The Best Tools: Brother 10-Needle

A fellow member of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild wanted to sell her Brother 10-Needle embroidery machine. I've wanted a multi-needle embroidery machine since I started using my Pfaff Creative Performance more often. A single needle machine is fine if you do designs with few colors, but if you want to make more than one of a thing, or designs with several colors, changing threads can be a full-time job. There are tricks you can use when creating, or combining designs, but you still have to change the thread for every color change. This was a deal I couldn't pass up.

Gettng this monster home was no easy task. This machine weighs in around 90+ pounds. Definitely a two-peep carry. Thankfully, I brought along my darling husband to be the second peep. We went back and forth on where to put the darn thing, because while the footprint isn't huge, it is larger than the desktop I was using for the Pfaff Creative Performance. I had this IKEA table I had intended to use for standing and sewing. That standing and sewing didn't seem to materialize, though it did collect more than a few things on and around it. We moved all the collected stuff and moved it into the next room where I could plug it into a protected outlet on my conditioner/UPS. I use the same one to protect my desktop computer and my long arm.

There isn't much space between the long arm frame and that table but the machine fits and I can get my behind between the two.

Because I couldn't think about anything else, I made a mess of my workspace and got to stitching. This was pretty much the state of my cutting table for about a week.

I made this fun hand-sanitizer holder that looks sort of like a baseball (design from Designs by Little Bee). That may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but telling the machine which of those 10 needles you want it to use for each step isn't as simple as one would think. I learned so much making this. I'll be making more, and learning more.

I will get around to putting a couple things in my Etsy shop at some point. Right now it is a somewhat lonely place with a couple dice bags just hanging out waiting for someone to want them.

Sewing Machine Repair

The one of the lamps on my favorite Pfaff has been flickering, again. I had taken it in to the shop to have this fixed a year or so ago and the tech said it wasn't the bulb but the fixture. The tech note also stated it had been tightened up.

Until recently I wasn't able to perform my own maintenance on this machine because I didn't have the right tools to open it up. I recently purchased a Hex Key Wrench set so I could reach the screws and get into the workings of this machine. When I did, I found the wire was holding on by only a couple strands and broke from the top of the fixture when I touched it.

I had to borrow the soldering iron from a friend as I couldn't find mine. I grabbed my wire strippers, brand new wrench and my needle nose pliers and got to work.

See that glob of solder? Yep, that's what that wire should be connected to. The other lead connects to another glob on the other side of the lamp. I'm somewhat appalled by this poor design, but it has served me well for almost ten years and thousands of hours of sewing so I guess sometimes cheap gets the job done.

I stripped back the wires, removed the old solder, and soldered the leads onto the top of that fixture. It is by far not my best soldering job. I also tightened up the clamps for the lamp which is what was causing my flicker. Next time I open up the machine, I'll skip to that step and not fiddle around with wires.

Don't be afraid to learn about your tools and how they work. I often question why people that know their sewing machines so well they give them first names are unwilling to open them up and see what makes them tick. This is especially puzzling when it comes to mechanical only machines such as vintage sewing machines. There is so much to learn and really, it's pretty difficult to mess them up.

Sewing Machine Love

Many years ago I decided to stop buying cheap sewing machines from the big box stores. Without doing much research I found a Pfaff dealer. They were in the middle of a sale and I found one that I thought would suit my needs. It isn't terribly fancy but has a huge space for quilting, and more features than I've ever managed to use.

One thing about all machines is that you do have to treat them with respect and I'll be honest and say that I don't treat this machine with the respect it deserves. I'm horrible at changing out the needle, even when I know I should. I fail to clean out the dust bunnies often enough. I ask it to work long hours without a rest. To the machine's credit, it never lets me down. Ever. I've had this machine for almost ten years and other than the light bulb becoming wobbly and flickering (fixed by my technician, not me) it has never had a problem. April 1st, the beginning of a new month, a new quarter, and time to do the maintenance I keep putting off. This poorly lit photo is what it looked like when I opened it up. Pretty horrible, really.

