Quilty Crime Friday!! Tension - Check it!!

Time for Quilty Crimes Friday again!

This week I'm focusing on tension!!  And I'm not talking about the kind you get from the family...can't help you with that one!  But we can take a look at a couple of quilts that have come past my machine, so you will know NOT to do this!!  And if it's happening while you are stitching - STOP!!  Stitching!!!  Here we go....

Tension, it IS important!

Here's the backside of the top.  Thread is very loose and not laying flat and even on the fabric.

 

This is a tangled mess. A clear indication that there IS a problem.  And if you notice on the blue more of the "loopies".

 

Here's what it looks like on the front side of the top.  Those seams are not nice and tight.  Machine quilting is what will be holding this quilt together.

 

Again, the "loopies" do not hold your fabric nice and tight.  You should not be able to see your threads like in this photo.

 

Unfortunately the entire quilt was like this.

 

It doesn't happen often, but it should never happen.  Here's another one...

This row of stitching above isn't toooo bad, but it's still not good.

Below, you can see the very, very big "loopies".

 

Again on the front side of the top, you can see something 

ain't quite right.

Once those loopies get so big, you start getting into stitching that looks a lot like this .........

 

Now that I've shown you what not to do, and how it's NOT suppose to look, I'm sure you are wondering if I've got some answers to fix the problem.  

As a matter of fact, I do.   I found this great information by just googling (not sure how I lived before google) "how do I fix the tension on my sewing machine".  I've read over the article and there is a lot of great information and not too detailed or too simple.  Here's the link.....

 

 How-to-Adjust-Sewing-Machine

Take the time, figure it out, it's worth it.

That's it for today..next week I've got to get back to posting all of the great quilts I've been working with.  I've seen some real beauties, so stay tuned and come back soon!

thanks for checking on me,

hugs,

joanne

love to hear what you've got to say...............

 

Quilty Crime Friday!! Threads!!

Time for Quilty Crimes Friday again!!

This week it's about trimming those pesky threads on the quilt tops and sides before machine quilting.

I have heard from a couple of gals about NOT wanting their quilts to make the cut and be a focus of my posting.  Well....this week's quilt belongs to none other than ME!!  Yep, it can happen to us all, even the machine quilter herself.  My goal for Quilt Crimes is to TEACH so you can learn and we'll all have better quilts.

                      On to the show......

Threads, Threads, Threads!!

A very important part in the construction of a quilt, it really is the tie that binds.  BUT too much thread in misplaced areas can be a very, very bad thing.  

I know that every longarm quilter out there asks that you "TRIM your threads BEFORE sending your quilt".  I'm sure you are thinking about all of the time that it's going to take and what a hassle!!  No problem if your machine quilter just floats right over them, sooner or later they'll come out in the wash or it's no big deal anyway.  Got you pegged, don't I??  

Here's why you (we) need those threads off of your quilt.

I forgot to trim the thread when I stitched the side down.  This long 

thread was laying on top of the quilt and got trapped/tangled 

as the machine was stitching.

Here's a description of the photo....

What a mess!! And even worse when this happens my machine continues to attempt to stitched but since it's tangled it just goes "clunk, clunk, clunk..." and I'm racing to it so I can hit the stop button as fast as I can!!  In the mean time I'm aging 5 years in 5 seconds because if the needle gets stuck in the down position I run the risk of putting a hole in the quilt.  Nerve wrecking, I am telling you!!

In the photo above I've slipped a white card under the thread for a better 

view of it's path.

Now all of that is bad, but since the machine is clunking it tells me the machine is no longer on track and has moved off of the design.  I can get it back on track, after I of course remove the mess that it's created, but trust me on this, it is MUCH, MUCH easier if we just remember to 

 

TRIM THOSE THREADS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

and one more just for reference.....

 

 

 

 Okay, that's it for today.

Remember to trim those threads, it IS important and helps

us out.

 

thanks for checking on me,

hugs,

 

joanne

 

love to hear what you've got to say...............

Quilty Crime Friday!!

It's still Friday, late but it's still Friday!!  

Welcome back to Quilty Crime Friday, I just finished this quilt today and knew it was going to be a fantastic follow up to last weeks post.  I'm still on the "WHAT!?!?!?!?!   You really NEED 4" of fabric??  The previous post should have explained why for the top and the bottom, today's post will show you why side to side. 

Here's the right side of the quilt that I was working on today.  The top was 51ish" x 64ish"  and the backing was measured out at 52" x 84".  When I took the quilt in I knew that I was going to have to add fabric to the backing to bring it up to size so I could comfortably work with it.  Can I work with it the way it is....well, yes, but....there are a few risk involved for me as a machine quilter.  

I "float" all of the quilts I receive, some quilters do, so don't, some just depends on the quilt.  When I load a quilt I mark each side with painters tape and as I advance the top I keep the sides at that exact mark or as close as I can get to it.  Yep, that will be a Quilty Crime in weeks to come.  

Photo says right side, but it's actually the LEFT, I didn't want to go back and change it since I'm running so late with the post.  But you can see from both photo's the painters tape marking the spot on my tape of the quilt edge.

When I lift the batting you can see on this quilt/backing I have a little more than one inch to work with.  This is the right side---ugh, sorry about that photo
 being mismarked.

Left side of quilt....guess I should have put stickers on my hands while I was doing this...but you get the idea.  Again, very, very little to work with here.

 As you can see from the next set of photos I am holding the batting and the backing to keep it in place as the hopping foot races across the top.  When the hopping foot hits a seam it can drag just a little and pull the top in the direction the machine is stitching.  With the additional 4" that you give your longarm quilter she uses them to hold the backing in place so the hopping foot does not drag you top.

Once the machine gets to a certain point on the quilt I can let go.  I had to really babysit this one to make sure all was where it should be.

Here's the right side of the quilt and you can see the overstitching that I do when doing edge to edge designs.  I also run the risk of the hopping foot getting caught up in the batting and the extra fabric helps stabilize that too.

Yep, that's a close one.....

End of quilt, again you can see the overstitching that is done to even out 
the design on the quilt.

Not much at all to work with....on either side.....

(and that is the left side...jeeze!!)

Next quilt already running as I'm typing and PLENTY of extra on the sides.  See the little clamps, they are doing their job so I don't have to worry as much about all of the other stuff when I don't have enough backing.

Hope you are enjoying the Quilty Crimes Fridays.  I've heard from a couple of gals about the post.  My intentions are to teach.  I would like you to understand what I see and how it could be done differently or better.  Spending all of the time and money on your quilt, I want it to be the best it can be.  Let's all learn together.....now, I'm off for a refresher on the left and right.....lol!!!

thanks for checking on me,
 hugs,

joanne

love to hear what you've got to say......