Hello to everyone! My name is Suzi and i'm from Rochester, N.Y. It's such a pleasure to read about quilting like this! I've been doing it for about 15 years but still have so much more to learn. I have three grown sons and two grandchildren with another on the way. That does not leave too much time for sewing. I am really looking forward to talking with all of you and hearing your stories.
Thank you for including me in this forum.
Have a wonderful evening!!

WELCOME, SUZI.........I AM NANCY, FROM WI. JSUT BEGINNING QUILTING, AS OF A YEAR NOW. MY KIDS ARE CLOSE TO YOU..MAINE. I GO THERE TWICE A YEAR TIO SEE THE KIDDIES,,,,,2 GIRLIES, AND ONE LITTLE GUY! THE APPLES OF MY EYES! HOPE WE CAN CHAT! HAVE A GREAT DAY! NANNER

Hi Nanner: I know how that is...having to visit the kids. I have a son
in Clearwater Fl. They just had my First Granddaughter. I just got back from seeing her. What a hard time i had when it was time to leave and come home. Hope we can chat about quilting and families. Have a good night!

Hi Susie

Welcome, My my name is Becky, I'm from the Peachy State of GA. I've been sewing for 35yrs and been seriously quilting for about 15 yrs, I'm addicted, I design my own quilts, I love applique quilts. I have 3 grown sons and 4 gr-children, 3boys, and 1 gr-daughter. They are the songs in my heart.I drive a big yellow school bus for special need children, I'm also a RMA, (Registered Medical Asst), I quit after 14 yrs, My 3rd year with special need children, And I love my job, because I love my kids. If theres any thing I can help you with, please ask, I love to help, if I can. Just remeber there are NO DUM QUESTIONS, And FEAR is your greatest enemy.

So excited to hear of this site....many questions. Retired and began quilting, a joy my mother-in-law taught me in 2001. I have a question on the quilt I am working on....as I am stippling (I think that is the word) my quilt, my top thread on the machine keeps raveling and I have to cut, rethread and begin again....HELP
Rainbow

I have a few suggestions, If your stippling through your quilt top, batting, and quilt back, Do you have the correct size needle? How about your tension? Are you moving your fabric around to fast? If it's the thread it's self then it's the thread, I use 100% cotton thread when stippling, Try these and let me know what it was?

Hi Rainbow, If you are using a universal needle to stipple, you might want to try a quilting needle or topstitch needle instead. I also use a good quality machine quilting thread. Hope this helps.

THANKS !!!! I changed needles - use the good kind - but never heard of the needles you mentioned...will have to go shopping for this. Quite frustrating to stop and start over and over so I KNEW there must be an answer to this.

Rainbow

Becky, THANKS....will try this. I LOVE the time quilting and find stippling to be quite a lot of fun. I pieced the Irish Chain quilt - so I am stippling only the open squares - and stitching in the ditch the smaller squares. This is the first time with BOTH of these procedures. I have always done diagonals. Quite an experience for me. Appreciate your input.

Rainbow

Rainbow, make sure the notch on your thread spool is not at the top where the thread comes off, if it hangs it will get tight and shred and break.

Hi SuziC,

You were in Clearwater and didn't tell me? LOL No, really, I live just north of there and wondered if you'd found Rainbow's End in Dunedin while you were here. There's also another quilt store on Drew St. in Clearwater named Bears and Quilts that's pretty cool.

Let me know the next time you're down here and we can meet if you like.

Hugs, Ellen

I really like stippling as well, it fills in gaps real nice.I don't do alot of traditional quilting, I like to travel to my own beat, I design my own and I combine hand quilting and machine quilting. I only did hand quilting for about 10 yrs and It took me forever to complete a quilt, Then I picked up machine quilting and I wasn't happy with just that because I really liked the effect of hand quilting, so after, pursuing other ways and alternatives, I found by combining the two and doing both , I create the homie touch as well as getting more quilts done, I'm finishing up on my Christmas quilt, and I'm real pleased in how it turned out, I name my quilts and this one is called "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas" But I've got alot of ideas of other quilts that I want to do, so as soon as I finish this one I'll start on the next, Thanks for wirting back, Hope to hear from you soon.

Becky, I tried your suggestion of not moving the fabric around as fast and SUCCESS !!!! That was the only suggestion that I could accomplish without having to go out and buy something. Will try 100% cotton when I get out...right now I use poly-cotton. THANK YOU !! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU !! The sewing was SO much easier and more fun....just whipped through the squares.

Hi Everyone,
I am a quilter living in North Carolina. I am working on a queen size Flying Geese quilt right now. My first full sized quilt. Have a few puckers, but all in all it seems to be going pretty good.

A.T.

Aloma, are your AT THIS TIME piecing the pieces together for the quilt or quilting it all together with batting???? The quilt I am working on now is the FIRST quilt I have quilted that does not pucker...and I took someone's advise and pinned the backing tight on the rug before I laid out the batting and then the top. Made me SO HAPPY !!!

Type to me.

Joan

Joan, I've taped my backing to a hardwood floor but never tried pinning it to the carpet. I'm going to try the carpet next time. It would definitely be easier on my knees. Thanks for the tip.

Minda

Hi Everyone: Loved reading the messages and answers to the lady's feed dog questions. I'm a fairly new quilter...4 years. I'm addicted! I belong to a guild and we make and donate quilts to foster kids through our local Child Protective Agency...this year we've made and donated over 50 quilts! I have many questions but no time to write them out right now. Hope to meet you all again soon on the message board. Oh ya, I'm retired, have 6 kids, 9 grandbabies and don't play the lottery but can't pass up a casino without stopping to make a donation...last week we had a withdrawal for a change. LOL. Randy

Hi Joan,

I am sewing on the first border right now. I like your idea about pinning the backing to the carpet first. I will give it a try when the time comes.
Thanks for the tip.

Aloma