I’m new here!
 

Hullo, my name is Lalla and I’m a long-time thread-drawing person, but that almost always involves quilting, and sometimes I do actually make quilts, even if they usually do include ‘drawings’, usually as appliqués. I illustrate books, too, and my subjects are mostly animals, both in thread-drawing and illustration. I’ve been lucky enough to have four one-woman exhibitions of my thread-drawings in London, where I grew up, three of them at the Royal National Theatre. My original profession is as an actor, and I still do a lot of voice stuff - reading books for audio mostly, and sometimes doing audio plays, all of which I can still do from Hong Kong where I now live, having moved here from Oxford, my home for the last thirty years. My acting career has given me the opportunity here at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where my husband is master of a college, to work with students on presentation skills - I find, to my amazement, that I love teaching and seem to be quite good at it! I love working with these students, they are so smart and quick to learn. I don’t know anyone else who quilts here, and I’m finding it quite difficult to find supplies - I often resort to getting UK suppliers to post me fabric, even though there are areas in Hong Kong that do sell such things but not what I want! I guess I’m too picky? I use a lot of Japanese fabric and you’d think it would be easy to find here, but it isn’t! I first found this site, earlier today, because I’m thinking of upgrading from my beloved Juki TL98P that I’ve had for years and years - it’s done me proud and I feel like a traitor even thinking of changing - but I covet the speed regulator that the newer versions have, and am dithering between the 2010Q and the 2200QVP Mini; I think I’ll probably go for the former because I really don’t need the extra feet that come with the Mini, can’t seem to see that there is much else different, and rather prefer the simplicity of the 2010Q design. I don’t usually do huge quilts so I think I’d be fine with the smaller machine, and I’d have the speed regulator! I very much look forward to reading what others have to say on all sorts of subjects to do with quilting, and am glad to be in touch with you all.

Welcome! You sound like a very talented person. As for your sewing machine purchase, there are many people on this board
that love their Juki 2010.

I must have a search for what people have to say about the various Juki machines; as for talented, thank you for that, but it’s more like just being lucky, I think, and obsessive! I can’t imagine not making things.

Welcome from Southern California. When I was ready to buy the Bernina stitch regulater, the dealer said I didn't need it. I'd had some experience with FM and found that the SR didn't keep up with my FM movements. Try it out first if you can.

Is speed control the same as stitch regulating? I’ve got speed control on my Juki Exceed HZL and it makes a huge difference to my natural tendency to hurtle, it’s just that the otherwise great Exceed is simply not in the same ballpark for free motion or straight stitching as my one-horse-wonder. The Juki semi-industrial TLs are, of all that I’ve tried, incomparably the best, like using a stylus pen instead of a crayon for drawing!

Welcome from Ohio. I’m looking forward to seeing photos of your work!

Welcome from Michigan!:)

welcome from Illinois and I can't wait to see some of your work!

Welcome from Las Vegas. Wow, love your background. As far as advice on what machine to get I always advise going to a dealer & test driving to see what you like & dislike about the different models. You don't have to buy your machine there that would give you a little more knowledge to go on. Good luck.

Thank you so much , everyone, for the welcome, and the advice! I look forward to exploring the site before I ask too many already answered newbie questions! It’s great to know there is somewhere to come with those questions, and to feel one is in a safe environment withe like-minded, knowledgeable people who are generous with their expertise. There’s always so much to learn.