Machine Quilting for Idiots
Jun. 25th, 2008 09:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anne_dIdiots? That'd be me.
Having previously cut and pieced the binding and sewn the rod pocket, using the proper foot (so I can put that one away), I:
1. Assemble test swatch with ugly reddish-brown batik* and leftover batting.
2. Pin copiously. Prick self with pin. Wash hands to prevent blood transfer. Continue pinning.
3. Locate and install walking foot, which, if I remember, I've only ever used once, and that was on an earlier sewing machine.
4. Thread machine. Load bobbin.
5. Lower needle. Needle hits something. Try again, very carefully. Needle hits something.
6. Remove needle, check for bentness. Don't see anything, install new needle anyway just in case. Try again. Needle hits something.
7. Remove walking foot. Lower needle. Needle does not hit anything it shouldn't. Walking foot not compatible with sewing machine. Oh well. Never could get the thing to work properly anyway. Consign it todepths of hell dimension donation pile. Go through sewing books looking for alternative options.
8. Locate and install open-toe embroidery foot. Sew test quilt swatch, adjusting stitch length. It should work, if I remember to hold the quilt taut the whole time I'm sewing. Good thing it's a very small quilt.
9. Refill bobbin, reinstall same. Sew another test seam.
10. Decide that it's time for a tea break.
*It really is ugly, the color of dried blood. It came in an assortment package from Joann's, with some nicer colors including the blue I used for the center of the quilt.
And this, my friends, is why the daughters' baby quilts were tied instead of quilted. Not to mention that I used all my energies embroidering redwork blocks of vintage cat designs for Younger Daughter's quilt, and by the time it was finished she'd moved to a big kid bed. But she still uses the quilt anyway. Which is more than I can say for Elder Daughter, who spurned her dinosaur quilt when she outgrew paleontology, the wretched ingrate. Never mind, the tortie-cat likes it.
Update progress report: Quilting completed. And some sections unsewn and redone. Layers machine-basted together around the edge, preparatory to binding. Rod pocket machine-basted into place, after being shortened and resewn because it was too long (and I checked it at least twice; not fair). Progress is being made.
Having previously cut and pieced the binding and sewn the rod pocket, using the proper foot (so I can put that one away), I:
1. Assemble test swatch with ugly reddish-brown batik* and leftover batting.
2. Pin copiously. Prick self with pin. Wash hands to prevent blood transfer. Continue pinning.
3. Locate and install walking foot, which, if I remember, I've only ever used once, and that was on an earlier sewing machine.
4. Thread machine. Load bobbin.
5. Lower needle. Needle hits something. Try again, very carefully. Needle hits something.
6. Remove needle, check for bentness. Don't see anything, install new needle anyway just in case. Try again. Needle hits something.
7. Remove walking foot. Lower needle. Needle does not hit anything it shouldn't. Walking foot not compatible with sewing machine. Oh well. Never could get the thing to work properly anyway. Consign it to
8. Locate and install open-toe embroidery foot. Sew test quilt swatch, adjusting stitch length. It should work, if I remember to hold the quilt taut the whole time I'm sewing. Good thing it's a very small quilt.
9. Refill bobbin, reinstall same. Sew another test seam.
10. Decide that it's time for a tea break.
*It really is ugly, the color of dried blood. It came in an assortment package from Joann's, with some nicer colors including the blue I used for the center of the quilt.
And this, my friends, is why the daughters' baby quilts were tied instead of quilted. Not to mention that I used all my energies embroidering redwork blocks of vintage cat designs for Younger Daughter's quilt, and by the time it was finished she'd moved to a big kid bed. But she still uses the quilt anyway. Which is more than I can say for Elder Daughter, who spurned her dinosaur quilt when she outgrew paleontology, the wretched ingrate. Never mind, the tortie-cat likes it.
Update progress report: Quilting completed. And some sections unsewn and redone. Layers machine-basted together around the edge, preparatory to binding. Rod pocket machine-basted into place, after being shortened and resewn because it was too long (and I checked it at least twice; not fair). Progress is being made.
