Is a Long Arm quilting machine meant to be used left to right?
08-29-2010, 09:21 PM
#11
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Originally Posted by Barb in Louisiana
I was in my LQS recently & the lady who owned the shop told me that Long Arms are intended to work from left to right. She said that the stitch would be different on the back of the quilt, if you went back...from right to left as with a pantograph. Is this something any of you with long arms have experienced? I would have thought you could go any direction with no difference in the stitching. We were discussing a Tin Lizzie. Maybe the Tin Lizzie likes to got from Left to right???
08-29-2010, 09:45 PM
#14
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Where do people come up with this kind of stuff?! I mean really, it's crazy talk! Next we will hear you can only cut fabric one direction, or iron when the planets are aligned a certain way. I'm just amazed, it's like you actually met the "crazy quilt police"!
08-30-2010, 05:07 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by MaryStoaks
I have a Tin Lizzie and I quilt both directions. Nobody told me I couldn't so I do. I think there is a different feel to going right to left vs left to right but once you get used to using the machine both ways it's second nature. The stitches are the same both directions, at least mine are.
08-30-2010, 05:45 AM
#16
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Originally Posted by butterflywing
Originally Posted by MaryStoaks
I have a Tin Lizzie and I quilt both directions. Nobody told me I couldn't so I do. I think there is a different feel to going right to left vs left to right but once you get used to using the machine both ways it's second nature. The stitches are the same both directions, at least mine are.
08-30-2010, 06:11 AM
#17
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I don't know why she would say that. Left to right from the front is right to left from the back, so it doesn't matter. I work both directions, although I do prefer left to right because my mind works better that way. I haven't noticed any problems with my curves or circles either, and they go in all sorts of directions.
beverly
beverly
08-30-2010, 07:37 AM
#18
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Actually, going from left to right and back to front (both measured as you stand in front of the machine) are the ways of least resistance. That's not to say that you can't go in circles, spirals, or right to left, front to back - but for maximum speed, sewing more or less straight lines, I was taught that you should go from left to right or back to front.
I believe this has to do with the way the machine is threaded. The thread comes from the right of the machine through the tension assembly, and goes front to back through the needle,then into the fabric. As you move the longarm head, you have tension from the thread that has already been sewn into the fabric and from the tension assembly. The thread going through the needle is pulled both ways and can snap at the needle if the tension is too severe. (Remember that the thread goes through the needle a gazillion times when making each stitch, so it can fray pretty quickly if it's being pulled too hard against the needle.) When you sew left to right, or front to back, the tension points (fabric already sewn and tension assembly) are on the same side of the needle, and that causes more thread breakage - but only at higher speeds, which is what you would do if laying a baseline for lining up your top for floating, for instance.
This same principle applies to free motion on the domestic sewing machine. If you move too fast in a direction that pulls your thread against the needle, you will get thread breakage.
I believe this has to do with the way the machine is threaded. The thread comes from the right of the machine through the tension assembly, and goes front to back through the needle,then into the fabric. As you move the longarm head, you have tension from the thread that has already been sewn into the fabric and from the tension assembly. The thread going through the needle is pulled both ways and can snap at the needle if the tension is too severe. (Remember that the thread goes through the needle a gazillion times when making each stitch, so it can fray pretty quickly if it's being pulled too hard against the needle.) When you sew left to right, or front to back, the tension points (fabric already sewn and tension assembly) are on the same side of the needle, and that causes more thread breakage - but only at higher speeds, which is what you would do if laying a baseline for lining up your top for floating, for instance.
This same principle applies to free motion on the domestic sewing machine. If you move too fast in a direction that pulls your thread against the needle, you will get thread breakage.
08-30-2010, 01:19 PM
#20
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Originally Posted by Lacelady
Originally Posted by butterflywing
Originally Posted by MaryStoaks
I have a Tin Lizzie and I quilt both directions. Nobody told me I couldn't so I do. I think there is a different feel to going right to left vs left to right but once you get used to using the machine both ways it's second nature. The stitches are the same both directions, at least mine are.
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