Avian Flu Update? 1 2

[Valkyrie 392]

I was a bit shocked at the price, but found one marked down at the NEC last year. Hence I only bought the one and it's a small straight edged one. I have got some non-slip things too but I haven't put them on yet - definitely needs it.

 

Amy Johnson has a Janome and her blog is quite interesting as she has adapted using the rulers at angles because she can't get it to fit on the left hand side (I think hers looks like a higher shank than mine). Another good one is Patsy Thompson. Leah Day is just beginning with the ruler work as well. Certainly is an eye opener especially with Patsy - she has some fantastic quilts!!! I am spending too much time on Youtube tutorials lately!

[Blackrocksrock 39]

 

 

Cheapest way to make storage for my fabric in my spare room!! Ikea kids storage -- works a treat.

[Valkyrie 392]

Ooh that's cool!

 

And another word of warning. Craftsy's free tutorials are very addictive too. But hey ho, there is a Jinny Beyer block of the month one. I've been using her book as a bible from the early years but got a little stuck when going through layers of seams, so I just went back and forth and made the join a little bumpy but the points matched. Now I see how she does it and PING! The light went on and now I know how it works! Thoroughly enjoying seeing the different ways of doing the seams - they all say "we don't take any notice of quilt police" - and they are right - you just do what you feel happiest with. Loving it all. Er I may have ordered some thread and titanium needles from Barnyarns today. Well I mustn't buy fabric until I make a dent in the stash but I need some to piece and quilt don't I?

[Blackrocksrock 39]

hahaha - just buy your fabric - I said I needed no more but I bought chicken fabric and kits at the quilt show and lutradur and paint and all sorts! - You only live once.

[Valkyrie 392]

Took your advice and nipped down to Quilters Dream in Andover. I now have backing fabric for my log cabin and the mystery quilt. Love the mystery quilt one - I took it in to show the ladies, Janet was there and we had a cuppa and she showed me all the pretties they are working on at the moment. When they went to Houston they brought back a wide Japanese blue and white backing fabric with ladies and parasols and pretty garden bridges. Perfect for the reverse of the mystery quilt with all the Oriental bits. Having to order some more batting for it but that will have to be from Cotton Patch up in Solihull - I may just add a couple of bits.

[Luvachicken 476]

What is a log cabin Valkyrie ?

[jimnpaula 0]

What is a log cabin Valkyrie ?

A design made of rectangles that get bigger as you add them to the outside edge. Many designs, here's an example:

http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2013/04/tutorial-quilt-as-you-go-log-cabins.html

 

Can also been done in knitting and crochet by picking up stitches along a finished edge.

[Luvachicken 476]

What is a log cabin Valkyrie ?

A design made of rectangles that get bigger as you add them to the outside edge. Many designs, here's an example:

http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2013/04/tutorial-quilt-as-you-go-log-cabins.html

 

Can also been done in knitting and crochet by picking up stitches along a finished edge.

 

Yep, looked at that

Got a bit lost after the 3rd instruction but it did look good.

[LolaLayla 0]

Hi everyone, I haven't posted for ages but love to see all your work. So lovely

I am thinking of upgrading my sewing machine as in the last year I have discovered quilting in a big way. My latest passion is foundation piecing as you can get such perfect points. I have a Singer Curvy which I bought at a show about 5 years ago but would like to get one with needle up/down and all the lovely extras that help with quilting. I would also like a few alphabet fonts. Most of the ladies in the class I go to have Janome but it maybe that is because there is a retailer in the area. I have always liked my Singer although I know some folk don't rate them now. I have spotted a Singer Quantum that looks wonderful but just wondered what the thoughts were on here about machines at the moment.

[Blackrocksrock 39]

Have had singer and brother then a 2nd hand Pfaff. Now have a brother nv1300 and love it. I think they are all good nowadays if they do what you are looking for.

[LolaLayla 0]

Have had singer and brother then a 2nd hand Pfaff. Now have a brother nv1300 and love it. I think they are all good nowadays if they do what you are looking for.

That's interesting that you have tried different makes. I was told it may be best to get two machines as often those that sew well don't have much on the embroidery side. But I really don't want to spend a fortune. At SECC show the Brother lady was showing me a couple of machines and then dropped in that they were 2k and 3k each I suppose if you were sewing professionally that would be understandable but as a hobby, no. Well not for me anyway.

