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Did Your New Machine Transform Your Quilting?

Did Your New Machine Transform Your Quilting?

Old 08-22-2011, 07:52 AM
  #31  
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It made a huge difference for me. The machine sewed so poorly (tension issues, stitch length, etc) that I actually hated sewing. When I got a new machine (just happened to be digital) it did such a wonderful job that I remembered how much I loved to sew.

Whether the machine is mechanical or digital is less important than whether or not it sews well. You have to find the machine that you love to sew on.
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Old 08-22-2011, 07:54 AM
  #32  
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Yes, it made a tremendous difference! I have my mom's Singer 100 which is ok for piecing.... and great for grandchildren to begin on. I've had an old Viking cam style (was the "best" when it came out and great for sewing clothes), then a Baby Lock which I got because a quilting friend (I was a beginner) liked hers so much... BUT she is a machine piecer and a hand quilter! The Baby Lock died on me (burned it out). The repairman man told me the best repair record on mid-priced machine (Bernina is out of my range) was the Jannome 6600 (this was a couple of years at least ago). I can do anything I've thought of doing with it. I'm in hog heaven!
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Old 08-22-2011, 10:48 AM
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Yes and it made me walk on water also LOL All kidding aside a machine can only do what you can do. I have basic machines and fancy dancy ones too but I am still me and no mach8ien is going to change that. Wish they could...
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Old 08-22-2011, 11:10 AM
  #34  
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I am hoping to get a longarm so I can start quilting my own tops!
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Old 08-22-2011, 11:36 AM
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Originally Posted by wishfulthinking
Just wondering. If you went from and older mechanical machine to a new computerized one, did your quilting drastically improve? Or if you just upgraded to a really nice machine, did you drastically improve? Was your new machine transformational? If so, why do you think?
About 18 years ago I went to a then "new" Bernina and although computerized it wasn't on a par with those of 2011. It absolutely transformed my quilting. The stitching was even, the seams were straighter and I enjoyed what I was using. I only piece on the machine and send all large, queen sized quilts out to be quilted. I have no desire for a long arm machine.
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Old 08-22-2011, 11:38 AM
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I took an 8-week course to cover all basics of quilting. We used the book "Machine Quilting Made Easy" by Maureen Noble. That improved my confidence level. IF I actually practiced - now THAT would improve my skills. The sewing machine helps though and my Baby Lock is a smooth operator.
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Old 08-22-2011, 02:08 PM
  #37  
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The big change for me was getting the larger throat opening so I can get more quilt into it for machine quilting. Also the automatic thread cutter is a time saver as well as a thread saver. I think this one will do me for a long time to come. Its a Pfaff Expressions 4.0 Jan
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Old 08-22-2011, 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by MIJul
Yes! Finally got a Pfaff and I can't believe what a HUGE difference it made to have that IDT. My quilting is much better, more even and way easier to do.
What's an IDT?
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Old 08-23-2011, 07:07 AM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
There was an instant and dramatic improvement in my piecing when I went from an old Montgomery Wards machine to a new Pfaff 2030. You couldn't sew a straight quarter inch seam on the Wards machine, you had to sort of sew at an angle. Even the quarter inch foot didn't help on that machine. It always made a groaning sound with the quarter inch foot on it.

I can't free motion on the Pfaff but I can straight line quilt on it with no problems because of the built in walking foot.
Drop your feed dogs and loosen your bottom tension just a smig, and you should be able to FMQ okay. Jan
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Old 08-27-2011, 05:34 AM
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I don't know about "better" but a new machine will definitely more than the old ones do and make some techniques easier.
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