Are you a Fan?

I was reading my many lists of blogs that I follow and ran across Rachel's blog, P.S. I Quilt and she was talking about her fan page on Facebook. You will want to become a fan of her page if for nothing else than  the give-a- ways.

Then it  dawned on me that I have not blogged about Qubee Quilts Fan page on facebook.   I set this up to showcase my woks of art and share my tips about the world of quilting.

Qubee Quilts Fan Page. 

Become a fan! Would love to have you. 

While you are on my fan page be sure to check out Wendy's version of Sunday Squares that she did.  I love her colors.  I'm a green person as most of you know.  Have you seen my FQ stash?  Been fabric shopping with me?  I will pick up every bolt of green fabric in the place and want it.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter.   You just never know what I might say in a 140 characters or less.  

Until next time,

Machine Fridays - My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things.So goes the song, but what does this have to do with my post for this week.  Nothing.

I do want to talk about a few of my favorite things for my sewing machine this week.  I love these for one reason or another.   I'm taking these right from the Husqvarna Viking web site.

• Clear Open Toe Foot.  - I use this when I do my applique.  I can see right up to the needle and down to my project. 

•  1/4" Edge Stitch foot.  - Allows me to get my scant 1/4" and has a guide on the side.

•  Clear B Edge/Joining foot. - Guides decorative stitching along an edge or down the seam of a quilt perfectly. 

 

• Open Toe Free Motion Spring Foot - Used when I do free motion and with the open design of the foot it allows me to see my work.

•  Left Edge Top Stitch Foot - I love this foot for sewing on my binding.  There is a grove on the back that the binding rides in and allow me to stitch right next to the edge.  

•  Interchangeable Dual Feed foot - The dual feed with two changeable presser feet is designed to feed layers of fabric or batting evenly.  Keeps the drag away and your stitches nice and even. 

• Mini Piping Foot - I use this foot when I want to add piping on my quilt binding.  I use the small 2mm piping right next to by binding for that nice added touch.  Great on table runners.  

•  Narrow Zipper Foot - I love to use this when I'm adding string beading to my projects.  Here again great for that table runner or pillow.  You can move your needle positions and get right next to where you need to be.  We have 25 different needle positions on the Viking, some have 29.  Wow, Wouldn't you love one of these great machines?  

As you can see there are many great feet for your sewing machine and I could not choose just one.  I have only listed my faviortes here, but there are sew many more.  Your dealer can show you all the great feet for your sewing machine.  Why not give them a visit today?  You might just be glad you did, but before you go...

Head on over to quilter's daily to join the blog along...



Share your favorite feet,  I want to know.

Until next time,

Playing Catch Up

What a week this has been.  Just when I thought spring was here, it goes and snows again.  wtf.  Maybe now spring  is here to stay.

 I'm so far behind on my blog reading that it's not even funny.   I came across a post from The Quilt Shoppe talking about WIP (works in progress) and what did I see, but Wendy from Florence, MT that is working on my Sunday Blocks quilt that I did for Moda Bake Shop.  Go take a peek.  The quilt sure is turning out great.  Wendy if you're reading this post I would love to have a picture of your quilt.

Also, I wanted to point out that my friend Ryan from I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts is the featured male quilter over at Stitchin Heaven.  Be sure to stop over and tell him I sent you.

Just a Snippet of what I'm Working on

Just something I'm working on

Until next time,

Linty Thread: A Quilter's Bane

It seems that Bradi and I had the same idea this week.  We both have talked about thread.  As you will see mine take on a slightly different angle than hers so be sure to check out her blog for more great tip and idea on threads and piecing.

