Originally Posted by kkbrand
Originally Posted by Sew much to do Sew little time
Thanks so much for the compliments on the quilt and for the happy anniversary wishes!
I love the bold bright colors. To me they are very young/modern, but also comfy and inviting.
I chose the fabrics by finding 6 bold solids and then a matching pattern fabric for each color that was roughly the same color but had leaves, swirls, stripes, etc for a little extra texture.
The quilting was done with a basic Brother sewing machine on a Gracie quilting frame. I printed the design on a sheet of paper then traced it over and over again lengthwise on some clear plastic (used to insulate windows) to make my own pantograph.
Wow I am totally impressed, so is your Basic Brother Machine one that you use to piece your quilt as well and then place it on the frame when you are ready to Long arm it? Where did you get your frame? Great job on the quilting by the way. I am considering buying a frame.
Yes, I only have 1 sewing machine that I bought at Wal Mart a few years ago. I use it for everything!
Anyway, I found that it worked just fine to put it on the carriage when I was ready to do the quilting. I had to adjust the bobbin tension a little and learn to move the machine slower than I first thought. I bought my Gracie frame used from another local quilter so it was considerably cheaper than a new one. I like it because I don't have to spend forever pinning the layers- I know that if I am careful loading the fabric on the poles, my backing won't have big wrinkles or puckers in it like my first quilt did. Also, it's great to be able to have the design you want to quilt on the table and just trace over it (or freehand) instead of chalking it on the whole quilt, etc. It does take up a lot of room, but I will just disassemble it each time and put it away between quilts. Since it is a regular sewing machine and the quilt has to role up on a pole going through the throat, the design should be pretty small. This one was about 3". I had to quilt 1/2 and then turn the quilt around because it was getting too thick to quilt the whole design. My experience using the frame was positive, and I would definitely recommend buying one. Perhaps you can find a used one on craigslist or from someone from a local quilting organization etc.