Machine Quilting

Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella

If it makes you feel better, I found the first hundred or so were a
challenge. (Of course, that could have just been me! LOL)

You get professional looking results the same way you get to Carnegie
Hall... practice, practice, practice. The good thing is you can practice
even on scrap fabric or plain muslin quilt sandwiches. Draw some lines and
try to follow them. Draw some points and connect the dots. Write your name
in thread. It's all good practice. (And here's a tip for you all -- animals
love to have animal-sized practice quilts. You can even serge the edges
instead of binding. I also did several queen sized practice pieces, and the
local homeless shelter was thrilled to have them. They loved the fact that
they were warm and not so pretty they would get stolen in one night.)
--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply


"Sindir" wrote in message
...
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella

You don't mention *what* you are trying to keep straight! If it is
trying to stitch straight along a seam (Stitch in the ditch, as it is
known), then I think that is a very difficult thing to do. There are
various tips, if that is what you are doing.
If you are quilting a grid, perhaps you might find it easier to mark the
lines with masking tape. I found that helped me enormously.

And, seriously, I think it would be unreasonable to expect a first quilt
to look professional, however hard you try or how careful. If it
"doesn't look bad", then that in itself is worthy of commendation. Take
to heart what Kathy said. If practice can produce work like hers, then
it really is the answer.
..
In article , Sindir
writes
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella



--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

If you are machine quilting and attempting stitch-in-the-ditch, try
spreading/pulling the seam open to have it as flat as possible. (Be
careful to not distort the quilt by pulling it out of position.) Also
sew a hair towards the "low side"..... as in if the seam is pressed to
the left, then sew slightly to the right side of the seam. When you
release the tension of "spreading" the seam, it will make the stitches
look better.

Leslie

The HairyFacedOnes 'N Me- My dogs aren't my whole life...they make my
life whole.

RCTQ- Houston 2004..... A good friend will come and bail you out of
jail.... but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...
that was fun!"

Yes along with many others that are next..
Its all in the cutting and sewing up the blocks.

Mine are getting better, but I still have a long way to go.
"Sindir" wrote in message
...
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella

Sorry, I didn't mention what I was trying to keep straight. I am attempting
to do the stitch-in-the-ditch. Half of the blocks are the hearts, which
have 16 squares that make up the block. My plan is to follow those seams
and then "re-create" those blocks in the solid areas. I did manage to get
one seam straight, along one side of the quilt, so at least I could pin
everything in place easily.

Sindir-ella

"Patti" wrote in message
...
You don't mention *what* you are trying to keep straight! If it is
trying to stitch straight along a seam (Stitch in the ditch, as it is
known), then I think that is a very difficult thing to do. There are
various tips, if that is what you are doing.
If you are quilting a grid, perhaps you might find it easier to mark the
lines with masking tape. I found that helped me enormously.

And, seriously, I think it would be unreasonable to expect a first quilt
to look professional, however hard you try or how careful. If it
"doesn't look bad", then that in itself is worthy of commendation. Take
to heart what Kathy said. If practice can produce work like hers, then
it really is the answer.
.
In article , Sindir
writes
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella



--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

When sewing straight seams it is much easier to use a walking foot and let the
machine do the work. I do this a lot. Free motion is much harder to control
but is neccesary when not doing straight lines.
Debra in Idaho

When you are trying to SID you need to slow down to have better control.
Remember it isn't a race and stitching slowly by machine is still faster
than by hand.

Cheri

"Sindir" wrote in message
...
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella

I am going very slowly. It took me over an hour to do one side (the short
side). But it still bunched and gathered and it definitely was far from
straight

Sindir-ella

"C. Carroll" wrote in message
news:LrNwb.495217$pl3.115499@pd7tw3no...
When you are trying to SID you need to slow down to have better control.
Remember it isn't a race and stitching slowly by machine is still faster
than by hand.

Cheri

"Sindir" wrote in message
...
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight? I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It
doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella

How did you choose to baste your quilt, and how did you go about it? That
might be where the trouble lies.
Diana

--
Queen of FAQs
Royal Peace Maker
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"Sindir" wrote in message
...
I am going very slowly. It took me over an hour to do one side (the short
side). But it still bunched and gathered and it definitely was far from
straight

Sindir-ella

"C. Carroll" wrote in message
news:LrNwb.495217$pl3.115499@pd7tw3no...
When you are trying to SID you need to slow down to have better control.
Remember it isn't a race and stitching slowly by machine is still faster
than by hand.

Cheri

"Sindir" wrote in message
...
Is the first quilt always difficult to keep lined up and straight?
I'm
having trouble following the lines and keeping them straight. It
doesn't
look bad, but it's a long shot from "professional" looking.

Sindir-ella