Would you put low-grade gasoline in a Ferrari? If you are using a cheap, low quality thread, you cannot expect your expensive machine to compensate. That is not possible. It cannot make a poor quality thread better. Start with quality thread that is worthy of your machine. It does not make sense to spend $5,000 on a machine and then try to save $1.00 on a budget thread. Poor quality thread breaks easily and can make any sewing project more labor than love.  It is always best to use a good quality thread in your sewing machine as a poor quality thread tends to have a lot of lint associated with it.  Old thread that has been lying around a while can get very brittle and give you lots of problems.  Such as breaking and poor stitch quality.  Spools that were three for a dollars, from the value bin or on a wooden spool are sure to give you problems.  One brand that I like and recommend is Aurifil.  It is made it Italy and yes it does cost a bit more, but it has little to no lint.  This being said, that means you need to clean your machine less often due to less lint getting built up.  When shopping for thread, a good rule of thumb is to pull out a strand of it and take a close look at it.  See if there is any lint on the thread.  Any lint that you see will come off inside your sewing machine.

 A word of advice...Some thread  spools used to have a little notch on one end and the thread would get caught on it and break  To eliminate said problem, use a spool cap that is slightly larger than your spool of thread  This will allow the thread to ride on the spool cap and not the notch.

 As Quilters, we like to use 100% cotton thread in a 40 or 50 weight.  Unfortunately, however, most cotton threads have some lint.  One way to avoid lint in your sewing machine, is when removing the thread, is not to pull it backwards from the needle.  Instead, cut it close to the spool and pull it through the needle.  When you pull it backwards, you release all that lint into the machine.  Thread is meant to travel in one direction. 

Make sure to visit Quilter's Daily about thread and your sewing machine, share your own blog post or any other machine related issue.  If you have any questions about your domestic sewing machine, share those as well.


Don't forget to follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Until next time,

It's That Time of the Year

Qubee Quilts has some firsts in it's life.  I told you in the last post that we have a Fan Page on Facebook..  Check it out and become a fan.  This is where I'll give you some quilting tips and share some events that are happening.

I've asked the question how do you store your thread?  You see I have too much and it's all over the place.  I need to get it under control.

I'm the featured male quilter over at Stitchin Heaven.  Pop on over and take a read.  A big thanks goes out to Matt for nominating me.

I don't have much time for anything theses day other than sewing. That is not a bad thing mind you.  Just saying.   I'm in the height of sewing season. My goal is to get five quilts done by May.  I think I can do it.  I have one quilt just about quilted, and one top pieced waiting to be quilted.  The quilt called Love is on it way back from Matt and will need binding and a label then off to get it's picture taken, it just never ends.  Life just keeps going on and on and on.  If that was not enough I'm buying a house on top of all that.  I'm taking a lot of big steps in the next couple of months.  I just hope the path that I'm following will lead to the green pastures that I'm looking for.  If not I'll turn around and back track and see where I went wrong, then start again.  I just need to find the path that is right for me.  I always seems to follow the one that is less traveled.  

Since I believe a blog post is not truly a post unless it has a picture I leave you with this.

Until next time,

Machine Fridays - Buying A Sewing Machine

So you're thinking of buying a new sewing machine and you want to know what is the best one to buy.
It's like asking, "what car should I buy?" There are so many different ones out there, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. First  set yourself a budget, find out what features you want/need, and think about what you really plan to use the machine for, and then go to a sewing machine dealer and start your shopping. When you buy a machine, you are buying into a dealer, so make sure you click with the sales person. If you don't like the sales person, you're not going to like the machine.

Don't buy the first machine you see, you want to shop around and see what options you have. Take something you plan on sewing and see if the machine does okay with it. You would not buy a car without test driving it, why would you a sewing machine? It might look good, but feel good for you? What do the stitches look like? Is it easy to use? Does the machine sound like a sewing machine or a jack hammer? Does it have metal parts or plastic? Can the warranty be extended? Where do you have to take the machine for warranty work?   Does it come with a class on how to use the machine? By all means take the class as you will pick up something useful from it. Don't be afraid to take the floor model, you'll get a better price.

Hope this helps with your new machine purchase.  Have the mindset of it being a fun experience and it will be!

QuiltersDaily Blog-Along

Share with others about buying your sewing machine and how much you love your dealer.  Let me know how much you love your machine.

Until next time,

Fabric Love

I need to know.  When you go fabric shopping is there one fabric manufacture that you gravitate to over others?  This is the question I'm asking over on the Qubee Quilts fan page on Facebook.  