I plucked, and brushed, and moved the dust bunnies from the inside to the outside. I replaced the needle, and said "I'm sorry" at least a hundred times. See that pile of lint to the right? Yep, that's what I dug out of the machine.

Cleaned, dusted, a fresh topstitch needle, and we were ready to get to work on a full day of projects.

I tried to find a single cleaning tutorial that I thought would be helpful but there are just so many out there. Use your search engine of choice to learn more about sewing machine maintenance that matches your machine, and make sure you refer to your owner's manual before adding any lubricant to your machine. Some machines (older mechanical machines with mostly metal parts) can be lubricated with sewing machine oil without a worry of damaging the machine (I oil my long arm with every bobbin change). More modern machines often have oil-free bushings and you'll end up with your machine in the shop if you oil something that doesn't need it, or put oil in the wrong spot.

No, I won't hem your curtains

We've lived in this house for over a year. We put up enough window treatments to ensure modesty and privacy. But we hadn't done anything fancy. Not that this project is going to be fancy. I don't do fancy. We picked up some reasonably priced curtain panels at IKEA.

That's where the sewing machine comes in. We chose these based on price and opaqueness. There were thicker curtains, but the price point was higher. It also meant that they were about 20 inches too long. While my Darling Husband was more than happy to hang them as they were, I was less than impressed with 20 inches of curtain on the floor. Likely picking up a lifetime of dog fur.

After trimming and hemming the curtains I would have been left with five panels worth of 20" of curtain. I suppose I could have made tote bags, but I figured adding that bit to the top of the panel would keep the room a little darker (the real goal of this window treatment is to prevent glare on the television) and I wouldn't be left with scraps. I simply folded under about 1/4 inch on that raw edge and top stitched it below the seam at the top. It sure isn't fancy, but it isn't wasteful, either.

About two hours later I had my five panels finished. They block out the light nicely and look pretty good while doing it, too. After I was finished, I decided that I would evaluate the value of this work at $50/panel. This is where I tell you again about the wonderful articles you can find on Sam Hunter's blog and learn more about the We Are $ew Worth It way of thinking.

I would love to teach you how to use a sewing machine and how to hem your own curtains. No, I won't hem them for you.

Sewing Machine Maintenance

Every year you should take your sewing machine in for service.

Why? Because even if you're great at keeping your machines clean and changing out the needle there are places you may not be able to get to. My local Sew & Vac offers a wonderful deal new sewing machines. They include 5 years of free maintenance. They also offer classes and help with your sewing projects. Everyone there is so nice and helpful.

I had them service three machines: Babylock Evolution (overlock), Pfaff Expression 2.0 (my everyday machine), and my Empress long arm quilter (Tin Lizzie). Only one of these was bought in their shop but they service all machines and that service is great. I was having terrible problems with the long arm quilter. I'm so glad I took it in. It needed a timing adjustment, which was the likely cause of all my troubles.

Happiness is a truck-load of serviced machines.

Becca's 10 Quilty Little Secrets

Everyone loves a challenge!  I'm not going to belabor the point, just throw some links at you and get down to my 10 Quilty Little Secrets.

I bumped into this somewhere in my travels and wanted to play along.  I think I'll be among good company.  The original post was from Amy at 13 Spools.  Hop over to the link-up for all the Quilty Little Secrets that are being shared.

1.  I no longer pre-wash my quilting cotton fabrics.  Modern fabrics are printed at a high quality and do not bleed or fade.  I don't pre-wash batiks either. 

2.  I wash my quilts after quilting in the same cycle I wash my bedding.  Warm water wash with light detergent and a cold rinse.  I follow that with a trip through my dryer.  Both machines are set to NORMAL.  I believe that quilts should be used.  If they are used they need to be washed.  Period, end of story. 

3.  I use the thread I want to use.  This means I use filament polyester, spun polyester and cotton threads.  Each in their place and sometimes I mix it up.  Restricting yourself to one thread content because it is the only "right" thread is just narrow-minded.  (I think you should step away from most threads at the chain stores, too, but that is another argument discussion.) 

