Sunday, August 7, 2011

FREE MOTION QUILTING AT (MY) BEST AND AT (MY) WORST!!

Yesterday I had the best time quiling these quilts... all that is left is the binding....and yep, could have done them last night but decided to take a break and sit a spell.

So I decided to do loops and hearts....

....what fun....my Horizon was just singing away. I finally figured out that the needles I purchased in Amerika Samoa are really no good, especially for machine quilting. I had taken my machine back to the shop at one point and they said, that my needle was no good. I thought, how could that be, I just changed it.


Well....Friday while trying to quilt the Beehive quilt, the thread was giving me fits, breaking and skipping stitches. I changed the needle, the thread, cleaned my machine....and still nothing. Saturday rolls around and I am determined...so I get my manual out...says change the needle....I already did but will do so again. This time I am using the needles I brought here in the US


BINGO

....problem solved. So....I am throwing out all my needles from Amerika Samoa.....

Loops and hearts again...




I decided that if I can show you what I consider my best work, that I can show you a blooper too....do you notice it? There are two segments....the blooper is in the bottom half..... No, I didn't take it out...but I did notice that when I over think what I am doing....that I would not do that great of a job.



So my advice....just relax and have a good time.





30 comments:

Needled Mom said...

Who knew? I have always heard that one should change the needle first and go from there, but who would have thought the needle itself would be the problem?

Bridget B said...

Very nice- like the hearts and loops. I usually got too fast.

Wacky Woman said...

Design opportunities, all design opportunities. I just see a different design there. The right needle is so important Barb.

Terry said...

The only free motion quilting I've done was on my Gardener's Journal quilt, and it has lots of mistakes on it. But I love it anyway! :0)

Jocelyn said...

Great quilting Barb. And we all have bloopers :-)

Fiona said...

Lovely Barb.... such a happy place doing FMQ...
Hugz

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

your FMQ looks great! I have had issues with mine lately too...it is so frustrating when that happens. Glad you found a "fix" for your problems

Joanna said...

Looks good to me. FMQ is not easy, but yours looks even, including the blooper.

Rhonda said...

I think you are doing a great job of quilting.

West Michigan Quilter said...

I love your loops and hearts! I'll have to give those a try. I'm still a little afraid of FMQ. You did a great job!

sandra said...

I think you are doing a wonderful job with the machine quilting, we all make bloopers but no one is perfect and you are the only one who knows where it is. I have really been struggling with machine quilting i just can't get it even (the stitches). Well you just have to keep trying. Blessings Sandra

onlymehere said...

It looks great to me! Amazing that a little needle can make such a difference but I know from experience that it can, especially with hand-stitching. Hope you're having a great day today!

Quilter Kathy said...

I agree with your advice 100%!

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

I'm glad you figured out the problem. I love to free motion quilt. I like to randomly put designs or words in while I am quilting. This is actually the relaxing part for me.

JustCindy said...

Love the loops and hearts.

Hands Sew Full said...

Thank you, I will put that tidbit of information into my pocket for next time my machine acts up! I am learning free motion quilting and am just winging it so far! I just swirl around until it looks quilted to me then move on! I like the loops and hearts theme though, maybe I'll have to give that a go. (Right after I change my needle! It has been a long time!)

Jean(ie) said...

I'm so glad you're having fun with your machine. I'll be putting mine through it's paces this coming week. Wishing u were with us.

hetty said...

I like your advice - just relax and have a good time - and change your needle. I love the loops and hearts. Will try that when I get my machine back from the shop.

Linda said...

I'm glad you figured out your problem. I hate it when it doesn't go like I want it to...Your quilting is great, bloopers and all. We are our own worst critic. If you don't point it out, no one will know.

I like your loops and heart, I'm going to steal that one and use it on a baby quilt I have going for community service. Thanks for showing this.

QuiltNut Creations said...

It looks great Barb, even with the opps!

You have been super busy lately; good for you!

QuiltSue said...

Your quilting is wonderful. I had to look really hard for your whoopsie and I don't blame you at all for leaving it in.

As for the needles, I'm glad you found out what was causing the problems. I have heard that you can get bad needles, and that's usually what I try first, but I never would have thought that you might have a packet where they were all bad.

Krista said...

Nice Loops and hearts. I'll have to remember the needle change.

Crispy said...

Amazing that where you bought the needles made such a differance. Great swirls and hearts :o)

Crispy

Gene Black said...

The needle change is usually where I start (unless I KNOW that I haven't cleaned the machine in a while. )

I don't really see the blooper. So don't worry about it.

Betsy said...

Beautiful Barb.

Anonymous said...

Practice makes perfect. Oh yes....the culprit is usually the needle if not...threading of the machine. Sometimes the thread will slip or miss a step in threading.

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

Your quilting is wonderful. And I bet you are the only one that will ever notice that blooper - well, except for all of us now in blogland since you pointed it out to us. But really, I really like your quilting design and I think you did a beautiful job.

Mary L. said...

I read somewhere that on average 1 in 4 needles is bad in the package. I use top stitch needles for everything now and that makes a difference too. Also always loosen your top tension for free motion. Your loops and hearts look great.

andsewon said...

Yes needles in a new package can be bad! Hate it as they are not cheap anymore!Love the quilting!!

Joanne Lendaro said...

It's the love that goes into a quilt, not the perfection....it does get easier the more you practice.