I looked at trying to raise the machine up a bit but the top has to overlap the rest of the arm and the way it's built I don't think that overlapping piece is quite thin enough - I think if the machine was any higher that part would rub/catch on the machine itself and I don't want that. I can't really tell without trying it, though, and I'm kind of hesitant to fuss with it, after seeing how much work it took two guys to get the machine properly bolted in when they delivered it. It's bolted down to the table from underneath, and I have a bad back and an artificial hip so not really easy for me to climb down under there and fuss with it. :thumbdown: I could ask DH but he's been having back trouble lately too! (Getting old...it's not for the faint of heart!)

I guess if my sticky countertop solution isn't working and it keeps driving me nuts, I can ask the dealer to send their "grunts" (their description!) back to try and adjust it. Or maybe I can point out the same issue on the one they have in their shop and see if they can adjust theirs.

Fortunately, I prefer larger rulers anyway - larger rulers don't catch, it's just the little guys that are small enough to have more than one corner within that space. But it'd be nice if it were perfect. I was able to fuss with my Janome and its table and get everything precisely flush, so maybe I'm just a little bit spoiled. :)

(What am I thinking...I have a Q20. I'm completely spoiled!!)

ENJOY that spoiled feeling ..... and get using it, so you can show us the fruits of your labour!!!!! :)

I have a feeling that once you get going, you will be so focused on the results,
and the other will somewhat fade into the background.

I've been churning out samplers and practice pieces like mad. I'm trying to practice at least every other day but it doesn't always happen since I work full time and then some. I'm also holding off on buying a lot of LA rulers because I will be going to a big quilt festival in October and I know there are a couple vendors selling them there so I'll get to check them out in person and maybe even wheedle a deal if I buy several. (Which I probably will, as I've been saving up for that and have a list of shapes I want!)

I love, love, love ruler work. It comes out so good! Makes me feel like I know what I'm doing, LOL. My free-hand FMQ is so wobbly and awful by comparison but I can already see a little improvement, I think. Practice, practice, practice! Now what to do with all these practice sandwiches!? (Dog mats, I'm thinking...)

Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now we need some show and tell!! :)

Great to get some good practice in before you head to the show ..... the experience will set you up well, to talk to folks there and ask any questions you have.

Some other ideas for your practice pieces .....
* retirement or nursing home as placemats? or clothing protectors?
* lap quilts for those in wheelchairs?
* eventually put them together into a QAYG quilt?
* make tote bags?
* table toppers for yourself?
* finish them off for Meals on Wheels to give to their clients at Christmas time?
* make a pouch with pockets for your rulers?
* quilts for NICU wards at the hospital?

Oh, no, I think you are seriously over-estimating how attractive these samplers are! It's the ugliest/cheapest/worst fabric from my scrap bin, and I've gone mad on some of these things, layering patterns on top of patterns on top of patterns because I'm being "thrifty" and not using a fresh sandwich when I want to try something else.

Some of them I've just plunked fresh scraps on top and roughly topstitched it down and then added more quilting on top. We're talking weird shapes, exposed edges...just awful.

I would feel bad to donate these to anybody. Terribly ugly things. "Great to stick under the cat's face when he starts to hwarf up a hairball" kind of ugly!

I will find uses for them around the house, though. I collect and fix up old sewing machines - these will be good for catching excess oil and kerosene as I work on them, and for protecting my bookshelf when I'm storing them as they wait for their turn in the "hospital". And some of the larger samplers I'll probably make into a sleeve and stuff with scraps for the cat. He won't know it's not a real quilt!

Then you have your master plan put together!

They do make good "packing" if you have to pack china/glassware away.
Again, beauty doesn't count, but will do the job!

Go for it this weekend ... time to make something a little more pretty for you to keep and enjoy!

I have a quilt top that I finished a couple years ago that I think is ugly but other people tell me it's fine - I'm going to work on (finally) getting that all quilted up and then I think I'll donate it to a new youth center that just opened up last year. It's sort of masculine and I know they need "stuff" for the boys bedrooms in particular right now, to make them feel more home-like. And what's more homey than a quilt? :)

A good choice!
Good Luck!

Hello there, I just got the APQS sit down George quilting machine, I got this cream for the table, you put a coat on, let dry then buff it, you can do that 3 times, I've done the first coat , buffed it off this morning and the table feels like glass after one coat..fantastic for sliding quilt around...I got mine from www.angelahoffman.com
it was $10...the cream seemed to be such a little container, but I was surprised, it didn't take much at all for my table..area...I would think you wouldn't even notice the gaps if it slides that well...
Hope you check it out...

Thanks for the tip - I'd love to check it out, but the link you put in there isn't working! It goes to a "domain for sale" page.

Do you know what the name of the product itself is called, so I can Google it directly? I've been thinking about trying the silicone sprays but this sounds like it might be better.