The Sewing Place

Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?

Iminei

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #15 on: June 11, 2019, 20:16:39 PM »
If its any help .... Ive been having a nightmare basting the wedding quilt!
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Ploshkin

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #16 on: June 11, 2019, 20:48:11 PM »
Have you stabilised the quilt first by stitching in some horizontal and vertical lines?  If that can't be incorporated into your quilting design then hand baste a few lines first that can be removed.  It should help to stop shift.
I do always find that I have to do some pretty strenuous pulling and pushing to avoid wrinkles and pickers especially when quilting lines cross.
Life's too short for ironing.

BrendaP

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #17 on: June 11, 2019, 22:32:48 PM »
I don't prewash my fabric or batting as the crinkles from shrinkage are very good at hiding wrinkles.  ;)

I don't usually pre-wash the fabric, but I do wash the wadding - I just shove it into the washing machine and it's fine - because that's what is most likely to shrink, and that makes the quilt go very crinkly when you wash the whole thing.

For not getting wrinkles in the top layer it's down to spending ages smoothing it all out, pinning, re-pinning, and re-re-pinning if necessary.  There should be enough pins so that you can't put your hand down flat without it touching a pin. 

And yes, reduce the pressure on the foot!  If you are stitching a lot of parallel lines do them in alternating directions so that you don't get a build up of 'drag' in any one direction.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Lilian

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #18 on: June 11, 2019, 22:39:59 PM »
Well its pretty bloody obvious isnt it ...

Move the parrot outside,
open the windows,
spray baste the quilt,
let the spray dissipate helped by open windows,
bring parrot back inside
and Voila ...
Quilt basted, Parrot happy ... he will think he's been on holiday

Ta Dah!


I needed that chuckle @Iminei Thanks  :) :) :) :) :)
Willing but not always able :)

BrendaP

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #19 on: June 11, 2019, 22:56:18 PM »
Do make sure that the parrot is inside a locked cage whilst he is outside! ;)
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Greybird

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2019, 23:04:18 PM »
And nowhere near the windows.

wrenkins

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #21 on: June 12, 2019, 07:39:57 AM »
Nothing helpful to add on the quilting front except that longer stitches will definitely help.
On the subject of birds though...
I once had a rescue canary (yes really) called Hawk the Slayer (yes really though he sometimes got bird for short) and once when I set him out on top of the bin in his cage some Jehovah's witnesses came to the door. Best excuse ever. 'I'm sorry I can't chat. Hawk is out on top of the bin and next doors cat will get him!'.  0_0
Watch out for cats!
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

rubywishes

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #22 on: June 12, 2019, 08:27:27 AM »
Machine or hand baste with dissolving thread....it holds the layers together and then just washes away when you have finished your quilt and giving it a wash. I have used the dissolving thread both in my machine and "by hand" and actually prefer basting by hand these days. It takes a lot longer but I prefer it to pins which I think still allow for shifting, and spray baste which as far as I'm concerned is useless except for small projects.

I would suggest maybe (1) reducing the pressure of your presser foot as you may inadvertently be creating a wave effect if you are ploughing the poor walking foot into the quilt.
                                  (2) use longer stitches
                                  (3) allow the walking foot to walk...don't go "hell for leather"
                                 
                       
                         
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!

LeilaMay

Re: Unpicking :( what could I be doing better here?
« Reply #23 on: June 12, 2019, 14:03:03 PM »
Thank you all for the advice, and the smiles  :)

I have indeed lowered the pressure on the walking foot - seems to be helping.
I've also had a rethink about the plan of the quilting lines, and have created a pattern that rarely crosses other lines. So each block is being quilted separately in a kind of snail shell (with corners LOL) moving from the central small square towards the outside edge. In this way the quilt line only twice meets or crosses another line, where the main problems were occurring.

It does involve an awful lot of moving the quilt around and around under the needle at each change of direction, but so far (done 2 blocks so far) it appears to be working okay. I also changed the thread colour on the back (same weight) so make the lines les visible. There were meant to be a 'feature' but they were an eye-sore  :)

As it's a hand machine I am going slowly, well very slowly to be honest, and I'm glad to have the individual stich control it give.

Many thanks all
Leila