4.  I sew with sewing machines from many different manufacturers.  I have Pfaffs, Singers, Tin Lizzies, Brothers, a Baby Lock, and even a Kenmore.  Machines that are modern and machines that are almost 100 years old.  I don't restrict myself to one brand and neither should you.

5.  I am a ruler junkie.  I love rulers.  I buy rulers because I can.  I have rulers I've had for months and still haven't unwrapped.  I have them, though.

6.  I put water in my iron and always have.  I'm not afraid of steam and I know how to use it.  You can say whatever you want.  I don't care.  It is how I get a nice crisp seam and that's the way I like it.

7.  I was a quilter for years before I made something with more than four half-square triangle blocks.  It took a massive quilt with over 300 of them for me to decide they don't suck all that much.  (I still have to like a bunch to make them for you.)

8.  I hate computerized quilting.  I hate how slow the machine stitches to get a good stitch when it is computer driven. Any jackass can run the computer (this is not the same as creating your own designs on the computer, that takes a skill set I do not have).  It takes someone with training and some talent to produce pretty hand-guided work.  

9.  I don't measure when I add borders.  I just sew them on and they don't wave.  Practice, baby!

10.  I don't bury threads when I quilt.  I tried it once and didn't like it.  I stack up some stitches and trim off.  That's how I did it with my sewing machine and that's how I do it with my long arm.  

Bonus secret:  I will never monetize my blog.  I'm here to talk about quilting and sewing and other fun stuff.  If I share link it is because I like the product, have used it and recommend it or I tell you why I didn't like it.  All that ad stuff is just garbage!

It took me days to write this list, remove some questionable remarks, edit it down, remove some language that some viewers might find inappropriate, edit it some more, and get around to posting it.  If you read any of these and don't understand my reasoning please leave me a comment and I'll do my best to respond.

I hope you can look at your quilting and find things that you do that are different from the "conventional way" of doing things.  You should create something that makes you happy using the techniques you are comfortable with.

Threads, threads, threads!

Today I spent a little time auditioning threads for this quilt.  This is the quilt from last year's Quilt Quest.

I would really like to finish this quilt before the new shop-hop begins, so here I am looking at my quilt top and all these threads.  I don't usually do color-work with the quilts.  I pick one that matches the backing and just go for it.  This time, I may challenge myself.  I'm still thinking about it.  So many choices!

All these amazing threads are from Superior Threads.  I love them all.

Do you change your threads often when quilting?  Or, do you just pick one and stick with it?  If I do change the colors, how custom should the quilting be?

Modern Quilting for The Bitchy Stitcher

WARNING:  If you think quilting isn't funny, or are easily offended by (im)mature language, I recommend you stop reading now.  You've been warned.

Back in April of this year, The Bitchy Stitcher wrote a fun post that tickled my funny bone.  I set out to make some of her amazing modern quilts.  In miniature.  I also found a short thread (that I can't find now) over on the Quilting Board where there was some butt-hurt that lasted about three posts until someone pointed out that her new book, Modern Quilting:  F*ck Yeah!, was a joke.  The original post was posted on April 1st, after all.

First I picked out my solids, because everyone knows that modern quilting demands solids.  Lots and lots of solids.  These are all Kona Cottons from Robert Kaufman that I had in my stash.  I have so many of these because they are quilting staples.  I also have batting by the roll and thread in colors the rainbow never heard of.  Don't judge.

I was going to use Kona white (there are actually several shades of white/neutral in this line) for the backing and the background for some of these.  I ended up changing my mind on the backing fabric since I decided to print the label directly on the backing fabric.  I used the prepared fabric you can get at quilt shops for printing with your inkjet printer at home.  I've had these fabric sheets for a long time and decided that I should use them.  It is only a matter of time before the sticky backing either doesn't come off or falls off before I can print on it.

To get the shapes for the front of the quilts, I went with English paper piecing.  I have an unnatural (and disturbing) urge to do this sort of sewing.  It goes against everything I am when it comes to quilting.  I am a machine sewer.  I am a machine quilter.  I finish binding by machine.  But... English paper piecing is a topic for another blog post.

