Machine Fridays - HST

When doing half square triangle (HST) do you find that the corner of the fabric gets caught under your stitch plate? 

Start your chain piecing of HST with a  small scrap of fabric and it will keep the edge of the fabric from getting down under your stitch plate.  Make sure to start in the middle of your scrap fabric. 

You could also could buy a single hole stitch plate for your machine.  Just remember you can only do straight stitching in the center needle position or you will break your needle. 

What do you do to keep the corners of fabric out from under your stitch plate? 

Be sure to blog along with us.  We do love to read what you have to say.  Remember it's all about sharing.


Thread tangled and making a mess? Ask your florist for the thread nets that come from the flowers. Most florists are happy that someone will use them. Cut them to the size of your spool and have neat thread storage.

Until next time,

His Natural Habitat?

A few new pictures of the elusive Clyde Frog have surfaced and I wanted to share them with you all.

Here he is watching the History Channel, he's very interested in the story of America.

Here he is helping us pack for the big move.  He is super excited to have a back yard soon!

He loves getting some attention, it doesn't happen to often though!

The Electric Quilt Company Announces Electric Quilt 7 (EQ7):

The Electric Quilt Company Announces Electric Quilt 7 (EQ7):

Quilts, Blocks and now PHOTOS!
Digital cameras will become a quilter's best friend. EQ7 has dozens of ways to turn everyday photos into quilt ­­art images. Or crop and edit scanned fabrics right in EQ7 in minutes. And that's just the start!

New Activation Policy
You'll never run out of EQ7 activations! Activation and deactivation is as easy as two clicks of the mouse. Install on as many computers as you like and quickly transfer activations from computer to computer. This new policy gives you complete freedom to manage your own activations — and no dongle to worry about!

Easier than ever for new users
EQ7 is the most user-friendly full-featured quilting software yet.

• Complete user manual
• 22 printable full-color PDF lessons (115 pages)
• Point-and-read info on each tool – now linked directly to Help topics
• 10 videos targeted for beginners
• 67 “How do I?” topics: printable stepped-out instructions for doing everything from printing English paper-piecing templates to drawing a New York Beauty
• Built-in Help buttons are everywhere, targeted to the task you're doing
• New block tools for creating original blocks instantly without drawing
• Blocks size themselves – just drag and drop on the quilt

Users upgrading from EQ6 will feel right at home
Exactly the same friendly interface, plus loads of new user-requested features.

• 5000 copyright-free blocks
• 5000 new scanned fabrics, plus grayscale textures
• 120 new pre-designed quilt layouts
• Snap blocks to a Quilt grid
• Instant border blocks with greatly expanded Auto Borders
• Print multiple photos on fabric
• Create original fabric designs from photos, then print on fabric
• Mirror and use myriad symmetries on photos
• Use dozens of artistic effects, making everyday photos look like watercolors or Impressionist paintings
• 79 new features in all

Netbook compatible
Works on netbooks as well as laptops and desktop computers.

When will The Electric Quilt Company begin shipping EQ7?
We will begin shipping June 7, 2010.

What are the EQ7 and EQ7 Upgrade system requirements?
ELECTRIC QUILT 7
Minimum system requirements: Windows® XP, Windows® Vista, Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit), Internet access, 750 MB of available hard-disk space, CD-ROM drive. Netbook compatible. Internet required for activation, deactivation, and periodic validations.
Recommended: Monitor with screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater, Adobe® Reader®, sound card for demo videos.
Activation: Internet access is required for activation and deactivation. Unlimited installations. Activations can be easily transferred between computers. Two (2) computers may be simultaneously active.

EQ7 UPGRADE
Minimum system requirements: Windows® XP, Windows® Vista, Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit), Internet access, 750 MB of available hard-disk space, CD-ROM drive. Netbook compatible. Internet required for activation, deactivation, and periodic validations.
Recommended: Monitor with screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater, Adobe® Reader®, sound card for demo videos.
Activation: Internet access is required for activation and deactivation. Unlimited installations. Activations can be easily transferred between computers. Two (2) computers may be simultaneously active.

