Practice, practice, practice…
Last year I spent a lot of time working on my physical well-being, working out and revamping my lifestyle to become stronger. This year I will continue on that path, but I need to get back to feeding my creative well-being. I think I only quilted once or twice in 2009. YIKES! Poor Maximus (the longarm) has been screaming for some attention.
Good news. I finally have loaded a quilt top on the longarm. This top is one I inherited a long time ago and I do not know the maker. Bless his/her heart…they must have had very poor eyesight and definitely did not own an iron. This top has virtually every problem you can imagine: extremely poor piecing resulting in curvy seams & DD cups, selvage edges exposed on the top side where seams were less than 1/4″, none of the blocks have seams that match and most of the points have been destroyed, not to mention the old poor quality polyester fabrics fraying galore. Definitely not a show quilt.
Oh no….this one will never be seen in public. BUT, if I quilt it densely enough to keep it held together, we can use it to cuddle & keep warm in our family room. No stress required!
I have to admit…one of the reasons this top has gone un-quilted for so long (6 years) is that I worried it wouldn’t turn out perfectly. WHAT a joke! There is NO way that thing is ever going to look good, no matter what is done to it. Reality check: Nothing I could do to this quilt could make it worse. So I decided to scribble quilt or whatever…in all the wonky blocks. But what about all the open white spaces? Yes! Lots of dense pebbling. I love pebbles but I had never developed that skill so this quilt is the perfect practice, practice, practice candidate.
White on White Practice Pebble Quilting
I’m using Bottom Line Thread top & bobbin for this quilt since the quilting is so dense (approx. 1/4″ pebbles in the white areas and dense scribbles in the wonky blocks). I love this thread and the fact that it blends right into the quilt without a lot of thick build up even if I happen to backtrack over the same area multiple times. I have heard that some longarm quilters have difficulty using it in the top of their machine, but that has not been my experience at all (at least so far). I love it and have had very few breaks unless I did something irregular (such as a sudden jerk).
It may seem a little crazy to spend so much time (and so much thread) on such a poor quality quilt/top, but I’ve got to say it’s helping me BIG TIME to get comfortable with Max and to fine tune my fine movements. I’m LEARNING and this feels fantastic! Yes, I still have a ton to learn and I’m OK with that but I can definitely see improvement in my pebbling from when I first started. That’s a great thing.
The best part of this: I’m taking a big item off my to-do list, finishing it and making it a useful item to keep my family warm. That’s an AWESOME thing.Â
No more fear, no more excuses, and absolutely ZERO regret.
How about you? Do you have a project or several you’ve been putting off finishing because they aren’t necessarily your idea of “the best”? Isn’t it time to just get ‘em done and get some use out of them? What’s holding you back? Feel free to share your stories or comment. I enjoy reading your responses.
Hi Sheila……….It’s been almost a year–maybe more–since I quilted on Max, so you could easily have missed any mention.
Max is an APQS Millennium. He will be 2 y/o this Spring. I do like him a lot, but what I suggest when people are trying to decide on a longarm is to make a list of features that you need as well as the ones you want…compare to your budget.
Then, if there is any way possible, try to get to a big quilt show and try out the various brands and models. There’s really no substitute for trying them yourself. Because…what feels great to me might not suit you at all. Your personal test drives of each model/brand will help you make the most informed decision. Even if it costs a bit of money to get to a show, it will be well worth the $$$ to research and experience first hand. It really could save you a ton of money and stress in the long run. What sounds good on paper may not be the best once you try the machine. It’s a big purchase, so try out as many brands/models as you can and ask lots and lots of questions.
Tracy…you and I are in the same thought pattern. This year I too want to clear up 7, yes 7 quilts that are in various stages of completion. As of this week one baby quilt is almost done, just need to complete quilting the borders by domestic machine, then the binding. One quilt is kingsize with oodles of applique, it’s the applique that needs to have the edges readied for hand quilting which will be done by a group of ladies at the local seniors home. It will give them something to do during this very cold winter and I will make a donation to a charity of their choice. Cannot remember what needs to be completed on the others. I enjoy your enthusiasm and your special words to your readers, thanx for the inspiration.
Your pebbles look great Tracy! Have you talked about Maximus before? I would like to know which longarm you have, as I am making up my mind about which one to get.
Happy sewing, Sheila
Thanks so much for your kind words Brenda, Deb & Jackie! It means more than you know. Hugs & smiles from New Mexico.
Hey there Tracy,
I think you are doing a marvelous job on the pebbles, I would hate to show you mine. I love your enthusiasm in whatever you pursue!
Hugs……………Jackie
Way to go Tracy! That’s the spirit…and it’s looking good too!
Tracey, I love it when you practice on your longarm ! It inspires me !!
It sounds like you are new at this too ! I have owned my Gammill for
1 1/2years. I was very green and kind of new to quilting itself !! I will be attending classes in Kansas at the Machine Quilters Showcase in May and I am hoping that will put me over the edge of beginner !!! I always check your newsletter to see what you are practicing and then I try it ! You have helped me more than you know ! Thank you ! I enjoy your newsletter, thank you for your positive approach ! Brenda Smith — Indiana