized that perfection isn't necessary and that I feel much more at peace with completion! Thanks, Bonnie
I can honestly say I have not had the hopping foot drop into an opened seam on the quilt top but definitely have had all the others. I will be piecing Step 5 today. Have a great day!
Oh Bonnie, I have done all of the above. Congrats on the finish. Love the look with binding :-)
Happy Tuesday!
Your post today makes me feel so much better. I've been able to use a friend's longarm off and on over the years, much like Mona comes to use yours. This November, I was able to get a new-to-me longarm and am learning more daily. I've already had some of the issues you talked about, and am so relieved that they're not just for newbies, they can happen to anybody. Makes me think that I'm not quite as inept as I sometimes feel. ;)
The biggest thing I'm finding with batting running short is that it just doesn't advance on the rollers at the same rate as the front and back. The fabric layers are under gentle tension, but the batting isn't, so when the fabric moves forward say 8", the batting might use up 8.5", because it's just a bit more loose. If I lose that half inch of batting (compared to the fabric) every time I roll up, I'll be in trouble by the end. So, it's become a project of learning the quirks of my frame, learning how to keep the batting pulled down a bit smoother, and making my battings (esp. my Frankenbattings - I really can't think of them any other way now :) ) just a few inches bigger. I'll get this thing figured out eventually. Much learning in 2021!!
I can totally relate to your longarm trials and tribulations, I often think of my machine as a toddler. It must be supervised at all times, if it gets quiet or noisy, its a problem. If something is near the end, it'll end, too soon, like thread/batting/backing. I guess the Longarmers motto should be "Be Prepared", and Magyver would be our patron saint.
2020 started out as most years do, full of promise, until it started to sink into the muck. Since we are still in the depths, 2021 should be the opposite. It is starting low and can only go up and get better. At least I pray so!
A wonderful picture of distancing in 2020! I did laugh out loud! Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year to you and yours.
Love the 2020 nativity. It sure did give me a chuckle. Great way to start the day.
Thank you for a wonderful quilty year. Did Unity and doing Grassy Creek. They gave me much joy in the Hen Den.
I just had to take some large darts into a king size batting. I had the quilt all pin basted (I use a sitdown quilting machine). As I got closer to the bottom edge I realized there was a massive amount of batting right in the center of the border. I unpinned several inches back and cut the dart of batting out. I then hand stitched the edges together and finished pin basting. That stupid batt did the same thing on the top edge too. Sigh. Happy New Year, Bonnie!
Not quilting related but must be the moon and stars misaligned. For instance, while I was talking with my banker, the dog pulled a glass ornament off the tree and began to chew it. My husband couldn't grab the dog (apparently it takes two people) and he couldn't find the dustpan. My banker had to listen to all of this. And as Calvin said in today's Calvin and Hobbes, "So far..."
Trust me I am not laughing at your seam delima but it is nice to know this happens to even the best of the best. Your day sounds similar to the one I had when I put my ufo quilts away in a time out for a while. Will get back to them after the first of the year when my Christmas decorations are all down and packed away. Have a better end of the year week.
The quilt by Kevin is beautiful, but the manger scene w/social distancing fir the wisemen and directions to proceed were a great laugh! Thanks for sharing!!!
The vintage quilt makes me think of Dreidel Dreidel.
Terry
Thanks for sharing your "Oops!" moments with us, Bonnie! I'm fighting the disease of perfectionism in my life primarily in my quilting these days. When I was young I would set aside any sewing that wasn't "justright," usually clothing. Now I look for solutions & sometimes get stalled out for a bit but am finding freedom and joy in accepting something a little different than I'd planned.
Yesterday, in cutting a backing from 120" yardage, I cut it too short, I thought. After making a plan to add to it, I discovered that though it doesn't have a big margin, it is about 2-3" larger than the quilt top. With good pin basting, I think I can make it work to do the straight line quilting I'd planned on my Juki TL-18QVP. On with the show!
Thanks again, Bonnie! You're posts are always encouraging!
That nativity is HILARIOUS! Loved it! Your mishaps would've stalled me with the quilt and no telling HOW long it'd take me to get back to it. You troop on and get it done!
