A full day of machine quilting and biking

That's the plan anyway, best laid plans...

We were almost blown away yesterday around here.  I had another problem with my machine, yes, while I was machine quilting-it's perfect on regular sewing.  But, don't give us this giant bed (12 inches) and tell us it doesn't machine quilt well.  So I called the dealership from which I bought the machine to ask some questions.  While I was talking the woman on the other side of town had to go abruptly, there was a tornado nearby and they have glass all around their building sides so she left to take cover.

When she returned there was no damage at Moore's Sewing Center, so on we trudged on trying to figure out what was wrong with my free motion quilting on the Horizon.  What I learned and has worked out is NEVER USE COATS AND CLARK THREAD ON THIS MACHINE.  I had it in the bobbin and switched to Aurifil thread which the machine liked and also, the suggestion was made to change the pressure on the presser foot and I did that too. It looks as if the problem is solved.

I'm using a Quilt Pounce to mark a template for suggestions of the quilting pattern, not following it exactly-my resentment of authority goes to great lengths...smile.

Even a fabulous machine can have a flat

Well, the call of the wild and wonderful Horizon was temporarily the sound of a cough.  Give it an easy border or two to sew-no problem.  Give it a bunch of pieces to sew together to make a block and the stitch tension was impeccable.  BUT ASK IT TO FREE MOTION MACHINE QUILT and look out!  How many times did I start and stop abruptly to the error message E7-Not the dreaded E7!!! you say, yes, it was E7!  Return to the dealer the circuits are incorrect, or something to that effect.  In other words I really messed it up.  And did the only sane thing to be done in this event, I turned it off and turned it on and began again.

Well, not be dumped on by any sewing machine, let alone the Horizon, I soldered on began playing with the tension button, and changing the 3 feet that are given for the free motion machine quilting.  And there was the answer, CHANGE THE FOOT! and play a little with the tension and slow down the machine a little and there it is a pretty darn good stitch.

The 200.00 Brother or the 3,000.00 Horizon, both are a finely tuned machine and even the slightest thing out of balance can cause your stitches to look funny.  It's almost always a simple change of the needle, wind a new bobbin, or rethread your machine and you will find the answer to your bad tension.

Happiness is a great big bobbin!

Well, I was interrupted from my sewing bliss, temporarily by something most amazing.  Here in our lovely town of Louisville, we have NPR, National Public Radio.  Now, just about everywhere has an NPR, you probably have it in your own town, probably running a variety of NPR like programs on one station.  Louisville has 3 separate stations that are lumped together and thankfully fall under the same umbrella.  I say thankfully, because when it comes to asking for funds for our stations, it's hard to not give, because you like one of the 3.  We have a WFPL, a news station that also runs Prairie Home Companion on the weekends.  Next is WUOL, our classical music station.  And last but not least is my personal favorite, WFPK an amalgam of music.  This channel covers everything from jazz to bluegrass and everything in between.  I've been answering phones for the last few days, accepting maybe some of your generous pledges to keep our stations healthy.  Louisville has a reputation for being generous with it's charities.  Maybe that's why they finished the fund drive a full day earlier than planned.  It may have been even earlier if the computer hadn't gone down one of those days.

Thanks if you gave to NPR and if you have one of these stations in your area, please give to them.  It makes for a much stronger listening service you are getting.

Anyway, after a very nice 10 mile bike ride around Seneca park today, I'm home now and playing with my machine.  

It has a great big bobbin compared to my Pfaff.  And, check out the guide book, it has a cutter on the top for the bobbin thread.  It's only after you have been at this for a while that you notice the little things that make this machine so great.  I've owned a Singer, Kenmore, Brother, 2 Pfaffs and a Baby Lock serger and this machine appears to have most everything that is good combined in one, in my opinion.  This great big bobbing will come in handy when I use it as a quilting machine on my table.  

This machine has a push button sewing feature that I know the Viking has, but, I've never owned a Viking, so it new fun for me.  This will come in handy for my machine quilting.  The faster you go the easier it is to machine quilt.  But, you should only go as fast as you can control the evenness of the stitch length, so it has 3 speeds to sew with.  Hooyah!  

