Magnets

 

I have mentioned this previously, we belong to several online groups that relate to quilting, Innova and the computer pattern system we use PantoVision. On any given day the topic of discussion is to say the least, informative, educational, opinionated, and in some cases eye opening…like one of those V-8 commercials….WOW. This is one of those instances. Let me say right up front…I am not now nor will I ever be an expert…in anything…and as a longarmer I will never claim to be a quilter and what is ‘traditional’ does not interest me and I don’t care if you’ve been doing this way or that way for 25 years and it has been done this way for over two centuries.  I subscribe to KISS and getting from start to finish with the least amount of effort to produce the highest quality possible while giving of my time and myself 100%…which of course means there are short cuts that cannot be taken. But magnets ain’t one of them.

Our machine comes equipped with what we will refer to as the standard stitch regulator…Innova makes an accessory called Lightning Stitch…for us the cost alone is prohibitive. I’ve had vehicles that didn’t cost that much. Well the standard model does not come with a ‘basting stitch.’ So to baste on this particular longarm you have to ‘hit the button down, hit the button up…move the head…hit the button down, hit the button up…move the head…you get the point…the location of pain is obvious. So I do not like to baste, and it is almost a necessity. So the least amount I have to do the better. Enter magnets.

I have taken all recommendations, baste top, sides and bottom. Baste top, sides, bottom and across on equal distance intervals based on longarm travel. Always baste the sides, always baste the bottom, always baste the top, always baste everything…and I have tried them all. Basting top, sides, bottom and across seems to work best, well the tops not going to move around…it still shrinks up though as the process advances, but it’s not a do as you go system, it needs to be done up front all at once…and in doing so say good-bye to floating the top…something I really like doing because of the control I have to adjust for any minor discrepancies that may have prevented the top or the bottom from coming out exactly, right on the money an absolute perfect square or rectangle. Now maybe you’ve never had one that didn’t come out perfect…but just in case there is a trapezoidal tendency…I like to float.

So I baste approximately ¼ “ above the first seam and then about the same below the top edge. Done basting, thank you very much. Once I have the top basted I get the top smoothed out, working center out and down. When I have the top where I want it and taunt to the batting and bottom I place the magnets on to hold (baste) everything in place.

I use two types of magnets, the 18” long ones designed to hold tools (above) and smaller ones to hold stuff where I want it temporarily (below.)  While researching the use of magnets I even ran across a You Tube video of a quilter that uses magnets to hold the quilt bottom to both top and bottom rollers. In this case I’ll stick with Red Snappers.

So if you were wondering about magnets…well here’s my take with a couple of photos that hopefully makes it understandable. And in regards to my KISS, well for me it couldn’t get any simpler.

 I use these just to hold the batting in place while putting the top on so while getting the top centered and moved around the only thing moving around is the top.

 

I will use the smaller magnets again at the bottom when I have run out of roller bar to attach the longer magnets to.

And if you’ve ever had a leader flopping around when you didn’t want it to…there’s a magnet for that!

Quilt till you wilt...

Rotary Blade Sharpner

Prior to becoming overpowered by the ‘power tool’ trance of the Innova Longarm and PantoVision I thought, honestly I did, that the oil industries, razor blades and politicians were the biggest rip offs to the consumer. I stand corrected…replacement blades for rotary cutters exceed all three. Well they did for a while until I started researching alternatives. Like my Grandmother use to say, Well lo and behold look at this!

                                                                                

If you have not been properly introduced may I present TrueSharp Power Rotary Blade Sharpener. I know it says TrueCut…but according to Amazon it is TrueSharp…if interested just go to Amazon and type in either…it will take you to the product…saw it also on walmart.com. It is a ‘power sharpener’ that will sharpen 28, 45 and 60 millimeter blades. Are we talking factory edge…absolutely not. Are we talking putting an edge back on a dull blade several times, so far we are experiencing at least four times the blade life. I don’t use mine as often as Elaine, but I haven’t put in a new blade and I’ve been using this blade for three months. On Amazon it is listed at $37.99…you do the math. There are like close to a hundred reviews…they averaged out to 4 out of 5 stars. I would give it 5 stars, but I take out my hearing aids when I’m working on a quilt, cutting, sewing, longarming whatever and wear a wireless headset and listen to classic rock. So I don’t hear the noise…and yes it is a little loud. But I’ll take the noise over the cost of new blades…on any given day. til  later…Les…quilt till you wilt.

