There is a "slider" plastic with a needle hole, put this on your machine,
eliminates static, and she uses 100wt Silk thread (22-25 stitch/inch) to quilt.
3 strands of thread should float through the eye of your needle.
5 strands of thread lined up next to each other is the shortest stitch you
should use, and never more than 8 threads wide.
***If your using a long arm machine, even the smaller short arms, you can control
bounce with bags filled with rice, she uses a hand towel stitched shut down
center & both ends, filled with rice, and sometimes she'll use 1-2-3 bags, to
eliminate bounce of the quilt and keep it taught. If you have any hand tremour,
even just from being tired or nervous or a little weak/illness, use weighted
gloves. They were on sale at JoAnns (bright green items) that help your 'body'
for sewing, these avg. $20-25 on sale for $3-5.
She also sewn her own leaders, the width of the area you can stitch on your long
arm, with a 1"PVC pipe sewn into a sleeve at one end where your long arm table
clamps will hold onto. Then she uses 'T' pins to pin the leader to the
bottom/back of your quilt, this gives a more even tension than clamps alone.
Sharon Shamber always floats her tops. She will load the back fabric, & roll
all to the back, alwys first. She never presses, she uses Starch, spray the
fabric, and wait a minute and wrinkles magically disappear. Sew velgro to both
leaders & use water soluble thread to the other velcro to your backing so you
can remove the quilt...or best is to finish one quilt first. When you load it,
measure with tape measure around the leader poles at both ends and middle to
make sure your poles have not warped or bend, this will distort your quilt...if
you have flimsy poles, put a thick dowel or PVC through center of your poles, to
stabilize & strengthen them, or replace with thicker stronger polls.
Baste the 3 layers (top, batting, backing) to the north pole/top roller. Baste
at sashing or grid lines you've folded in, horizontally using your long arm to
baste across. Baste as you go, not the whole quilt, but as you roll it forward
to each new section.
Well, I hope all my notes have helped. LOTS of things to think of.
Deb D