Well, I did it! I got the Horizon...

Yes, I took the plunge after reading all the latest blog reviews and will let you know if I totally agree with them or not.

So far, the only real draw back is the dual feed.  The Janome Horizon 7700, has one, but, it's a major hassle to attach.  Compared to my Pfaff which is simply pulled down into position.  This creates a pretty even feed stitch on my Pfaff.  I'll be able to tell soon, if it's necessary or not on my Janome.  FOR $3,000.00 IT SHOULD NOT BE.  But, there are so many other features that I think I'll enjoy, making it worth the money, I think.  In the next few days I'll detail them out for you.

My other "toy" is still set on ready, waiting for a spin.

Fabulous Weekend-Fly Fishing and Biking Around Louisville

It's so nice to be able to do things outside now.  It's been so blasted hot here, I think we hit record high heat on several days.  We seem to be franticly trying to cram in our summer's worth of outdoor activity in the few remaining days of fall.

I had my waders on in the water, and it was a lot cooler, but, I didn't mind.  Being in nature, early in the morning and trying to catch the fish that all said "Hah! You human fools"!  Ah well, there will come another day my fine little fishies...muoooahhahahhha!!

We went on our longest bike ride since we have had my new bike, 13 miles.  This time we started at Hogan's Fountain at the Cherokee Park and wove around town.  We've still got a lot to learn about winding around CP.  That area was built a long time ago and it doesn't have a lot of straight through connecting streets, so we were switching back and forth many blocks.  There are major arteries around there, but, they've got too much traffic and our book "Wheeling Around Louisville", takes us off those busy roads, which I like.

The highlight of this ride was the grave sites of the Clark family plots.  The Clark's raised 3 generals, George Rogers Clark, who lived at Locust Grove Home, another son that was half of the Lewis and Clark expedition and another son that was the General of a Virginia Militia.  What an accomplished family!  Kentucky does have a strong history of military support, but, I'd say this is pretty outstanding work from those parents.

Fly Fishing and the Kentucky Backroads

We left bright and early on a trip to below the dam on Herrington Lake.  You are hard pressed to find a more beautiful shot than smoke rising on the water, early in the morning in Kentucky.

On our way through the scenic byways, we saw lots of farms and scads of potential quilt barns.  Whoever lives in that area needs to get on it and start the process of putting the quilts up on those barns.

Arriving at our destination, the limestone centurions greeted us with a wry smile, I suppose.  They must have known what I did not, that there would be no fish that wanted our bait.  Anyway, I got in a lot of good practice casting.

The day wasn't a total lost as I just love being outdoors and nature in the fall in Kentucky can't be more lovely.

Off to Shaker Village where they "Welcomed us kindly".  I think I like that phrase, as old fashioned as it sounds.  They were in the midst of a stone wall building competition, with competitors from around the world.

On to the Inn where we had hoped to have lunch,but, were told no reservations?  No food.  Upon some inspection of the Inn, it was plain to see the demise of the Shakers, his and hers stair cases.

The Beaumont Inn was our next try for lunch, they don't serve lunch on Saturday, but the Owl Tavern did.  Pretty good pub fair, fried chicken and bread pudding, yum!  I'll have to ride 10 miles tomorrow.

Patterns are only guidelines

A little too dull

Not exactly the right blue, but, a hint will be okay

It's too bad that life can't be more like quilting.  In quilting there is almost nothing you can't fix.  About the only time I saw something that couldn't be fixed was when I was teaching a fabric painting class.  Someone blended their paint so much they ended up with grey mud.  At that time, there were not the beautiful metallic paints they have on the market today.  Or maybe they were available and I just didn't know about them.  If they were out there in the early 90's my statement...almost nothing you can't fix, still held!

Anyway, I bought this pattern to make a lantern purse.  I liked it right away and I pulled some fabric I have and just thought it was missing something.  So, I'm going to add a blue piping to pop the blue fabric out more, just above the pleats.

There you go, the pattern  is close but not quite right.  However you look at your projects and analyze their needs, there is ALMOST nothing you can't fix to your liking in quilting.

Just don't give up on it and challenge yourself...the life of a quilter...smile