The Sewing Place

Playing with new quilting toys

WendyW

Playing with new quilting toys
« on: March 07, 2018, 05:22:19 AM »
Hi! I'm new to the forum, and Kenora invited me to join in over here and tell about my new toys. Until a few years ago, my quilting was limited to a few baby quilts. About 5 years ago I got involved with a group that makes quilts for a local children's hospital. We meet monthly during the winter, and always use the same pattern. I started playing with scrap quilts on my own to use up leftovers, and these also go to the hospital.

My trusty 30yo Pfaff finally needed to retire to light duty, so for Christmas hubby bought me a new Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.2. I'm not in love with it yet. I'm still figuring out it's quirks and the computer on it, and it seems to think that it's smarter than I am, which I find frustrating. I'm sure I will come to love it, but we're off to an awkward start.

I spent much of Jan and Feb out of state dealing with a family situation, and when I got home, my sewing machine had new friends- a Sew Steady table, and this ruler foot and starter set. Westalee Sampler Set

When I showed hubby my first samples with the different rulers,  he was clueless what I was showing him. Turns out he had NO idea what he bought! The salesman had given him a package deal on "everything she needs to get started" and he didn't know what anything was, other than the table. These are going to be great fun, and he may have inadvertently given me an excuse to spend lots more money.  :angel:

Now I'm doing the Free Motion Quilt-along from Angela Walters/Quilting is my Therapy to play with them. I'm getting a late start due to the continuing family situation, and just got my squares made tonight.

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else here makes!

Pearl

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2018, 05:50:25 AM »
Thanks, Wendy.  Your post is interesting (although you seem to have forgotten to post pictures).  I am considering buying westalee rulers.  Angela Attwood, who is the westerlee ruler guru in UK, teaches locally to me.  I love patchwork but hate the quilting part.  I look forward to seeing your makes.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 07:21:32 AM by Pearl »

WendyW

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2018, 06:20:08 AM »
You are right, Pearl, that was very negligent of me! I'll attempt to post a few here.

This is the pattern our charity group uses. The colors and themes vary widely.

15253520_681003895406645_4166074099429965285_n by CraftymamaMN, on Flickr

Here's one of my scrap quilts.

4-patch by CraftymamaMN, on Flickr

And here's my first attempt at the rulers.

ruler play by CraftymamaMN, on Flickr

Pearl

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2018, 06:52:16 AM »
Thanks, Wendy.   I love your bright colours.

I didn't realise that you can do so much with the westalee ruler starter kit.   Definitely worth looking into.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 07:21:43 AM by Pearl »

Ploshkin

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2018, 07:21:54 AM »
@WendyW  there has been much discussion in various threads about quilting rulers so I think there will be many people following your progress with interest.
Your samples look excellent.  Do you already have experience of fmq and does your machine have a stitch regulator for fmq?
Life's too short for ironing.

Sewingsue

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2018, 09:07:16 AM »
Thanks, Wendy.   I love your bright colours.

I didn't realise that you can do so much with the westalee ruler starter kit.   Definitely worth looking into.
Neither did I, just thought it was a lot of money to risk.

Sorry, WendyW but I did have a giggle - that salesman must have loved selling to your husband.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

Acorn

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2018, 09:24:55 AM »
What a lovely husband!   0_0

I have a Pfaff quilting machine which I have never really got to grips with for quilting - I have lots of plans and dreams, plenty of fabric, but not enough time.  Mine is about 10 years old and is a Classicstyle Quilt 2027.  I'm not entirely sure why it's deemed a quilting machine because I can't see what it does that my new embroidery/sewing machine can't do.   -<  It is a very good, reliable machine for sewing anyway.

All of which was a roundabout way of saying I'm glad to see someone else with a Pfaff for quilting!
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Efemera

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2018, 12:41:46 PM »
I have the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4... I never loved it and still don’t, the tension has never been right from day one, I do love the Pfaff IDT system though, I’ve had 3 Pfaff machines.