Oh after seeing your completed Easy Breezy quilt a couple days ago, I immediately went and printed off the pattern. It's stunning, Bonnie!!
That block is intriguing! I wish you would do a pattern for that and put it in Quiltmaker or a pdf in your shop.
I started reading your blog in January this year and I wanted you to know that I have enjoyed every minute!! I like hearing about your life and your quilting adventures. I participated in my first mystery, Unity and loved it. I had to finish up some quilts for Christmas gifts so I haven’t started Grassy Creek yet but that is definitely going to happen soon. I got 2 of your books for Christmas which are supposed to come in today’s mail. I wanted to thank you for everything. 2020 has been better for me because of you. Lisa
Yep, I've been there and done all those things on my quilts, just had a too short batting last month, I just hand stitched it on as I figured the quilting would hold it in place. Did NOT want to remove from the longarm frame, been there, done that and it's a booger bear to line that sucker back up!!! Ah well, we are just humans doing what we love, it's all good and we can usually fix it up!
The Social distancing nativity set along with the masked wise men made me smile. Thanks for the smile.
Any hints you can give to making the frankenbatting? Thread, stitch length, tension setting? I have tried to do it but mine always ends up rippled on one side. I hate to waste it and don't really like the tape.
Your Winter Blues digital pattern is beautiful. The border you created really shines around it. You kept it under your hat really well or I have been too busy to notice. I will need to get this one in the near future. I still haven't tackled a quilt on point, but oh how it calls me. That would be a good challenge for me in this coming year. Great post, Bonnie. Good to know that even experts at their craft share the same trials a not so expert quilter does. Very encouraging.
the black hole of death I know what you mean by this, it is so hard to get it loose. Also if I run short on batting and it is already on the machine I use a long needle and whip the two together. It doesn't take long at all. Happy New Year. Paula in KY
This year has had all sorts of things happen as well as Longarm mishaps so your not alone. I'm surprised I haven't dismantled it someday lol. At years end I've taken stock of my accomplishments with over 20 quilts this year of covid. So I'm thankful to have gotten so much done. A friend asked how many need bed sized(12). Tomorrow I'll post My super king size frolic 124"sq and it's baby friend 74"sq (Leftovers). I'm proud of you for all you do for our quilting community. I've been doing mysteries with you for years. Unity is almost done and I'm working on grassy Creek. I'm sure one day my family will ask why I have quilted so much and the answer is the same as many it's in my blood. May your battings be long enough, thread and bobbins be forever full, patterns rattling around in your dreams and your clothes covered in thread for years to come. Happy New Year's to all!!
I’ve only had my long arm for a year, and I’ve experienced all of your problems except the black hole of death. I’m hoping to avoid that one! I thought it was just my inexperience and I got quite down on myself. Now when the next oopsie happens I’ll tell myself that even Bonnie Hunter has long arm woes. I’ll still be upset, but not so much! Thanks so much for sharing! Happy New Year from Newfoundland Canada!
I've come up short so many times! HandiQuilter has a You Tube video on adding backing with quilt still on the machine. It works really well, and should work with any brand long-arm. Saves time.
My Easy Breezy quilt blocks are 2.5 squares and 4.5 in strips. I have so many 2.5 strips that I decided to change the size. I have so many and need to try to put together in a top. Thanks for the idea.
Bonnie, oh my, yes I’ve done all those things, but with quilting clients quilts, even measuring twice, quilt once! It’s so rewarding (sorry!) to know a master professional like you have done the same! And the finished product is just lovely. It makes it all worth while doesn’t it? What did our ancestors go thru when they were searching for fabric to hand piece a quilt, what batting did they use, wool scraps from clothing, thread they might have run out of? We’re so fortunate this half century with the fabulous selection of fabric and supplies to choose from, most locally, all, online. The quilt is gorgeous and what a wonderful one to snuggle under tonight.
Bonnie Thank you for everything in 2020. When I wasn’t sewing, I was reading for inspiration. Bless you! Enjoying Grassy Creek Mystery
Hi Gail, You might look back on previous blog posts. I know she has addressed it in her blogs. It seems like only a couple of months ago she spoke of it. The timeline might be off. Time for me is so relative any more with me isolating at home so much this year. Good luck!
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