UPGRADE VERSION of Electric Quilt 7 This upgrade version of Electric Quilt 7 will install only if you are a licensed user of Electric Quilt 6 (EQ6). Visit www.electricquilt.com for other upgrade requirements.

What is the activation policy?
EQ7 has a new activation policy, created as a result of user feedback.

Activation: Internet access is required for activation and deactivation. Unlimited installations.
Activations can be easily transferred between computers. Two (2) computers may be simultaneously active.

 

 Until next time,

Machine Fridays

Have you seen the May 2010 issue of American Quilters Magazine?  Its cover looks like this. 

Not seen it yet?  Run out right now and get yourself a copy, but more on that in a moment.  On to the real reason  we are here.

I want a sewing table there I have said it.  Not just any table, but this one

It's Big Bertha by Arrow.  Yes, I have blogged about her before, but I still want her in my sewing room.  Honey, you will just has to wait.  You are not in my budget right now sweetheart.  In the mean time I will keep dreaming about you and one day you will be mine. 

I do have a table for my sewing machine that I love.  It's a 18" x 24" clear plastic table that fits around my machine and I love it.   I have lots of room with it on my machine.  It helps support my fabric so I can get a better stitch.  I have found I have more depth before I reach the needle, this way I can make sure my seams are locked in place before they are sewn. Can also be used as a light box or easy storage underneath.  I love having my blocks right next to me as I sewing.  I'm lost without the table.  I have been sewing on a machine that does not have one of these tables and I have notice that my sewing is just not the same.  I find it harder to match up my seams too. 

Don't look to close as this picture gives away some trade secrets.  You're all sworn to secretary

If you don't have a nice flat area to sew and are like me and don't have the budget to get a sewing table, why not try a Sew Steady Table from Dream World.  I love mine and I'm sure you will love yours.

I would love to hear about about kind of sewing table you have your machine set up on and how much you love her/him/it.   If you don't have a sewing table what kind have you dreamed about? 




Until next time,





Don't run away just yet.  I almost forgot to show you what's is in the American Quilters Magazine.

"Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, have all my friends had fun at play?"
 I can see Rachel, John, Bradie, Julie, Lissa, Monica and all of you boys and girls out there!"

See it's me in the bottom middle.  Well it's my Sunday Squares quilt to be exact, but you know what I mean.  The ad is on the back inside cover.  Lots of other great and talent people on that page too.  Be sure and check them all out and let them know that Charlie sent you.  I love ya all, really, I do

Tidbits

There was no Machine Friday post last week.  We took a mini vacation from posting, but it will be back this Friday.

Some scraps from a top secret project. 

Here is a word search for you!  It gives you hints on what I will be doing in the coming months.  Some tell me too many hints.  There are 15 words. 

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Until next time,

Make Life Giveaway

Head over to Bradie site and enter to win this great layer cake from Moda  Who's going to win?  Me that is who. 

Until next time,

Giveaway

O.k. so I really want to win this one.  I just love their fabrics. Really I do.   Check out Ryan's Blog and you will see what I'm talking about. 

Until next time,

Giveaway

Head over to Jaybird Quilts for your chance to win this quilt from Fat Quarter Shop. 

Until next time,

Machine Friday - Reader Questions

Here are a few questions that I have gotten from fellow blog readers regarding their sewing machines.

Wendy Finlay

How about what to do when the thread breaks and breaks and breaks even though you change the needle, clean out the lint, mess with the tension and you have to finally thrown your hands up in dispair and go to bed at 11:30 p.m. because you've had it with the blankedy-blank thread :)

Wendy,

To me it sounds like you might have a bad spool of thread.  Sometime thread just breaks no matter what you do.  I would trade it out for another spool and see if that helps.  Thread does get old and brittle.  This is why I would never use old thread in a "good" project that you want to last.  How to tell if thread is old: wooden spool, has a store tag on from years ago, looks old and faded or if you can pull out a strand and it breaks easy, then you know it's old and should not use it. 

Greg Bryson

The disappointment and pitfalls of not threading your machine correctly.

