Below you will see the second "Sandy Relief" quilt.
The close-up shows my own pantogrpah design for my longarm.
I learned that too large empty spaces do not work.
I may have to refine this pattern.

A second "Sandy Relief" quilt top was dropped off today so I would be able to practice on my longarm.
I decided I'm going to use one of my own pantographs that I designed on freezer paper.
Pictures soon.....................

Below you will see the finished Sandy Relief quilt. It realy did come out nice. The dark teal varigated thread looked great in the body of the quilt, but dissapeared

I fixed the rotary tension device myself!!! YAY

Guess what!

I think my check spring on my rotary tension device broke just as I was on the second to last row of my Sandy quilt.

I do know how to change the spring.

But, first I need to get the housing and the old spring out.
My husband was able to unlock the hex screw, it was too tight for me to unscrew.

So, next step is to loosen it and the housing is supposed to pull strait out.....NOT

Tomorrow I'll have dear husband look at it!

Family Cristmas party today.
Got 4 lines of meandering done on SANDY quilt.
1 1/2 more rows to go.
Will post a picture whan I'm done!!!!

Sandy Relief quilt Loaded and Ready to Go

I've finally been able to link my Blog with my etsy shop.
Sometimes I feel so computer illiterate!!!!

Tomorrow I plan to get some pictures posted of my "SandyRelief" quilt after it's loaded onto mynew longarm machine!

This is my "Sandy"
relief quilt!

Thought I coulsd get my "Sandy Relief" quilt loaded on the longarm today but didn't make it. First thing tomorrow though!!!! Sewing with my Wednesday friends and lunch with them.

Can't remember how to upload pictures to my blog or I would show you a picture of "Sangy " quilt.

I'm finally writing about my new KenQuilt longarm.
First of all I LOVE IT!!!
I have a stitch regulator and the edge rider wheels let me use my pinky to move the machine!!!!

Sent my cross track to the Nolting office for retrofitting, and it has arrived according to my tracking number.
Now just waiting for my sligthly used KenQuilt head and cross track to arrive.

OK, My blog is boring!
But wait, I'm getting a new machine.
A 2006 model KenQuilt Royal. I just sent my cross track from my 14' table to be retrofitted for the KenQuilt.
It has a stitch regulator, Can you believ it!
Can't wait to get it.
My blog will become interesting again I hope.
I'm planning all kinds of free motion quilting to take placeee RIGHT HERE AT MY HOUSE!!!!!

I took out a lot of my stitches from the last longarmed quilt. The tension was terrible. So the next idea I have is to mount a camera on the side of my lower machine and a monitor on top to check my tension as I quilt. This old machine is giving me fits, but I won't give up yet. I did tell my husband I'm thinking of selling it.
I think that every once in a while.
The purchaser would have to move it though!

FInally a new post

I quilted one of my quilts from the quilt cruise yesterday.
I didnt take a picture because I am not happy with it. So I'm taking alot of the quilting out.
My longarm likes to change the bottom tension while I'm quilting.
What do I do about that????
I'm going on one of those advice sites to see if I can fix it.
I'm really thinking about selling the thing. I know I can make a profit.
I ask myself "Why am I frustrating myself when I can do so much better on my Juki????????

OK
Back from Tennessee and the family reunion. Need to get cracking on my longarm.
Want to take some classes or get a DVD for beginners. Need to do some research . Should I go with DVD or hands on lessons?

As you can see I'm not a great photographer. But I wanted to show the pantograph I made for my Gammill. It was fairly easy.
The pattern did not duplicate like I wanted but I'm still going to try and follow it and then turn it over to see if I can nest two rows together.

I traced a pattern from a pattern book and enlarged it on my copier to the size I wanted.
I had one motif upside down and one right side up with a wavy line connecting them.
Then I folded a piece of freezer paper (12 ft. long) accordian style the sme width as my design.
I pinned it to the folded freezer paper and with an OLD needle and no thread I stitched along the design to make little holes in all layers of the freezer paper.
When I opened my accordian of freezer paper I had my design holes for the entire 12 ft. of paper and  simply traced along the holes which finished my panto.

