Simple Custom for Darlene

I'm a little behind on sharing photos of this one, but here are a few shots of the simple custom I finished for Darlene last week when Millie arrived.  I am amazed at how much easier tensioning this machine is.  If you ever began sewing on an older machine and then bought one of the newer fancier high end machines...I liken it to that experience.  Before purchasing my Juki I sewed on an old 1970's Europro, then a Simplicity Quilter's Classic and a White that my mother gifted me.  When the Juki came home, it was as if the angels were singing when it came time to tension finicky threads.  Same with Millie Mouse!

Not only is the tension easy to master and much more consistent, I am finding that having that stitch regulation allows me to work with a broader range of threads with a lot less fussing.  I have actually been using the same size needle between 40 wt. glide, metallic, 100 wt. invisifil and 100 wt. silk.  Of course I had to loosen up the bobbin tension a bit for the finer threads, but I was kind of pushing it leaving the same needle in (I only have one 3.5 left so I was trying to see if I could get away with it without having to wait for an order of new needles)...and surprisingly I had only one thread break that was more from my hastily pulling at the threads than stitching.

This was a fun quilt to work on - not terribly labor intensive so it was very enjoyable without a lot of thinking behind it...also those pretty lovely consistent stitches are great to look at!

I actually started this one on the Ulti when the handles went...so it was really fascinating to compare how much easier it was to quilt after Millie came home.

I am definitely enjoying my new machine!  :)  Working on another beautiful and giant quilt from Cindy today and as always I will share photos when I'm finished.  She has requested the pantograph Sonnet by Patricia Ritter and I - it will be my first time using it and also my first pantograph with stitch regulation - I'm very excited!

A Little Progress on My Dahlia Quilt

I have two or three days in between my last client and next client quilt - so I decided to get as much done on my dahlia quilt as possible.  Yesterday my goal was to stabilize it enough I could take it on and off the frame without distortion...today was just play.  Get as much filling in as I could...without getting sloppy.  Gosh that is harder to do than say!

I started using blue metallic but it just looks so thick and heavy and got sloppy looking quick.  (No sloppy allowed, remember?)  So I ripped and started over with blue Bottom Line.  The black is all Invisifil.  I bought silk for work in the actual dahlia, which if I can muster up enough energy after dinner I might begin working on tonight.  I don't think I'll be able to get too much done over my "weekend" when all the kids and Hubby are home.  We need a good family day all together though so I'm ok with that.  :)

I did finish quite a bit more than I'm showing here but it's hard to get a full on photo...well that and I'm hiding in the computer room for a few minutes of peace.  :)

Hope all in blogland are having a good weekend so far!

- Valerie

The Millennium is HERE!

Well, my Millennium has finally arrived!  Truthfully, it was shipped out far quicker than I had ever anticipated it would be.  To say that I am excited, in love, over the moon - not only is a given but the understatement of the year!!!!!

For curious minds - this is a certified used 2000 APQS Millennium that I purchased directly through APQS.  I have for the past two years been quilting on a 1999 Ultimate 1 that had no stitch regulation - really no additional features outside of the one stitch button.

I am not going to lie I am in love with my new machine...but the Ultimate I was really good to me.  There are not a lot of companies I will stand by in this day and age...but I must confess to you...and I tell you this in the spirit of total truthfulness as other than being a loyal customer (and somewhat of a forum stalker LOL) I am not affiliated with APQS in any way...I get no kick backs or payments or benefits for liking their brand...but they have been nothing less than AMAZING.  I bought that Ulti from a private seller - I was the third owner of the machine.  When APQS says they offer lifetime support, no matter what number owner you are or where you bought it - they really mean it.  Even though I didn't buy directly through them and was a total nobody special in the long arm world when my machine came home...they answered my questions and took their time to help me...I never felt as if maybe I wasn't as valued as any of their other customers.

I bought the Ulti 1 because it was what I could afford to get started in long arming...and I really built a foundation on it.  Now that it's been a few years I could afford the upgrade...and I am SO happy I was able to do that directly through the company.  I was able to get a warranty which is a HUGE relief for me buying a used machine.  Also it's come directly from their factory so I know it's been given a good testing to make sure all is in good working order.  I am now familiar with the machines so I know there are many repairs I can make myself...but I can sleep at night knowing the big scary things that I cannot do myself are covered by APQS.  I also now have experience shipping a machine and it's really taking the fear out of that for me or ever having to send it in to Iowa.  It's always a gamble buying independently...and if you can buy direct, even used, I 'd say DO IT EVERY TIME!

In any case I now have features I only dreamed of having.  I feel like I've graduated to a big kid machine!  I plan to continue upgrading as I can afford and I will not forget the over the top customer service APQS has given.  I have never felt alone with this company even though they are several states away!  That's a big deal in 2015 where it's hard to say that about anyone really.  Is there a company you could say that about anymore?  Though APQS is well known and highly respected in the realm of quilting...we're talking  a small handful of folks who handle the day to day operations.  It just says a lot about them - and it's something I'm willing to pay for and really give my loyalties to.

Anyhow enough of my love affair with APQS.  I'm just one very happy girl.  Here are some of my first stitches on my "new to me" Millie.  We have named her...Millie Mouse!

The accuracy I now have with a stitch regulator is amazing.  It's not that this kind of work was impossible on the Ultimate 1...but now it is just SO much easier.  I have the ability to move in a way similar to how I move no my sit down machine and oh...it's just wonderful!  I am also really impressed with the quality of the stitch regulator.  I nearly purchased a Handi Quilter the first go round - and even considered it again before buying the Millennium...I think HQ machines are wonderful and I certainly don't want to diminish their quality...but I do think the stitch regulator on my Millie is far better (at least to the Avante that I tested when shopping).  I would be sad to pass that up had I gone to HQ.

Here is my Ultimate 1 getting ready to be sent back to APQS...she will be pieced out and become a part of making someone else's dreams come true!!  I will never regret this machine.  It toughened me up, made me brave, and opened up a whole new world of quilting.

Oh and the best part...Millie came with a bow!!!  I have seen them on the new machines but didn't know if they'd put it on my used one...they did! It made it so special!!!  Quilting is my business and my absolute passion.  I am keeping the bow forever with my quilting ribbons!  LOL!  I so appreciate that they do that!!!!

So that is my exciting news and I am so tired from a very busy long day getting Millie set up that my brain is a bit mushy today.  I have a bit more playing planned and then I'm loading up customer quilts and getting back into the routine of things.  I will try and share a video in the next day or so with a little more detail on Millie's features and some of the new advantages I now have!