Greg,

The pitfalls of not threading your machine correctly is that you get to do it again. Make sure that you have the thread around your take up lever.  This is the number one missed spot when threading.  How do you know you missed the take up lever? When your thread knots up on the underside of your fabric, or it gets up under your stitch plate.  Another pitfall is when you don't get your bobbin in the tension correctly and it looks as if the bobbin thread is just laying there and not locked in.  Take a look at the following  from Sewing Machine Tech about machine tension.

I don't recommend playing with your tension.  Most newer machines you set your tension and forget it.  If there is a time that you need to play with the tension, you will know when and where to set it.  Otherwise leave it alone, or you will be taking your machine back to your dealer and paying them to reset it.  DO NOT play with your bobbin tension because it's so hard to get it back to normal.  If you do want to play with your bobbin tension, then I would get a second bobbin case for playing around with.  Here again dealer will need to reset and cost you upwards of $100.

If you have any questions you can send them to me at the e-mail address on this blog or Facebook.   Don't forget to blog along with us!  We do like to read what you have to say.  It's all about sharing.



Until next time,

Flights of Nature

Are you a Moda maniac?  Head over to the Moda Bake Shop and see what new project I have cooked up for you this time.  

Flights of Nature

Until next time, 

Pay Attention To Me!

Clyde Frog here, the official mascot of Qubee Quilt as I have been dubbed.  I thought I would sneak a post in just so I could show off while Charlie is off quilting on one of his upcoming quilts.  He does not spend much time with me anymore and that means I get the whole couch to myself.   It seems his sewing machine is getting more love than I do these days, but I am o.k. with that.  When he is done I will have myself a new quilt.

That Charlie loves to show off his stuff, but what about me?  I need some page time too.   If you want something done you have to do it yourself.

I was in the kitchen looking for a snack and to the right of the stove what did I find but a camera.  I was thinking that was an odd spot to leave a camera, but not in this house.  It was right were it should be.  I thought I would play around and take a few pics of myself to share with Charlie's readers since he never has any friends over.  It seems that his friends are all on his phone.

We were having great weather and  I thought I would set out on the balcony.

 Here I am with my reading glass on.  Do they make me look cool?

 Me playing X-Box.  Charlie does have some cool play toys for me. 

  Taking all those pictures has just wore me out and I'm getting ready for a nap.  

Thanks for hanging in there with me while I showed myself off a little bit, but attention has been a little sparse lately!

And now back to your regularly scheduled blog posts...


Regards,
Clyde Frog

Machine Friday: Whoa Nelly!

A lady walks in the shop a few days ago bringing her machine with her and she proceeds to tell me that her machine is acting up and not stitching right.  "It will not make a straight seam no matter what I do", she said.  I had her set her machine up and got some fabric for us to sew on.  I asked her if she would show me how it is sewing.  She takes the fabric puts the peddle to the metal and away she went.  One would have thought she was drunk when she was sewing.  Her stitch was all over the place.  I pushed one of the buttons on the machine and had her sew again, but this time around she was able to sew in a nice straight line.  She said "Wow! How did you do that?"  I told her, "I just hit the speed button on your sewing machine to slow it down.  This way no matter how far on the foot peddle you press your machine will not go above a certain speed."  "I never new my machine even had that on it." she said.  I asked her if  she had ever taken her owner classes, and she said "No, I have been sewing for 40 years."  I asked would you like to sign up for a class to learn about some of the amazing things your sewing will do for you?  Signed her up and sent her home happy.

Machine speed is slowed down

Yes, just by slowing down a bit when you sew you will get straighter stitching and it will help keep your threads from becoming a tangled mess. 

If at all possible, reduce the speed of your machine by a button or a knob.


I am a peddle to the metal type person and my sewing wouldn't be so precise if it was not for my speed control.  You may think that you don't need to use the speed button because you can control it with your foot, but the longer we sew the heavier our foot gets, and before you know it the speed has creeped up on you. 

How does speed affected your stitching?  Head on over to quilter's daily to join the blog along...

Until next time,