Newbie

On one of the 'groups' we belong to someone wrote asking about PantoVison indicating they were giving some consideration to purchasing and was asking what current owners/users thought. I thought I would share my response here as well as with the group.


We are all newbies at one time or another and as we progress we look back and think 'why didn't I do that sooner.' I think you'll find this about PantoVision...I have said this before...It is a computer program, being attached to an electrical, mechanical device operating through yet another version of Windows by a human...there is a learning curve and if it were easy everyone would do it. For me, if it weren't for PanotVision I would have never attempted to longarm. It only makes sense having worked with power tools all my life that you stand in front of the machine...In my opinion Pantovision brought longarming into the 21st Century, it created a more ergonomically correct posture for the user and added a much higher level of organization and provides opportunities for design that was previously limited. I just ordered Pre Design Studio III yesterday to compliment our PantoVision. It will allow us to design our own patterns and import them into Panto and at the cost of $15 per pattern will pay for itself rather quickly. I guess that's just my frugal part standing out. When the designers had to do the creation of the pattern, supply the paper, ink and machine to print that was a fair price...I just have a hard time justifying that expense to send me a file via email. We have a 22", 12' with a Standard Stitch Regulator that is complimented with PantoVision. If we could go back and do it over would we do anything differently...well it took a lot of research, going to shows, comparing machines and hours of discussions...yes it would be different...we would have gone with our gut decision and gotten Innova with PantoVision like six months sooner.

I guess we all have our preferences and our experiences will, in many ways, dictate some of the paths we follow. If anyone is contemplating Innova or PantoVision don't let the negative you may hear out weigh the positive. One great machine and one really good program to compliment the machine. Can either be difficult, of course...welcome to quilting, welcome to life. Quilt till you wilt.

Damage is done...Quilt Fest 2013

We have exhausted the Festival, or the Festival exhausted us. Today is the last day but we will be sitting it out. I'm afraid we have given in to playing with our new toys, making a practice sandwich, trying out some new threads, playing with tension, working a little with the new cross hatch device, trying some shadowing and well just hanging out in Studio 708...not a bad Sunday...considering it is still raining and I'm not going to be able to ride. I'm sure I'm not telling anyone anything they haven't experienced at a quilt show...the artistry, creativity, craftsmanship, difficulty and patience that is displayed puts me in one of those "I'm not worthy" attitudes. But as with every show there are the Blue Ribbons, the simply amazing, NO WAY, I don't have enough time on this planet left to do that and I wouldn't think that would have worked to make a quilt...(this year the latter pertains to 'aluminum pull rings' off of beer and soda cans.) And then there is the one quilt that just rips your heart out. It doesn't have to have a description sheet, not one word has to be spoken, regardless whether it has a ribbon of any color is immaterial, it's a winner...best of show...a masterpiece...one of a kind...the reason you quilt...justifies the expense of the show, your supplies, your equipment...could break every traditional rule of quilting that exists...it may not even meet your definition of a quilt...none of that matters...to coin...a quilt is worth a thousand words...Please allow my patriotism to show through...If this doesn't just tug at your being...call for a Code Blue...your heart stopped. Have a magnificent day and quilt till you wilt.

Quilt Fest...Day Three

Yes today will be day three...and after two days of Chili Cheese Fries I think I'm headed for the Turkey Wrap today...what can I say...I'm a sucker for CCFries...and I have a physical next Wednesday. There goes the cholesterol...off the charts.

