Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Plans bashed!

Since I got the birthday quilt basted last week, the plans were to put on the walking foot and do some straight machine quilting on it.  What could be more simple than using the markings on the foot to follow the chevrons and get this quilt finished.  I cleared the sewing table, filled a bobbin or two and then setttled down for some nice easy machine quilting.  STOP STOP STOP, that is not what happened. I started yes, but t was not nice or easy.  This is the largest quilt that I have tried to machine quilt. The weight of it really was overwhelming.  Of course trying to make a straight line is very difficult as the weight of the quilt can easily cause a blurp in that lovely straight line you are trying to quilt.  I only got about 24 inches into the quilt and lifted my presser foot and yanked it out from under the foot!  Quilting for me has always been about a pleasurable experience and this was not going to be.  So what does one do?  Of course do something that makes you happy. Since I had purchased some perle cotton to add a few hand quilting stitches to the machine quilting, why not just big stitch it.



I got off to a good start, I was having so much fun in fact that I got five lines of hand quilting done all across the quilt on the first day of stitching!  Only 24 more to go and this quilt will be finished and ready for gifting.  The best part is I am having a great time and really love of the look of those big stitches on this quilt!

29 comments:

  1. Holy Mackerel! I think we must have been born under the same sign. If I had a nickel for every time I started to machine quilt and gave up.... . I'm so glad you decided to big stitch instead. It looks wonderful. And I am adding "blurp" to my vocabulary as I think it surely should be a real word even if it isn't in Websters!

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    1. I could just feel myself tense up and knew if I kept going it would just mean more stitches to pick out!

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  2. Carla that's exactly what happened to me on my latest quilt. I got at least halfway through before I realized it was "not happening" and ripped it all out - twice! Then after a brief attempt at big stitch quilting with perle cotton - also not happening as its extremely hard on my hands - I went back to regular old hand quilting.

    That said, I still do a lot of machine quilting, mostly in-the-ditch or on a grid across the blocks and am pretty successful at it. Managing the bulk IS definitely the big issue. Especially if you have to turn the quilt at a right angle, like you did with your chevrons. I haven't figured out how people do that! I finally broke down and bought a new machine with an 11" throat,, a HUGE help, but its still challenging.

    Good luck Carla, and don't give up!

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    1. I will continue but it will have to be a smaller project for sure. I love big stitching but I use perle # 16 and #12. I used #8 on my pickle dish and I agree so much harder to quilt with. I am looking forward to following your blog. I love hand quilting too!

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  3. You found a great solution to the issue. I have a banquet table I use to sew on so the bulk is on the edge of that and then I use the ironing board to get the rest of the quilt so it doesn't pull. Hand quilting is a great solution.

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    1. I think I will just stick to lap size and smaller. I also used a thicker batting on this and that may have made it worse. Still have one that I want to spiral quilt, I can do this!

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  4. I think the stitching looks great! I struggle with machine quilting my quilts also. Its just too much fabric and too heavy for me to do a good job.

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    1. Thanks! I may try quilt as you go some day. Anything to keep sewing.

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  5. The perle cotton quilting looks very good. I don't like machine quilting large quilts either. A lot of hold and maneuver and weighty.

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    1. Yes, I felt like a wrestler! Big stitching goes fast and is a good look for this quilt anyway.

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  6. I have a tough time hauling big quilts through my machine too even though "Helga" has a larger harp. I find it is not fun at all either. I am hoping to get started on my new quilt so that I can hand quilt it. I like your big stitches a lot...nothing like a hand-quilted piece...hugs, Julierose

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    1. My viking is a real workhorse and has the sensor system it is just too much bulk for me to wrestle. I will stick to some small projects which I think are fun, after all it's all about having fun!

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  7. For large quilts I put a card table next to the desk with my sewing machine. I keep most of the quilt over on the card table as I machine quilt. I work starting in one corner and then go down the length of the quilt. The column I am working on kind of sits in my lap and it's also important to have some support behind the sewing machine. My desk is against the wall so it holds some of the weight as it goes through the machine. I started out machine quilting small donation quilts then went to bigger and bigger quilts to figure out what works for me. My main problem is that I have a small machine (plain Jane Janome) and not much room on the right of the needle for all the bulk to feed through on the parts where I've completed the quilting. When I get to the middle I turn quilt so what was previously the bottom is now at the top and start quilting top down again from middle out to other side. Anyway...it's doable to machine quilt but I have to say I think your solution was a lot better solution to the problem of machine quilting big quilts!!! Love it!

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    1. Have you seen Barb at Fun with Barb cut the batting in half and do half the quilt and then zig zag the batting back together and finish the other half. Recently I saw a video of quilt as you go where you could half a quilt and than the other half. I think more small projects and more confidence just machine quilting will help me to eventually tackle larger projects.

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  8. Your quilting looks fabulous! Absolutely fantastic! After wrestling with the binding on my grandson's quilt last week, I've decided that if/when the day comes whee I can't hand quilt all my quilts, I will have them long-armed. Wrestling with a good-sized quilt is not fun. And if quilting isn't fun, then what's the point, right?

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    1. I agree, my shoulder were taking a beating! Definitely will factor in size next time I try a machine project. I must say it is fun on smaller projects

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  9. Oh that looks beautiful Carla! Totally with you on that thinking :)

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    1. Yes, another blogger reminded me we can do both we just need to decided which is better way for each individual quilt. I am afraid my bias for hand quilting will win out more than not.

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  10. Love your red and blue big stitches Carla! Much nicer than trudging through trying to keep lines straight on machine work... and your stitches show so fun this way too! Kathi

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  11. Glad you went with your instincts and stopped. The stitching really looks perfect. Time is short. Do what makes you happy.

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    1. I made one that I machine quilted for my daughter and felt I could have just purchased it at Target. This one is turning out so much better.

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  12. I love the big stitching--it's really going to add a lot of interest to your quilt!!

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  13. I love hand quilting. It adds a something special to a quilt. Yours is perfect. It really looks great.

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    1. Thanks, I love it too but it does take time. Too many quilts that I want to make and not enough time. But then I remember why I hand quilt and I love the look and the process.

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  14. Those hand stitches look wonderful. And they look happy and relaxed :)

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  15. That looks absolutely divine! I think the quilt was fighting you because it wanted hand stitching! LOL
    Quilts are the boss of us!

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    1. Your right I have a smaller quilt I want to try spiral quilting. It is the woven pattern from Moda Bake shop and I think the curves will love the straight stitching. It is not as large and the continuous line just following the previous line of stitching should be simple enough.

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  16. Oh my, your chevron quilt is coming along ever so nicely. Yep, I've done that in the past and switched to hand quilting. Whatever makes us happy, eh!

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