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I can't believe I'm starting another quilt before finishing my first. I'm really sort of a beginner. Anyway, I've chosen the Log Cabin for my second quilt. I want to sew the top, batting, & backing all at once. One pattern said to cut the squares (top, batting, backing) all the same size, and another pattern said to cut the batting and backing slightly larger.
Any suggestions. Plan A is to hand piece the whole quilt. Plan B is to just get the top done and worry about the rest later :lol: |
I would go with plan B but that is just me, I tend to shy away from any and hall hand work that I can,
Generally you cut the batting and backing a bit bigger to make sure that you have it covered, The log cabin is a great pattern, do you have specifics to do it all at once or are you winging it? |
If you are hand quilting as you go, cut the back and batting a little larger. then , when it is quilted, you trim them down to all the same size before sewing them together.
And don't feel bad, most of us quilters have more than 2 quilts going at the same time. LOL |
Originally Posted by cutebuns
I would go with plan B but that is just me, I tend to shy away from any and hall hand work that I can,
Generally you cut the batting and backing a bit bigger to make sure that you have it covered, The log cabin is a great pattern, do you have specifics to do it all at once or are you winging it? If my first block doesn't go well, I just might have to dig out the instruction book again! |
I can't say much about the winging it as that is what I generally do, I have done some quilts just from pictures,
Take a few to practice on, cut the batting and the backing square out, and your strips for the block, place the center square in the center and tack it down, place your first strip on , right sides together and sew, I would finger press out especially if you are using poly batting, it will melt if you iron it, then continue in this way, Do you have measurements for the block? |
do you have a drop in bobbin or a front loading one that the little piece pulls out?
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Squares are suppose be 7" finished. I have a drop in bobbin, and it's plastic! When did that change :shock: ?
OMG...this just might be a little overwhelming! |
It will be fine, I promise, I hate the plastic ones and they use them usually for the bobbin sensor, if you are not worried about the machine telling you when your bobbin is getting low they still sell the medal ones and I recommend them, I have mostly metal for all of my machines, two of them insist on it in fact,
Are you sure that it is the bobbin tension and not your top? thread the machine and stitch a straight line out on some scrap and tell me what you see, or if you can take a picture of both sides and post it and then we can tell what is up with it, |
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Originally Posted by cutebuns
It will be fine, I promise, I hate the plastic ones and they use them usually for the bobbin sensor, if you are not worried about the machine telling you when your bobbin is getting low they still sell the medal ones and I recommend them, I have mostly metal for all of my machines, two of them insist on it in fact,
Are you sure that it is the bobbin tension and not your top? thread the machine and stitch a straight line out on some scrap and tell me what you see, or if you can take a picture of both sides and post it and then we can tell what is up with it, Front [ATTACH=CONFIG]62472[/ATTACH] Back [ATTACH=CONFIG]62473[/ATTACH] |
This happens to me too sometimes when my bobbin thread isn't wound tight enough on the bobbin, or maybe it is a bobbin that doesn't quite fit your machine?
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Rethread your machine making sure the top thread is through the tension disk. Hold the thread off the bobbin in one hand and the end of the thread (after you've threadded it) and tug on both ends. That should make sure it's in the tension disk. Next make sure your bobbin is seated properly in the bobbin case. There's a tension like thing there too. Put your finger on the bobbin and pull a little on the end of the thread after you threadded the bobbin. If your tension area has a dial with numbers on it, put it in the middle. Looking at your sample, I think either the top thread or the bobbin is not in a tension disk. What kind of machine do you have?
You have one quilt started and want to put that side to do another - that's a sign of a true quilter! :D Also, you should come into the chat room next time you're online. Click on the "live chat" button at the top of the site. Anyone there will be happy to help you out. |
I would say that it is your top thread. it doesn't look like it has tension so it is either it is turned down to low or the thread didn't make the tension disks, like stated above, try rethreading it all, top and bottom, Check to see what the dial on the top says, and turn it up a little, it should be around the center of the numbers, you will be able to tell what thread is doing what if you use different colors on the top and bottom,
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Originally Posted by Quilter7x
Rethread your machine making sure the top thread is through the tension disk. Hold the thread off the bobbin in one hand and the end of the thread (after you've threadded it) and tug on both ends. That should make sure it's in the tension disk. Next make sure your bobbin is seated properly in the bobbin case. There's a tension like thing there too. Put your finger on the bobbin and pull a little on the end of the thread after you threadded the bobbin. If your tension area has a dial with numbers on it, put it in the middle. Looking at your sample, I think either the top thread or the bobbin is not in a tension disk. What kind of machine do you have? You have one quilt started and want to put that side to do another - that's a sign of a true quilter! :D Also, you should come into the chat room next time you're online. Click on the "live chat" button at the top of the site. Anyone there will be happy to help you out. I'm so anxious, I can't stand it! See you in the chat room. |
if it hasn't been used in a few years it may like a little oil as well, it is best to use the manuel for this, they will tell you the best place to put it, and then run it without thread to work some of it in,
Eating can really get in the way of sewing time, it can be so annoying. |
That would be pretty if you were using that stitch to decorate a teddy bear applique :D:D:D That's quite a birds nest you have going on :shock:
I would get out your manual and make sure that you have threaded your machine correctly and that the bobbin is in correctly too..it does matter which way the thread unwinds off of it :D:D:D Is this a new machine or new to you? If it is a used machine, I would buy bobbins that you know for sure are made for your machine and replace the needle too... Plastic bobbins are what's reccommended for my machine...but if they have the slightest burr on them my machine gives me fits. |
Plastic bobbins are usually recommended if you have a sensor as they can't read it through the metal, that is also why if you use disposible that they tell you to take the cardboard off, I don't listen to my warning anyway so it doesn't matter if it reads it or not, the ones that like the metal don't have sensors on them,
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Originally Posted by amma
That would be pretty if you were using that stitch to decorate a teddy bear applique :D:D:D That's quite a birds nest you have going on :shock:
I would get out your manual and make sure that you have threaded your machine correctly and that the bobbin is in correctly too..it does matter which way the thread unwinds off of it :D:D:D Is this a new machine or new to you? If it is a used machine, I would buy bobbins that you know for sure are made for your machine and replace the needle too... Plastic bobbins are what's reccommended for my machine...but if they have the slightest burr on them my machine gives me fits. You are hilarious! If birds nest isn't a stitch do you think I could do a 'tute' on it? It's a new machine, but I've had it a few years. It's been sitting in the closet waiting patiently. Now, where did I put that manual? Thanks for your help, and humor. |
Even if it is a new machine, the oil doesn't age well on the machine and will need more,
if you can't find the manuel, there is usually numbers to go along to thread them, so start at the beginning and go along, most machines thread very similarly. |
not always but "almost always" when there is bad threads on the bottom of your fabric it's because the top thread isn't threaded properly and when there's bad threads on the top it's cause the bobbin is not loaded or seated properly. if i were you, i would re-thread the top, making sure it is definitely threaded properly and try again, and i'll bet that corrects it.