For me it's Moda. I know that my quilt will be amazing when it's done. Love the feel of the fabric , that the solids look like suede and how large the collections are. I can pick just a few pieces or all of them and know that it's perfect. Jelly, charm and layer cakes are fun too.  These little guys are a great way to get some fabric without dropping a ton of money.  I love to design quilts with collections.  I love a scrappy quilt.  The more fabric the happier I am.  I have always found it amazing that we quilters take large beautiful pieces of fabric and cut it into smaller pieces just to sew it back together, but then again that is why it's called quilting.  

 Until next time,

All We Need Is Love

Head on over to the Pickle Dish and read about Edie McGinnis' new favorite tool.  Is this a great idea or what?  I'm not much for using freezer paper for appliqué,  I'm more of a raw edge kinda guy.  With raw edge appliqué, it does tend to fray but I'm okay with that whimsical look.  I'm not sure if the hole punch will cut fabric: I'm thinking if it will cut four layers of freezer paper it should cut fabric.   I'll have to take some fabric and go to scrapbook section at work and give it a try. Might need to put Heat 'n Bond on the back before cutting as this will make it stand up better.  There are many hole punches and they come in many different shapes and sizes.  That has given me an idea for a quilt border...

It's amazing where ideas come from.  Let me know what tool you like to use for quilting that was meant for something else.

Have you been to Facebook lately and seen the latest creation from Qubee Quilts entitled "Love"?  This beauty was qulited by none other than Matt Sparrow.

Qubee Quilts now has a fan page on Facebook.  Become a fan today.    

Until next time,

Machine Fridays - Oil and Your Machine

I have given this weeks post much thought because I've been taught that the machine we have at work never needs oiling. While most of your newer machines don't need to be oiled because of  them being a self oiling machine, there still are older machines out there that need oiling. I was out on the web doing some research when I came across a web page, done by one of our sister stores in the Arizona Phoenix area. Click here if you would like to see their web page.  While I was digging around their page, I came across some information on oiling your machine that I would like to share with you:


Every machine needs lubrication of some sort. There is no such thing as a non-oiler or machine that doesn't need service or lubrication. If you have a machine that you have been told is a non-oiler, it means that it probably has sintered bearings that hold the lubrication and can run a long time without being lubricated. However it is necessary to periodically have the machine serviced and the lubricant replenished. Most modern sewing machines are complex and not designed so that the consumer can take them apart and lubricate them. They will need to be taken to a properly trained service technician for lubrication and adjustment. 

This illustration is taken from an old Singer Manual

We recommend using only sewing machine oil, which can be purchased from about any sewing supply place, or in the case of newer machines, Tri-Flow, which is Teflon based lubricant. Tri-Flow can not be used on felt wicks. DO NOT use 3in1 oil or WD-40. WD-40 is Not a lubricant; it is break free/drying product. 3in1 has gunk in it which will gum up a sewing machine over a period of time. We know it says you can use it on sewing machines and all sorts of other products, but take our word it isn't a good product for your sewing machine and personally I wouldn't use it on anything. Also a note that just any oil is not appropriate, use the above mentioned sewing machine oil or Tri-Flow. We have seen machines come in nearly froze up after being oiled with everything from motor oil, baby oil, cooking oil and who knows what else... Also the correct amount of oil in the correct places is important, a little bit goes a long way. 

We sometimes see machines that are dripping with oil but still have a bind in them from not being oiled in the right spot. Too much oil is almost as bad as too little, drowning the machine probably will not fix the problem. You wouldn't want oil getting on your fabric as you sew or dripping out of the machine elsewhere. 

I would like to add the following:

Check your machine instruction booklet to determine the type of oil lubricant to use and where to
use them.  Do not oil the tension discs, the handwheel release or the belts and rubber rings on any machine.

It is a good practice to oil the machine after eight hours of use. Even if you do not use your machine often,
oil it occasionally to keep the oil from drying and gumming. If your machine does gum up it will cost you big bucks to get it serviced as it's labor intensive.

so go check it out...

new blog alongs all the time.

new blogs to read.. and build traffic on your site!

Until next time,