Why I need the Vision

Today I played with the CL Zig-Zag Board again. I'm sure I'll be using this board for doing lots of borders from here on out. I already use it quite a bit for E2E. I just didn't get the concept of using the hole plate to create really cool designs. Actually I got the concept but in my head I thought it'd take forever, so I didn't bother until taking Debs class at MQR.

My playtime was two-fold today; I did everything without the stitch regulator being turned on. Why would I do that? Because I thought maybe I could talk myself out of trading in my perfectly great machine for a new Gammill VISION model. Thinking if I could just learn to do the detail work without the stitch regulator being on, I wouldn't even NEED the Vision. But by the end of the day I realized I really do Need the new Vision machine. Just being able to check the stitches underneath with a camera is one good reason. Stop by again and I'll have more good reasons why I need the new Vision.

Circle Lord Playtime

I'm taking the Circle Lord class series at MQResources. This month's series is on the Giant Zig-Zag Template. Although I knew these boards could be used in many different ways for long arm quilting; until now I hadn't really played with them to much. I loaded 2 yards of muslin when the class began and I barely have enough room left for the last class. I haven't even scratched the surface making all the different designs that one can do, let alone the combinations designs made by mixing the two. Deb showed us lots of ideas too; how to embellish the initial patterns; here again I haven't even started to do that yet. I've use this board quite abit and have posted pictures here. But now I'm beginning to see great potential using the board for some very cool border designs also. Will post pictures as I get the quilts. Thanks for stopping by.

Another Quilt

I was so excited when I pieced this quilt last year thinking about all the open space I'd have for quilting. Well I've been staring at it since then, wondering how I to quilt it. Why does that happen? Always waiting/searching for something better, different or new...afraid to touch it in the mean time just in case something does come along.

The top photo doesn't show the borders, but you can sort of see what the borders look like in the 3rd photo.

Except for the freehand leaf vine in the green inner border all the other motifs were executed using the Circle Lord tools. I sewed the binding on with my long-arm. I want to offer attaching quilt binding as a service so I've been practicing doing it on my own quilts. Actually I'm please with it. I even got to use my new thread. Superior Brytes for the patterned motifs. I used Glide thread for the piano keys on the outer borders. Knock on Wood... I didn't even have one thread break. So know you know why As much as I would love love to have the new features offered on the new Gammill Vision machine, I'm really hesitate to trade in my near perfect machine. Unfortunitally even within brands not all machines are created equal. So Ima's gonna stay right here for now. Thanks for stopping by.

New Vision

I talked to my dealer he will have a Vision at the quilt show in a few weeks. Can't wait to try it out. Eventually I will upgrade. I'm so busy getting my quilt business up and running along with learning a new job at work. All will fall into place in due time. In the mean time I already have a perfect machine. Here's a picture of my lastest quilt. It's 65" square. I used the Circle Lord's 48" crosshatch Long Boards to do the crosshatchedBorders, used their Spiral Template in the 6" blocks. The circles you can barely see in the center are also done with the CL tool. I used the Long Gam-Guide Ruler by Gammill to do the lines out from the center. I've had the Gam-guide ruler since I bought my machine and I'm just learning to use it. Actually It's a very cool tool. I have another quilt on my rack now and I'm using it again along with other Circle Lord templates I have. Might be awhile before I post it because I' going to try my hand at backfilling, I just can't get the hang of McTavishing so I'm trying to come up with something similar to do instead. Thanks for stopping in.

Gammill's New Stitch Regulator

Oh My, what am I going to do? Although I'm very much a novice, I really love to do custom type Long-Arm quilting. I love doing little precision quilting. I'll never make any money quilting, how much time it takes to get the quilt done hasn't been a factor; because up till now I've mainly been quilting on my own quilts. I have the perfect Machine a Gammill Premier Plus. It truly does everything and does it well, meaning I can easily fine tune it to stitch nice with about any thread. We have become partners. I really don't like the idea of trading her in...but this new stitch regulator seems just the ticket (I think) for the type of quilting I've been striving to achieve. I've got the weekend off so I Guess a trip to McMinnville is on the agenda. I've got to check this out...it's really gotta be something great...cuz I couldn't ask for a better machine than the one I have. I'll Let you all know what I find out. Thanks for stopping by.