Janome 4 Piece Quilting Set and Craftsy Class...

Beginning with the lovely four piece Janome low shank quilting set, and getting on to Craftsy, this has been a fun few weeks on the quilting scene. Not that I have done anything constructive except practice, but I am now set up to quilt on three different systems, and must never be bereft of a machine short of the opening of an abyss, arguably a dim probability. This foot seems expensive until you realize it has three different attachments that act as three different feet. Plus a needle plate cover, and the most solid looking shank adapter ever on which the three "feet" mount. They mount tightly so that they work seamlessly as though each were a separate free motion foot entirely. No wobbling, no sense of having "just an attachment."  My machine I am currently using this set on hasn't the ability to take the needle plate cover, but doesn't need it. Lots of Janome machines have the two small holes - one on each side of the needle plate, that accommodate this piece. The Janome 8050 does not. I observe that several Janomes do not have these holes. The Janome 115110 (Kenmore 19110) does have them. I love the open toe version, and haven't tried the large plastic piece yet.  That brings me to Craftsy. I signed up for the Machine Quilting Class there, and I highly recommend the video method. Craftsy has done a great job on this site, making class functionality excellent. There are Notes and Chat portions, which are optional, and to me the Notes section is the best. It really works well. Once you sign up you "own" the class as long as Craftsy is online. You can go back and review and watch over and over. The instructor is personable and fun to watch and listen to - a woman who knows her stuff, Wendy Butler Berns. I look forward to watching the rest of the videos and practicing some of the things I learn. Coupled with my DVD from Sue Nickels, I have more than enough to occupy my learning time.

FMQ with Janome 8050...

So I threaded her up with the Masterpiece prewound bobbin and the King Tut on top, and we had a little practice adventure. The Janome 8050 can do very nice free motion. The tension had to be on 5, and the stitch of course on straight stitch at 0 length, and I dropped the dogs, but I also did a patch with the dogs up, and frankly I didn't see any difference, but I think I might stick with feed dogs down. I was so excited about what a nice job the Janome does that I ordered the Janome Free Motion Quilting set for low shank machines just today. I am looking forward to experimenting with that set. I thought the variegated top thread was just lovely, and although I need a whole lot more practice, I am sure having fun. The Masterpiece bobbins are a dream. They fit the Janome perfectly and sew like a charm. The back of the piece is great except where I sometimes seem to curve and pull too much on the curve. Practice, practice, practice. This machine weighs only a little over 12 pounds and would be the ideal class machine - full size, but light, and stable at the same time, so finding the right combination of free motion settings was a nice easy solution. Already the brochure is out for this year's Vermont Quilt Festival, so there is a lot of thinking going on about what classes to take, and what to buy at the show. Fun to think it will be Summer then.

FMQ Pfaff in place...

Pfaff in working mode - I decided to make a pattern and make a tree skirt for our small white tree. Although I thought I had fabric, of course I had nothing really perfect, so off we went to Joann's. Finding a holiday patterned fabric in red and white was perfect, as the decorations are also red and white, plus some gold silver, we got a yard and came on home. I grabbed the large roll of pattern paper, and my trusty long quilting ruler, as well as my design ruler with the nicely curved side. I measured the diameter of the circle I would need, added a tidbit for seaming and then drew right angled diameter lines around the starting line until my perfect circle could be completed using the design ruler. Then I cut the two pieces of fabric - turned out the fabric wasn't quite wide enough so I used a side piece to piece two wedges to complete the circle at the back of the tree skirt. I cut my batting. Then I placed my batting on the wrong side of one piece of the fabric (after sewing the pieced pieces on) and then placed the fabric, right sides together and sewed all around the edge, except for one side of the very back. Then I turned it right side out, smoothed it out, smoothing the batting as well, folded it in fourths to cut a perfect middle hole, and pressed it. Pressed the raw edges into the inside at the open back, and after pressing was ready to FMQ this. The quilting works also to close that back opening, so no other sewing needed there. The quilting went very well, if one doesn't use a microscope to examine my very beginning skill. The process was fun from beginning to end!

Free Motion Quilting (3)...the Sew Steady and the threads...

The table came! I ordered from Nancy's Notions on the 5th of November and got the table on the 2d of December. I call that excellent on the part of both Nancy's and Sew Steady Tables. I am pleased. This is the first accessory I have purchased for my Pfaff in all these years. She loves it. I decided to leave on the little leg holder thingies. The table might break if I get rough trying to take off those, and there is a warning against it in the information accompanying the table. SO, yes, I wilted right away and left them. There isn't much problem doing that as the thing now sits only about half an inch up off the Arrow table, so we are good to go. Meanwhile, I have ordered three times from Superior Threads. You almost get your order before you hit the final BUY button - those folks are that fast. I love it. Of course now I have to get on the stick and practice, practice, practice. But now I have these lovely threads to practice with. I bought the Try Me Specials, including a few bobbins pre-wound. I hope they work in the Pfaff [LATER NOTE: They do NOT fit the Pfaff 1222E because the bobbin pin is too large and the bobbins will not turn]. SO adventures are looming. Meanwhile still working on that blue print summer shirt. Maybe by Summer 2012?