I'm using the Aurafil thread and still having some tension problems.
The tread jumps around so much coming out of the tension discs on it's way up to the arm and then down to the needle.
I've seen Sharon Schambers video and she adds several thread guides (made from fishing pole guides) to the side of her machine just so the thread does not bounce around so much. That's my next mission.
I'm going to use some non-permanent silly-putty like molding clay to stick them on.
I'll let you know!

I'm back to using aurafil thread like I did on my first 2 quilts and there is no problem with the tension.YES!
Practicing free motion with feathers and circles and I can see that with more practice I CAN DO THIS!
Next I'll see if I can follow a pantograph with my stylus.
I'm encouraged now.

OK.
Here we go again. I found 2 100% sheets in my linen closet that are king size. I'm going to get some cheap cotton batting and load all three on my machine (after I tell my son my 14 ft table is not where you sort and fold your laundry)
I'm going to practice, practice , practice till  I can't stand it anymore and then I'm going to practice some more.
I'll keep you informed!!!

Almost finished taking out all the stitches on the third quilt that I had on my longarm. It has been hard for me to get back down to business and start thinking about what I'm going to try next.
The first two quilts were done with Aurofil thread and the tension was fine. I'm going back to Aurofil. When I was in Paducah I asked at thread booths what longarmers use and I bought some 100% polyester on a cone and some stronger cotton thread.
Maybe when I get better at this longarming I can go with other threads.
I'm debating about putting just a big muslin sandwich on the machine and practice, practice , practise.

Discouraged again.
Took quilt off of frame and am taking out all my stitches since the tension is so bad on the back.
My friends says it's really OK, but I won't settle for it!!
I need a few days to cool down before I tackle loading it back on the frame.

Started quilting but have to pick out most of my stitches. I tried to do some feathers and I guess it's too soon.
However, I was able to do some circles that looked pretty good, not great but OK.
I'm encouraged!ore picking out tomorrow and some free-hand  straight line quilting
I'm going to try to find something I can use as a guide for diagonal straight lines.

I loaded a 75X90 quilt on my machine this afternoon. After the beginner quilting class tomorrow I teach in the morning, I'm going to start quilting. I can't wait to see how my corners come out! My new Edge Riders, I hope make a difference.
By the way, I loaded the quilt in 45 minutes or so. Is it going to get faster over time? I follow Linda V. Taylor's method of loading that I got from her U-Tube video.
I have to write down the instructions verbatim and follow them exactly. What a joy to be a novice longarmer!

I'm not posting longarm adventures right now.  I had to finish piecing a quilt for my son's girlfriend. I quilted it on my Juki with feathers and swirls and leaves, the things I'm fairly good at.
I hope after a lot of practice that I can get  as good on my Gammill.

I have successfully installed the Edge Rider wheels!!
But I don't notice any large difference in the smoothness of the machines movement.
Not to fear, however , I'm going to load a quilt tomorrow and see if my free motion quilting looks better than before.
If anyone out there is listening, I'll keep you posted.
A little discouraged!

First things first. I've read the instructions for installing my Edge Rider wheels about 4 times before I really under stood them.
You know, we woman have missed out on a lot of useful education, namely; what is a socket head screw and what is a hex bolt.
Well now that we have google we can look up images of both. HA!
Otherwise I think I can do this alone without bothering my very mechanically inclined husband!
I'm going to read them again.............

MY EDGE RIDER WHEELS HAVE ARRIVED!!!!!
I will ask my son in the morning to help me lift my old Gammill.
I've looked at the installation instructions that came with the wheels and they seem to be amazingly easy. HA!
I'll keep you updated.

I ordered the edge rider wheels and plan to install them my self. I printed out Jeff Lomicka's instructions. They are for a much more advanced machine. I don't have a stitch regulator, channel locks and other fancy stuff on my machine, so they shouldn't be too hard to install.
Waiting for my wheels!!!!

Lady with edge rider wheels can't find them.
I'm going to have to spring for them (170.00) Ugh!
But not before I ask the manufacturers some questions.
I down loaded Jeffrey Lomicka's instructions on installing them and I still have some questions.

