Learning process...

I truly *heart* my new Avante, it is a wondrous machine!  But, boy, am I glad I've done some machine quilting before, even if it's only been on my Janome.  Threading issue, oh, groan!  Here is one little tidbit I learned somewhere in my quilting past, that comes back over and over again to help me.  Even when I think it's wrong, and I stubbornly ignore it, it really is true.  If the stitching is lousy on the bottom, the problem is in the top threading.  If the stitching is crummy on the top, check the bobbin.  I'm sure there are exceptions, but start with that premise!


And by the way, how do you check your quilt bottom when you first start a quilt?  I really, really don't want to crawl under the frame to look!!  


When I'd quilted the first section of the quilt, I felt underneath as I began to roll it.  Oh NO!!!!!!!!!!!  Nubbies.  Rough stitches.  Know what I mean?  So I rolled it along enough so that I could see what the deal was.  I looked at the top threading, looked fine.  After all, I used the method of tying on the new thread to the old and just drawing it through up to the needle.  So I changed the bobbin.  I changed the needle.  I changed the top thread.  I checked the tensions again.  Still lousy stitches.  What the?????


After much angst and wringing of hands, when nothing else worked, I pulled out the top thread.  Re-threaded.  But I hesitated when I came to the thread guide just after the tension guide.  Does the thread go in front of it, then up to the lever.  Or does it go behind it, up to the lever, then around it.  Look at the owner's manual, dummy.  What?  I SAID LOOK AT THE OWNER'S MANUAL!!  Oh yeah, that's how it's supposed to go.  Sheesh.  So, after re-threading the right way, it stitched like a dream.  Imagine that!


So, except for operator error, I finished quilting the QOV quilt.  I had to piece the back -- the fabric along the bottom of the picture was the backing, but it was just *this* much too narrow.  So I added scraps up and down the middle, and it looks kinda cool.  Mr. Happiness feel in love with this quilt!  He usually likes my quilts, or at least comments that "it looks nice," but this time he was enthusiastic about it.  He doesn't often do enthusiastic.  So it's going to be a Father's Day gift to him (he is, after all, a vet, too), and I'll do a different QOV quilt to send off.  

By the way, the corners really are straight -- this was hanging across the Avante when I took the picture.  The whole quilt top is in a previous blog somewhere.


Read the manual, read the manual, read the manual.  If the stitches are bad on top, check the bobbin; if they're funky on the bottom, check the top threading. There you have two quilting lessons in one blog :-)




  

Design Wall Monday 5/23/11

Aw, man!  I hate hemming pants.  And when they have a zipper up the side, I double-hate it!!!!  Even when they have those zippers at the ankles, they don't stay at the ankles.  So, I'm working on shortening the pants, and they're those slippery workout pants, with a slippery lining, and with those #$(*&@( zippers at the ankles.  Grrrrr.  I always grit my teeth when I cut off pants bottoms, because I've used the wrong end of the ruler and cut off too much.  Then what can you do?  Ruffles, I guess, except these are my husband's, and I don't think he'd be thrilled with ruffles on the cuffs -- LOL!!!

I'd hoped to add the borders to the QOV quilt, but all I've managed to do is put the middle on the design wall, and I'm auditioning borders.  I think it will be 2" red, and 5" dark blue.  That will bring the dimensions in line with the size QOVF requires.

This pattern was so easy to make, I think it would look awesome in Army colors with gold stars, don't you?  QOVF says they don't have to be red/white/blue, but that's what I always use for my quilts for vets.  I think I'll try other color combinations for the next one.  Go to Judy's design wall page to find other quilts in progress: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/05/23/design-wall-monday-may-23-2011/

Do you have ants in your house?  We suddenly have a trail, and are battling those little critters.  Seems like every Spring we get a few, but this time it's bazillions!!!  I never find a food source, or the nest, strange.  They're really excited about something this year!!

Have a great week!  Only 29 hours 28 minutes (or so) until my HQ Avante is supposed to show up.  Tick, tick, tick.

QOV and Color Challenge

I love challenges, especially color challenges!  And even more when there's a secondary challenge that comes with it.  (See my April 16th blog.)  The current challenge colors are tropical beach sand and surf.  Beautiful.  But I'm limited by the BOM blocks I have to choose from.  The American flag, autumn leaf, Valentine heart, Irish shamrock, umbrella in rain, Thanksgiving turkey, Jack-0-Lantern, apple and a snowman.  I could have used the tropical colors for the umbrella in the rain, in fact that would have been perfect!  BUT!  The colors for a snowman are kinda limited, right?  So, here's my tropical colors snowman:

Oh, well.  At least I've finished another dual challenge, color and BOM.  I think he's kinda funny :-)  He would have looked even funnier if I'd had to make him in fuchsia and orange!  

More success, however, with the QOV project.  I'm using the gorgeous QOVF fabrics from SkyeReveFabrics.com.  Because the fabrics are pretty busy prints, I didn't want to cut them up and mush them together.  (Is that an official quilting term?  I don't want to be making up stuff here, you know!)  I found a really interesting pattern online that was designed for a book, "The Giving Quilt" and the authors donated this pattern for QOV quilts.  Simple rail fence, but with a twist!  

Long ago, I read somewhere, "If you see someone without a smile, give him one of yours."  I try to do that as often as I can (or dare, in the case of someone really scary or very angry), and you know, I always get a smile in response!

Go see Sarah at ConfessionsofaFabricAddict.blogspot.com to see some really neat projects of all kinds!