Wednesday 23 January 2013

Living, Learning, Sewing


Thank you so much to everyone who offered advice on how to improve my straight line, close quarters quilting - here on in to be known as elephant butt quilting.


Things I know now that I didn't know then. Stitch length - increase it. There is no set rule about length but it seems the preference is anywhere from 3.0 - 4.0. Always sew from the same edge. This decreases fabric drag. Adjust your tension and play a bit on a test piece before you have quilted a whole bunch, like I did. Always use a walking foot - about the only thing I was doing right.

I have increased my stitch length to 4.0 - which I would have never even considered two days ago. I tried various stitch lengths between, and I am happy with where I am at now. The results? It looks better, the quilt sews better, and I even think it feeds through the walking foot more smoothly than it did with those little 2.4 stitches I was using as I have never ever adjusted it before now. I think it deals with the drag you get at times better, but that might just be my imagination. What a difference!

The stitching from the same edge is equally liberating. I am not trying to say I have solved all my quilting problems in one go, as I will always be happily imperfect, but I have certainly improved things a huge amount I do believe.

I have also managed to tweak my tension correctly. I do wonder if using little stitches was part of the problem. I also know that if you have to rip out some stitches they come out much more easily if you had your tension incorrect. The rows of stitching I have decided to redo come out like a breeze. Probably not something I want to know about stitching I have in a quilt!

 And now I await more orange thread. Then I can finish it up with all my new found knowledge.

I will leave you with some photos taken in the waning hours of daylight today, while Emily attacked a local bump hill. It is always wonderful to watch your children have a good time, and to see that they are blessed with your own level of coordination and skill. Poor child!


Susan

35 comments:

  1. Such sweet photos of E!! It's definitely better with the seam ripper when the stitch length is increased but I have stuck at 3 today - I tried bigger and it felt a little loose to me but all our machines are different and that must play in to things. A great thread Susan and thanks for summarizing the advice - the quilt I have been quilting today is the best quilting experience I have had. Long may it continue.

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  2. Love those pics! Thanks for sharing the quilty advice.

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  3. Glad to hear you're making progress. I could only see the beautiful blue sky when i was first reading that, and thought how lovely the weather must have been at yours today, and then i saw the rather wrinkly backside, and realised it wasn't quite what i expected!

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  4. Lol. Thanks for the great info and he giggle.

    Another bit you might not want to know....if your are unstitching quilting, it is easiest to do it backwards. Start pulling out stitches from the last place that you sewed them. This way, if the stitching lines cross you are uncrossing in the right direction. (Please do not ask me how I know this.)

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  5. ha ha, you do make me laugh Susan, love the elephants ass photo.

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  6. I have so many quilts in the queue and have been hand quilting them out of fear of messing up using the machine. I will test out your advice and maybe I can catch up! I am also very nervous about changing tension, but I know that on my walking foot it says to reduce the presser foot pressure to 3 from the standard 4.

    Pomona x

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  7. Thanks so much for passing on these tips! I can hardly wait to get into my workroom and try them -- both of them!

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  8. Love to see someone enjoying the snow. Especially considering that I hate it so!

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  9. Looks like Emily is having fun in the snow!

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  10. Great round up of the tips, hope your thread arrives ASAP. Ahh, that is definitely your child ;o)

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  11. The always starting from one edge, it works but you have to be careful you dont end up with the top fabric going squinty!!

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  12. Glad you are happy with the results of trying out the various suggestions on your recent quandry. Just don't forget that you have been doing amazing work to date so don't go thinking you were 'wrong' before!

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  13. Glad you are happy with the results of trying out the various suggestions on your recent quandry. Just don't forget that you have been doing amazing work to date so don't go thinking you were 'wrong' before!

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  14. I shall certainly be taking lots of the feedback on board, just goes to show we all have room for improvement, I certainly still have so much to learn! Glad to hear you have resolved most of your issues and I can't wait to see the quilt finished. :-)

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  15. Look at you growing as a quilter. And we knew you way back when you were using a 2.5 stitch length :)

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  16. I love your honesty - I like that a high profile blogger with a big audience is willing to put herself out there and ask for advice. Way too go.

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  17. I do hope ". . no elephants were harmed during the writing of this blog . . "

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  18. Thanks, Susan for raising the issue of elephants' bums in quilts, they have become a big problem and must be eliminated forthwith. Hopefully with all the tips that eveyone has given elephants' bums will be no more.


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  19. Are the kids still off school? The little snow we had has all melted! Jxo

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  20. Great photos of Emily and I love the elephant butt pic too:) I need to go back and read the comments on your previous post about the straight line quilting as I have encountered similar problems!

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  21. Hmmm, dry wrinkly skin.....now where is my moisturiser???

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  22. That was a stroke of genius to ask for tips on straight line quailing I think a lot of us benefitted from all the tips that were given.
    Poor Em, looks like fun though.

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  23. I like the funny comments almost as much as your post Susan! I get ellie bum sometimes but so rarely go for straightline quilting - glad to know the cure! If the wrinkles disappear I might be more willing!

    My last quilt I barely basted at all but smoothed out just the section I was quilting just before going under the needle - no puckers and saved loads of time and safety pinning! Ok with a small one I guess...

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  24. I love the elephant! And the sledding and I am glad you have sorted the quilting out.

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  25. You do know how to keep us in stitches ;)

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  26. Interesting! I've found I kind of like the rippley texture created by going from opposite sides each pass... If that makes sense. Glad you found what works for you! Cute kids in the snow, too :D

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  27. Thank you for posting these tips. I too learned a bit again.

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  28. I have learnt a few things here too.....sledging is hilarious!

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  29. Glad you have improved the elephant's bottom. Ooh, that sounds rude. I will be stealing all of your hard won tips when it comes to quilting my next beast, the Liberty print HST quilt.

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  30. So the elephant's behind won't be getting an iron then? Or any of Aldi's serum slapped on it? Love the photos of Emily! Bless!

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  31. Ha ha, looks like she had a great time

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  32. great that you were able to figure it out with the help of the "interweb" (family joke). Em looks like she had a great time frolicking in the snow.

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  33. Hey, who cares about coordination and skill? She's having fun and loving it. I too, unfortunately, have found incorrect tensioned stitching unpicks really easily. Interestingly I was taught to quilt straight lines in opposite directions. So all mine have drag marks! I'll try same direction next time.

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