The woman with the edge rider wheels hasn't called back. She said she could only find 4 of her wheels and she would look for the rest and let me know.
My luck right!
This machine (Hortense) has been giving me fits since day one.
But somehow I still have hope and I do love her.
I tell her so...........

I found out some information from the Gammill forum about why I have squared off corners on my first quilts. I probably need the new edge rider wheels . So I may even get a set of barely used wheels from one of the people on the forum. I will call her today. There is also a wonderful site showing exactly how to install them. I think I can do it myself.
I'm not going to attempt another quilt until I have the new wheels.

Paducah was WONDERFUL!
The newest place with great deals was at 420 Broadway. The shop had thousands of bolts all at $5 a yard. They were sorted by manufacturer. Hope they come back next year.
I bought most  4 yards pieces for backings. Also love to go to Eleanor Burns tent to watch her show and to get some of her $5 fabric for backs.
I did some research at the long arm vender's. My main question was " If I'm getting squared of corners on my old Gammill do I m]need edge rider wheels or could there be another reason why I'm having so much trouble doing any patterns that are  rounded, like feathers or circles. If any one out here has any advice, please let me know.

Paducha tomorrow. YES!!!!!

No longarming today. I've got to finish repairing 4 quilts for a lady in New Orleans.
I should have finished them by now. I could have used my fee for spending money in Paducah this week!!!
Can't wait to go.
There are 4 of us going. One has the "Paducah" truck as we call it. Extended cab and waterproof cover over the bed . We can fit all our luggage back there and all the fabric we buy. Two of my friends are looking to buy a new machine (show special prices) and we'll still have room!

My second quilt on the longarm. Free motion but still a long way to go in controlling my HORTENSE!
Notice my lines are not too straight etc.
I'm hoping with this journal blog I can show some improvement.
Will I have the nerve to do some feathers next?
The black quilting in the sashing was done on my Juki.

Tension and getting the stitches the same size will be the hardest since this old machine cannot be
stitch -regulated.

Back to ripping out the rest of the stitches in the blocks of my SECOND long arm quilt.
Before I do , though, I'm going to take some pictures and load them onto this blog.
I hope I can figure out how to do that.
OK now you can see what I mean about an old,old Gammill.
The jacob's ladder quilt is my first. If you zoom in you acn see my quilting pattern, the squared off meander. Not the greatest, huh?

Today we go to the GSQA quilt show in Slidell LA. Gonna see some great eye candy, I'm sure.
Yesterday I started my second longarm quilt (i promise I will add some pictures soon) I have tension problems and have to take all the quilting in the blocks OUT!
By the way I named my longarm HORTENSE! That was also the name of my first VW bug in 1964 HA!

OK, the picture on my blog is NOT my first longarm quilt!
It's my favorite quilt, all hand appliqued and hand quilted, from about 6 years ago.

Today I plan to give my Gammill (I still have to name her) a rest and try to finish the 4 quilts I am repairing. I'm going to use the money I get for Paducah next week. YAY, My 3 quilt buddies and I are driving up on Thursday and coming back on Sunday, can't wait.

OK, today I sew with my 3 frinds Brenda, Dannie and Beverly.
I'm going to show tham my first longarm quilt. :)
We are all going to Paducah next week and going to Eleanor Burn's tent FIRST for $5 a yard fabric
we can't live without.
I'm also trying to finish 4 quilts that I have to repair for a lady in New Orleans.
That will be my spending money for Paducah!

My Firrst Longarm Quilt

I have an old-old Gammill longarm quilting machine. It was made in 1990 and actually looks kind of scary. I've had it since Aug. of 2011 but am only now able to sew on it. Many things have had to be replaced, motor, tension device,belts and the dial that adjusts speed.
My first quilt, a "Jacob's Ladder", was finished yesterday and I will post a picture soon.
The quilt design is free motion and is what I call a squared off meander.

Free motion quilting, from moving the fabric to moving the machine, what a steap learning curve this is going to be!!!