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It sounds like you want to do the "quilt as you go" method, where the putting together of the pieces also functions as the quilting because you sew through all layers. Why on earth would you want to do that by hand? Sorry - personal bias crept in. (If I depended on hand-sewing, I would never finish anything.)
I would suggest that you want that seam to be as tight as possible coz it is doing double-duty. Why don't you watch a couple of tutorials on the "quilt as you go" method to fully understand how the individual squares get attached to each other later. The log cabin is a good pattern for what you intend. IMHO, over-sized and cutting down insures that you have enough backing and batting. |
Originally Posted by MadQuilter
It sounds like you want to do the "quilt as you go" method, where the putting together of the pieces also functions as the quilting because you sew through all layers. Why on earth would you want to do that by hand? Sorry - personal bias crept in. (If I depended on hand-sewing, I would never finish anything.)
I would suggest that you want that seam to be as tight as possible coz it is doing double-duty. Why don't you watch a couple of tutorials on the "quilt as you go" method to fully understand how the individual squares get attached to each other later. The log cabin is a good pattern for what you intend. IMHO, over-sized and cutting down insures that you have enough backing and batting. |
Thanks everyone for your guidance! I had to rethread my machine a few times before I got rid of the 'bird nest' stitch. I still want to try hand quilting, but machine sewing sure would be quick! :-P
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It is definatly faster than hand. But there is a few on the board that do a lot of hand work. Like tippy just recently started to piece by machine. There is some amazing people here. I would day ladies but we have some pretty good men as well.
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Originally Posted by Twisted Quilter
Originally Posted by amma
That would be pretty if you were using that stitch to decorate a teddy bear applique :D:D:D That's quite a birds nest you have going on :shock:
I would get out your manual and make sure that you have threaded your machine correctly and that the bobbin is in correctly too..it does matter which way the thread unwinds off of it :D:D:D Is this a new machine or new to you? If it is a used machine, I would buy bobbins that you know for sure are made for your machine and replace the needle too... Plastic bobbins are what's reccommended for my machine...but if they have the slightest burr on them my machine gives me fits. You are hilarious! If birds nest isn't a stitch do you think I could do a 'tute' on it? It's a new machine, but I've had it a few years. It's been sitting in the closet waiting patiently. Now, where did I put that manual? Thanks for your help, and humor. I am happy to hear that you got rid of the nest :wink: Atleast you noticed your nests before you started...mine appeared in the middle of quilting and then I had to rippit rippit rippit :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: |
Originally Posted by Twisted Quilter
Thanks everyone for your guidance! I had to rethread my machine a few times before I got rid of the 'bird nest' stitch. I still want to try hand quilting, but machine sewing sure would be quick! :-P
... now amma... how can we 'get that nest stitch' everytime lol.. like when we would really like to have it? this will be interesting to hear ;) |
mine just did this, rethread it and try again. Save your self I took mine in thinking something was wrong and bless the sales people that were so nice about it and showed me where it jump the tension or i missed it...:) oops...
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Uh Oh...machine threads front to back. I didn't put the needle in, hopefully it's in correct.
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A lot thread front to back. Does it have an automatic needle threaded?
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An automatic needle threader? I thought that was me. :lol:
I'll have to look at my manual. |
Originally Posted by cutebuns
I would go with plan B but that is just me, I tend to shy away from any and hall hand work that I can,
Generally you cut the batting and backing a bit bigger to make sure that you have it covered, The log cabin is a great pattern, do you have specifics to do it all at once or are you winging it? |
A lot of the machines have one that you pull down on a thing on the left side and it puts a small metal hook through the eye of the needle, you run the thread over it and it pulls it through the eye,
so now, is there anything that we can do to help you understand what you are doing? |
how is your machine doing now on the tension? did you find your manual?
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Yep, I found the manual and finally got it threaded correctly. Machine is doing great, and I've just completed all blocks for a disappearing 9 patch. I was suppose to start putting it together this weekend but found out we're having a block sale next week, so it will have to wait.
Thanks for checking! :thumbup: |
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