Quilt Four Done!!!

Well I'm getting there!  I'm so happy!  I've got quilt number four done and I think I'm really getting the feel for my new machine.  I know it seems as though I blew right through a few quilts but I know myself and I just had to dive in and get a feeling for how this thing works or I'd never get anywhere with it.

I'm really happy with how this turned out - and you can REALLY see the improvement.  Two things that I think would help the look of those feathers...blending thread and slowing down a bit.  I freaked out yesterday because I began to have skipped stitches when going to the left...but someone on the APQS forums suggested maybe I had my quilt layers pulled too tight and I think he was right.  I loaded up some practice this morning and - no skipped stitches.

I LOVE the back of this.  All the more reason I feel like I should spend more time choosing my thread.  It blends really well in the back.  I'm not ripping because this is my quilt...but I think in the future I'm going to spend more time carefully thinking about the entire quilt on a whole and how the thread will look.  I think the only way this would have looked better in the borders was to nix the feathers.  This thread just isn't right for it...I'm learning you sometimes have to make a design sacrifice based on the materials you choose to use.

Anyhow, I'm thrilled, and I think I might even do the Dresden quilt next.  I'm going to take some time on it and really quilt it up special.  I feel like those first initial four quilts really helped me to get acquainted with my machine and it's quirks...I feel prepared to do some more detailed quilting.

Here's my practice piece from this morning...

I slowed down the speed and tried some pebbling...this is at about 2-3 stitches per inch.  Here it looks sloppy but imagine it with white thread on white fabric.  I think it will create an effective impact.

Feathers are better - I'm just ITCHING to get those feathers down.  They are my absolute favorite thing to quilt and I want so badly to play with them on the long arm.

Even thready as this is here I still like it.  White on white...using a blending thread I think it will look good even in this rough learning stage.

So that's where I'm at folks!  Part of why I bought the long arm was to focus less on patterns and finished projects and do a little quilting for others to earn a little extra fabric money.  I have had a lot of inquiries and I'd like to complete a few more tops that I have waiting for me and then I will feel comfortable taking in some of your tops for edge to edge simple allover designs.  I can't thank you all enough for the kindness and support along the way - it's been a wonderful experience so far and a huge part of it is because of all of you!!  :)

My Long Arm is HERE!!!!!

Well, the day is finally here!!!

Meet Eunice!!!  She's an APQS Ultimate 1 long arm...and I'm in love!  :)

Our day started about 5am - well, MY day started about 5am!  I woke up, dressed, did hair and makeup and then cleaned house for a bit getting ready.  Got the little baby ready as she had to make the drive with us, and by 8am we were on the road.

We drove nearly two hours away to pick the long arm up.  It was a LONG drive!!  More because of the excitement and nervousness than anything else.  Took a little over an hour to get everything apart and loaded...and then the return home...another two hours!!!

It was a bit scary to see her all in pieces...thank goodness for my Husband's Uncle - he ran the show!!  If not for him we'd have been done in!  My wonderful Husband also gave up his first day off in weeks to devote to me and my long arm - aren't I blessed?

The picture below literally sums up my life!!!  The long arm - and a BABY GATE!!!

Pretend like you don't see that dresden plate quilt back there...hahaha...it's supposed to be a surprise!  LOL*

Yay!!!  All put together!!!  It was about 2pm before we got everything set up...lots of fiddling...running to youtube for help videos...and then bazzaaaaam!!!  I loaded a teeny tiny practice piece.  (I loaded it totally wrong too!  Hahaha!)

Below are some of my first stitches.  The bobbin thread is orange and I have tan in the top - I had to loosen up the bobbin tension just a hair - no tan on bottom and no orange on top...not too bad!

Here's my second practice piece which is more like baby quilt size.  If you click on the picture you can see some of my wonky attempts at feathers.  I have tested long arms before buying this but you just can't really let loose until it's YOURS.  Nobody was going to get mad at me for breaking thread or doing something wrong.  I did have a few thread breaks but they were good - I learned what NOT to do.  Lol*

Really - this is A LOT like la sewing machine...but totally different at the same time.  Kind of like...a car sewing machine.  Hahaha!  It's big machinery like a car with sewing machine functions.  It's really fascinating!!  I noticed it's REALLY touchy when it comes to glide and movement.  I still have a bit of a boxy thing going on...it requires this almost bouncy dancing like movement to get the machine head to move in a flowing way rather than a boxy way.  The head moves on a track back and forth and then another track side to side.  There is this point when moving the head where you almost "bounce" it into the right shape.  I can imagine the ONLY way I will master this is to build up arm muscles in places that I never had them before.  It isn't a strenuous movement but it's definitely a different one.

I had a few moments of nervousness, intimidation, a teensy bit of apprehension.  But I reminded myself I am itching to learn this so I just forced myself to lose fear and make it work.  So far I'm having a ball!!!  Tomorrow more practice and then I think I might dive into a quilt.  Won't be fancy - likely stars and swirls hahaha, but still, I'm just going to practice night and day until I get this thing!  :)

My feet and back and whole body are killing me so I'm off to bed.  A friend is bringing her Grandma by for some sewing help so I have another early morning!  :)