WendyW

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2018, 15:09:49 PM »
The sample on the upper left was not using a ruler, but with the holes on the table for circle-making. There is a wide variety of things you can do with the sample package.

Ploshkin- I've played with FMQ in the past and made a couple things that I just meandered on. My previous machine had less room on the flatbed, and I got annoyed with the limited maneuvering space, and my stitch size was not consistent. Most of the time I just quilted things with a stitch in the ditch. My new machine has a special settings for using FM feet, but I'm not sure what those setting actually do.

Efemera- In doing research before buying the 4.2 I found a some opinion that the Ex. 4 had a lot of bugs and it didn't stay on the market very long. The 4.2 supposedly fixes all those, and is rated as a "best buy" machine. Maybe your dealer would give you good deal on a trade-in?

Sewing Sue- He's a very good hubby in regards to gifts, and he LOVES knowing just what I want. He was introduced to the tables when we bought the machine, and immediately put it on his "future gifts" list. He really did get a good deal, as all the extras included were the same price as just the table was before Christmas. The dealer was clearing out his Christmas stock.  I also had a ruler foot on my Amazon wishlist, but hubby wasn't even aware of that.

Deafoldbat

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2018, 18:56:08 PM »
I had an early QE4; full of bugs. I had a replacement QE4 from the dealer; still had bugs. I had a replacement QE4 from VSM here (I complained to the MD)...not much better. They were great for straight sewing  (if a bit 'know-it-all', eg Why can't I drop the needle on a spot and not have the foot thunk down before it's all lined up?) but I couldn't get them to fmq satisfactorily. The 3rd machine got traded in for a Bernina 550QE - no problems since. But other people love the QE4 (at least in its later versions)...

supergran

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2018, 20:01:12 PM »
Hello WendyW. I've just bought a ruler foot for my machine as well. Being a Bernina, the foot was a scandalous price and I hum'd and hah'd for a while, until Supergramps said, you want one, just get it! So I did.  :D I've only got one ruler at the moment (thanks Bluecat, I got the one you thought was good) and so far I've only done a bit of straight rulering with it, but I've almost finished the current project so will have more time to discover what else I can do with it. Like you, I can see myself "needing" more.  ;)

Kenora

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2018, 21:42:44 PM »
I'm very interested to read that you love your Pfaff QE 4.2, Wendy, as that was the machine I really, really wanted when I was in the market for a new machine about 16 months ago. Trouble was, there were a lot of negative reviews around and, although my local dealer had a 4.2 for sale at a reduced price, I was still a bit tentative. I ended up buying a Bernina (for a lot more money) which I do love BUT I still hanker after the 4.2 - just for the looks of the thing. Is that silly?
« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 21:44:17 PM by Kenora »
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

WendyW

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2018, 22:27:11 PM »
Not silly at all! It IS a very pretty machine, and who wouldn't love a purple sewing machine?  <3

Kenora

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2018, 23:52:07 PM »
It IS a very pretty machine, and who wouldn't love a purple sewing machine?  <3

It is handsome isn't it? [[[sigh]]]  But I can't justify another new machine. I'm still trying not to give in to the temptation of vintage.  :S :)
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

rubywishes

Re: Playing with new quilting toys
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2018, 05:25:39 AM »
Hello Wendy, welcome to the Dark Side. Your ruler play is lovely. How much fun is it to have a new machine and table etc!  0_0 I also have the Westalee Ruler feet for both my Bernina and my Juki but to date have not enjoyed trying to get the hang of it to the point now where I doubt I will persevere any further. People do some beautiful work with them but it's just one of a trillion skills that elude me!  :S 0_0
Juki TL2010Q, Juki DX7,  Singers: 1917 27K treadle (aka Gertie), 1957 99k (aka Vincent), 1951 99k knee lever (aka Shirley), 1950 99k handcrank (aka Alice), 1927 28K (aka Dora), 1947 201K treadle with motor conversion (aka Livvy)
....and the dusting and vacuming can wait!