cuppi duke

I have been sewing for a good part my life and quilting for a long time but finally came to the realization that when we go beyond ours and our sewing machines limitations, it ceases to be as much fun. I know now that I can't push my old machine to do the things that a newer machine or a long arm does. When I try I just get frustrated. Now I do lots of stitch in the ditch and grid work on the machine. If I want fancier stitching I do a little by hand and am finally proud of what I do. Hope this helps the newer quilters to not get so frustrated when their seams ripple and their stiching gets wonky. Cuppi

joan_quilts

I agree with you. For me, machine quilting is hard if I do anything but stitch in the ditch or a grid. I just don't know how to do it and I get upset.

cuppi duke

I'm sure glad I'm not the only one that feels that way. When I get up tight about sewing I don't enjoy it anymore.

belmer

That is wonderful advice for the newer quilters here. Some of us just have to be happy with what we have and make the best of it with our quilt making.

ssgramma

Great advice but don't forget to play too! I've tried several practice potholders over a couple of years and only now tried it on something "real". And then it was only a country look wallhanging.

I know I would need an awful lot of practice before I would try it on a quilt!!!

feline fanatic

But also keep in mind, you have no idea what your limitations are until you challenge them and more then once! Things you thought you and your machine were incapable of suddenly become do-able!

sewwhat85

i agree when having problems practice on something that doesnt matter if you have a opps

Rachelcb80

I agree completely!

SuziC

That is what makes quilting fun....do it "your" way!

cuppi duke

I didn't mean to not try new techniques, we always should learn new things and keep challenging ourselves. Just don't expect your quilt to look like it was done on a longarm when it is quilted on an old domestic or even one of the newer ones. Sometimes we quit when our project doesn't look like we expect it to and that's a shame too.