We have determined that we have enough thread now...Superior said we could come back anytime. We are for the most part Omni users and use it both top and bottom...with good results. Having read quite a bit about Bottom Line and knowing Superior uses Bottom Line for their pre-wound bobbins we bought a couple of spools and are going to give it a try. We will use So Fine on occasion and again with good results. We also bought some King Tut...again heard a lot of good things about cotton so we'll see.
According to Elaine we have saved several thousand dollars. We have left quite a few items on the floor so to speak. Would have been nice to have but not necessary...wish I would have learned that concept when I was like in my twenties...there would be a lot more money in the bank. I'm afraid I am really bad when it comes to 'must have.' There was a time when I had like five motorcycles in the garage...took some time but I learned you can only ride one at a time...I don't even want to think about how much I paid in insurance.
We did run across a seam guide that has our interest, mine in particular, because it is more that just a piece of inch, inch and a half metal. It creates good long base line for me to follow. Please remember I'm used to working with a table saw that has a long fence to run my projects down. The combination of the guide and the gauge can be seen at www.sewverysmooth.com... Oh and the polish...well two of their demo machines for the "Sew Steady Tables" another product in their inventory, are Featherweights that were polished up with this stuff...looked like new. It is also used on their tables...made the acrylic slick as could be, the fabric just glided across the table. We thought about the table, just not a real necessity at this time. See; money saved.
More than likely this will be my last day...if this rain gets through the area today we should see clear skies and temps in the 50's tomorrow...sounds like a good day to take the motor out for a couple of hours and blow out some of the cob webs of winter. I must admit, can't wait to get another quilt loaded, well a practice quilt anyway, to play with some threads, thread tension and my new cross hatch guide. Okay, we didn't leave everything on the floor.
Got to go...Quilt till you wilt...

Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival

I don't know about you...but I hate when this happens...Tomorrow is golf day, happens in the neighborhood of 45 times a year, that's just Thursdays another 60 or so on other days...Mother Nature isn't always cooperative. But tomorrow is different...On my way to the course I will be dropping Elaine off at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival and then after golf I have to go to the Festival...Thursday afternoon, and Friday and Saturday...well Sunday is kind of up in the air...weather permitting there is a motor ride I may go on...Elaine says that's too bad but she would suffer and go for the final day on her own. Oh well, somebody has to do it. Let's see...going to need to stock up on threads, might have some good deals on batting, fusible interface, needles, need to find another 'original' bobbin for the Featherweight and what else can we absolutely not live without. Oh yea...Pre Design Studio III. I want to start making my own quilting patterns...It's hard to find patterns I like to quilt for the T-Shirt quilts I make for motorcyclists, carpenters, hunters, fishers, NFLers and NASCAR enthusiasts to name a few. I've seen some but I'm frugal (not the term she uses) as it has been noted by my lovely bride and having tried the program to make a couple of patterns...well $15 per pattern is a little steep in my book. It took me like 15 minutes to make the first one. I saved a $1.00 a minute...or if I made four in an hour I saved $60. Sixteen patterns pays for the program. I guess before PantoVision, and you had to use paper pantographs $15 wasn't bad, considering the cost of ink and paper. I just load it onto a USB drive and then download it to the tablet. Well got to go...laundry to do, and Elaine put another QOV on the longarm...Make it great and Quilt till you wilt.

Too Many Choices

So Many Quilts...So Little Time

Studio 708

We have mentioned before the living room and dining room became Studio 708, appropriately named by a close friend who stopped by for a visit with memory of the living room and dining room. She said something like..
."What happened?"
 "It's called a longarm."
"That's an understatement."

Well as they say, the rest is history. So here is a few views of Studio 708, today...Elaine has a tendency to move stuff around. It may look totally different tomorrow.

Elaine busy working on one of her T-Shirt Summer bags, under the watchful eye and alert attack dog Nikee.

 What once housed the dining room furniture as intended...the Hutch even had dishes in it.

Here is one of Elaine's treasures, we have a 54 Elna on it's way from Ohio. This Featherweight was found locally. It goes where Elaine goes, Bees, Project Linus or QOV events...it is proof they don't make them like they use to. It is the only thing in the house older than I am.

 There are times we just need to sit and talk, I see Nikee is still on duty.

Here is one of the T-Shirt Summer Bags. The front and back are T's that are quilted then sewn together. Very casual and roomy. She's on a roll and has like 8-10 cut out and ready to quilt.



Until later...Quilt till you wilt...