I attached the shapes to my white background fabric.  Sometimes, my hand work is better than others.  The hexie was fine.  That quadrilateral challenged my sewing ability and my inner calm.  I decided to just let that one ride.  Life is too short to rip.

The quilting is where I really let this project take off.  First was Far From the Madding Crowd.  I sort of let the walking foot do the work.  This is another thing you see a great deal of in modern quilting; long parallel lines that use some of the piecing as a base and just take off across the surface of the quilt.

Here we have Dream Your Explosion Tiffany.  I used one of the fancy stitches on my sewing machine to balance the feather I put in the white background.  That feather isn't perfect, but I love it anyway.  Sometimes the feather, an heirloom quilting motif, is stitched into the negative space of modern quilts because, well, feathers are awesome.

Finally, we have Meadowlarking.  I love the quilting on this one.  Each of those little clams challenged my free-motion quilting abilities.  Overall I like this one the most.  The quilting is perfect!

I trimmed and added the binding to each tiny quilt to contrast the quilt and really help the design stand out.  Nah, I just sort of followed the book on this one.  I still love the effect.  Megan picked great colors.

Each back was printed with the label prior to quilting.  This is a great way to label your mug rugs.  I should use some freezer paper to do this sort of thing with other mug rugs.  Sometimes I'm such a genius!  (One millisecond is all it takes.)  I suppose if I do that I should also share a tutorial.

 Far From the Madding Crowd

 Dream Your Explosion Tiffany

Meadowlarking

These quilts were a blast to make.  After they were done, I bundled them up and sent them to The Bitchy Stitcher.  I can only hope I did her patterns and designs justice.

As I mentioned before, The Bitchy Stitcher is collecting quilt blocks to create the Laughter Quilt.  This is a great way to share something that makes you laugh with the quilting world.  Seriously, lend a hand.  Remember, if you can't laugh, you'll cry.  There is no crying in quilting, especially modern quilting.

Fashion Formula Skirt Number Three

I found some more batiks that I thought would work up into a skirt.

This time, I had to get a little creative on the tier lengths due to the amount of fabric I had available.  I considered making five tiers, but decided I didn't really want another tier.  I cut the fabric based on what I had available, which was two 1/4-yard cuts of the top three fabrics and less than a yard of the blue/black on the bottom row.  That is the only tier I have that needs to have three strips cut width of fabric, so it worked out just fine.

The finished length is 28".  This is a good length for summer, I think.

Fashion Formula Skirt Number Two

Here is another skirt I made using the pattern from Serendipity Studio.  It's call Fashion Formula Skirts.

After making the first one, I couldn't stop.  I had to make another.  Fabric selection slowed me down a little, but only a little.

I had planned on taking more construction pictures of this skirt than I did the first one, but before I knew it, it was done.  No pictures.

Here is sneak peek at the inside.  See how pretty the serger makes all those seams?  I think I'm in love with that Evolution.

The Pfaff does a good job with those pretty top stitches, too.  While I was trying to squeeze another skirt out of my copious stash of batik fabrics, I think I figured out how to make this skirt entirely from 10" squares.  I will have to give that one a try at some point.

Fashion Formula Skirt Number One

I know, the title implies there will be more than one of these skirts.  The answer is yes.

I picked up this great pattern from Serendipity Studio.  It's call Fashion Formula Skirts.  I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for a tiered skirt.  They are comfortable, easy to make and fun to wear.  They let you showcase one fabric or a stack.

On Saturday I went to Bear's Paw Fabrics and did some shopping in their discount isle.  I can't pass up a batik, particularly when I need to make a skirt like this.  I picked up five different fabrics to make at least one skirt.  I should have gotten more fabric, but I can always go back.

The Fashion Formula Skirts booklet is a quick formula for a skirt that anyone can do with some simple math and the right tools.  Cutting is quick.  The skirt made up quickly on my serger, with details stitched with my sewing machine.

I probably spent more time making sure I knew which fabric I wanted in which teir than I did with the cutting.  Here are my four tiers cut and ready to be seamed.

