Saturday, August 17, 2019

Pride Goeth Before the Fall

 I was celebrating the finish of my machine quilting sampler by doing a happy dance. This is the back. THE BACK. If you don't machine quilt you will think I am crazy but all of you who do know what I mean.


The front is easy. It's what's going on underneath that matters and lots of times it isn't pretty. This time it was. Each stitch was perfect. No puckers, no eyelashes, no skipped stitches, no nothing. I was over the moon happy.



So happy that I decided to go ahead and get started on the Dresden. I was on a roll with some simple stippling around the Dresdens until.....



 I turned it over to find-a mess. Eyelashes and ugly stitches all over the place. What on earth?



I spent an hour or so picking it all out and then made some little sandwiches to practice on. This time I'll check the tension, change the needle and slow down a bit. I sure got knocked off my cloud. This machine quilting thing is so much harder than it looks. Argh....

9 comments:

  1. Ugh - those eyelashes are the worst. I leave the tension fiddling to Mom. She sets the machine up and when it's perfect, I just go... weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

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  2. Such beautiful sewing! Congratulations! I still have to learn how to do this. Liana

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  3. The finished quilt is really lovely! Taking things at proper speed (i.e., slowly) has never been a habit I've been good at so good for you for checking underneath early enough to catch it!

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  4. I know it! Keep on practicing-every time you change the thread or the fabric under the needles, little tweaks are required! (Even on the longarm, when I load a quilt, I practice on the edge where the backing and batting extend out from the top to make sure that bobbin tension is where it belongs!)

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  5. That is exactly why I don't FMQ with my machines! Your practice piece looks stunning.

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  6. The 'good' back is Amazing! The backs of my anything hand made are always a hot mess. But yours, wow! That could be the quilt top!

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  7. Oh, no! Smart move to check the back before investing too much time. I have learned to check tension each time I replace a bobbin and also periodically like you did. With all the gadgets you use, do you not use a seam ripper to remove stitching? My seam ripper is probably my favorite gadget because I can also use it as a stiletto when stitching. The dresden quilt is so pretty even though it is not complete.

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  8. Oh my! That is a gorgeous quilt and you did a fabulous job quilting it. I have never machine quilted anything. I've only ever made three queen size quilts and I hand quilted them all. I don't plan to make anymore. Quilting just isn't my thing.
    I do love that Dresden.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  9. Beautiful on your first try! I am sure you will figure the last one out! :)

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