I seamed each tier together and used my serger to finish the edges.  I also used the serger to do the gathering and construction.  I use the sewing machine to do all the top stitching.  Each seam is top stitched down with coordinating thread.

I love this skirt and will make many more.  (Don't mind that pile of free-motion quilting practice under the skirt.)  Sorry about the wrinkles.  I'd been wearing it and had to put it onto the dress form to take the picture.

Someone commented on  my dress form over on Google+.  This is Rita.  She is a "Uniquely You" dress form.  You can find her on Amazon.com, though I bought this one years and years ago at a Jo-Ann Fabrics.  Funny, I never realized I named the dress form but have never named a sewing machine.  Things to ponder.

Gilded

Last week there was an amazing sale over at Urban Threads.  Their new pack, Gilded Heraldry, was on sale and I couldn't resist.  I picked it up before I really knew what I was going to do with it.  Then, it occurred to me that I knew exactly what to do with it.  Well, mostly.

Months ago.  Maybe more like a year ago.  I picked up some denim jackets at a thrift store in Virginia.  I knew I wanted to add embroidery, but not what embroidery.  Urban Threads always puts out great sets, so I knew one would come along that would fit my collection of jackets.

I tried on a couple of these denim pieced and settled on this one made by Levi Strauss.  I picked a design that would fit into the side panels and started stitching.  I stitched this design on both sides of the jacket.  The other side is the mirror image of this one.  I thought about the back design for a while before settling on the eagle.

I think I would have had better results if I had basted better.  This denim does have some stretch to it.  Since it is my jacket, I just won't point it out to anyone and it will be fine.

I even considered opening up one of the seams on the sleeve so I could add some more embroidery, but decided it was done.  This is one that I could have gone totally over-the-top with if I didn't rein myself in.

The thread is Magnifico #2176, Cinnamon, from Superior Threads.

Spring Swap

I participated in the Springtime Mug Rug swap hosted by Michele at the Quilter's Gallery.  These are the two mug rugs I made for myself. 

Here are some pictures of the front and back of both mug rugs.

In hindsight, I can see that the label works so much better with a dark color thread on these batiks.  I still love the batiks for this project.  Bright colors are just so much fun!  I fussy-cut some of pieces to make the fabrics work for me.  I love these flowers.

Both patterns were designed by The Patchsmith.  You can find her patterns on Craftsy in her store.  They are reasonably priced, so click through and check them out.  The butterfly trail was free-motion stitched before I layered the top with the batting and backing.

The appliques were stitched down by machine with Masterpiece from Superior Threads before I layered the top over the batting and backing.  

While Masterpiece is not intended for quilting, I did quilt with it in this case.  Since I did all the quilting free-motion on my sewing machine, I could stitch slowly and get good-looking stitches without thread breaking.  I don't think I could get this good a stitch with the long arm with this thread.  I would have used So Fine! #50 for long arm quilting with this level of detail.

The binding was attached by machine on the top and hand-stitched to the back.  I don't usually use a narrow binding, but these mug rugs finish at 5.5" by 9" and I thought a binding cut at 2.5" would be entirely too wide.  This binding was cut at 2" and finished just a hair over 1/4" on the front and right at 3/8" on the back. I could have cut the binding at 1.75" and gotten a great result on the front and back.

Big Bold Finish!

While at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo, I had some time to finish the binding on this quilt.  It was time well-spent.  I can finally say this one is done!  I added the label yesterday.

I think the vines that travel up the solid patches really bring this quilt to life.  I know not all quilting is meant to be seen, but I just love this quilting.

I will have to take another picture, or two to show the border quilting. I used several different designs in the quilting of this quilt.  The vines that travel up the solid blocks are just one.

I also used a flower design with tendrils in the print areas.  Even with this great thread (Fantastico from Superior Threads) it just disappears in the prints.

The inner border is filled with different sized bubbles/pebbling.  The outer-most border is all done with a straight ruler and is very simple.  I'll have to take a picture or two to show that.  All it needs now is a good run through the wash to give it that amazing texture that cotton batting provides.  I love a good finish.