[Olly 9]

I upgraded last year from a very basic John Lewis machine, which got me back into sewing. I bought a second hand Janome because the JL branded machine was a Janome and so I knew the various feet I had bought would fit - it's a consideration if you've invested in a few.

 

I think Blackrocksrock is right, they are all similar standard these days. If you have a local retailer it's worth seeing if they sell reconditioned or second hand.

[Blackrocksrock 39]

Have had singer and brother then a 2nd hand Pfaff. Now have a brother nv1300 and love it. I think they are all good nowadays if they do what you are looking for.

That's interesting that you have tried different makes. I was told it may be best to get two machines as often those that sew well don't have much on the embroidery side. But I really don't want to spend a fortune. At SECC show the Brother lady was showing me a couple of machines and then dropped in that they were 2k and 3k each I suppose if you were sewing professionally that would be understandable but as a hobby, no. Well not for me anyway.

 

 

I was at the SECC also - did you take any workshops? I was there Friday and Saturday. The machines they showed on the brother stand were well above my limit also and It was a shame they did not bring others - the singer and Janome had others which were more reasonable - you just need to decide what features you want and then research the machines - all singing and all dancing may not be for you as it was not for me. My machines in the past - well 50 years ago my mother bought me a singer - then when it went wrong I bought a cheap brother - did what I wanted - then I upgraded via our sewing machine shop to the pfaff (second hand upgrade) and loved the drop dogs and quilting features so I now upgraded to the brother a brand new machine which I hope will be my last. I really love it. It does basic embroidery work and quilting and alphabet etc so just enough.

[LolaLayla 0]

Olly- The point about feet is something I should think about as I have bought several Singer ones .

 

Blackrocksrock-I would like to consider a second hand one as there are a lot of features I would like but the shop nearby doesn't have them. I think I would need to go to Edinburgh or Stirling for that and I am on the other coast. I have been looking at a lot of reviews online.

I was at the show Friday morning as a volunteer at one of the quilting areas as I belong to a quilting group and then had a look round in the afternoon. There is a Knitting and Quilting show at the end of April beginning of May in Edinburgh. It is run by the people who have the Harrogate one (a bus trip usually goes to that one from here). Are you going to that one?

[Blackrocksrock 39]

Oh I maybe saw you or even spoke to you on the friday morning as I was there too - I am not going to the Edinburgh one as I am going to the States in June and I have done well with my jollies so far this year - I stayed in the premier inn across from the event for 2 nights and also met a friend in Glasgow on the thursday for the afternoon. Online machines look good - maybe there will be some there for you or for sale on gumtree and you could get it serviced before you used it. I was lucky there is a dealer in Keith not far from me and that is who I bought mine from both times.

[Valkyrie 392]

Luvachicken it's the one I posted in January (13th). A curved one where the darker strips are wider than the neutrals. A nice and easy one for beginners - I started this as a beginner course in days of yore! I didn't do the sew as you go method - hence me getting batting - but I haven't got round to quilting it yet! I have the backing though.

 

If you are are going to "audition" a new machine, then I have listened to/or read a fair bit of advice - like take in something you are working on and ask the dealer to have a go. That way they know you are serious. Even a small quilt sandwich to play quilting with. That way you get to see little issues like jumping needles where they go a little skewiff when they set off. My old Janome does that - the new one not quite so obvious. OK not too much of an issue for straight sewing but if you are using it for quilting then that's the last thing you need! See what feels comfortable. If you are using it for quilting then a larger throat area is good to put bulky big quilts in. Then we have the feet. See if you can get an adapter for machine quilting (next thing up is the larger foot for using rulers like the big longarms). If you don't like the dealer then walk away and try somewhere else even if it's further afield. I wish I'd sussed the dealer out more - because where I go now to get mine MOT'd everyone there is really nice but I bought it from another place and I didn't like the guy at all.

[Valkyrie 392]

Found the link - good advice for new machines.

 

http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/best-sewing-machine.html

[LolaLayla 0]

See if you can get an adapter for machine quilting (next thing up is the larger foot for using rulers like the big longarms).

I use the walking foot and a foot for free motion work. I didn't know you could get an adapter for some work. What does this help you do?

Thanks for all your helpful advise. It is nice to hear that Janome is not the be all and end all. As I mentioned in the group I go to I reckon about 90% have this make. My Singer doesn't jump or cause any problems. I just feel I would love the needle up/down, stitch lock and thread cutter. Plus the alphabet! A bigger throat would be good as I have struggled to shove quilts through but I think that pushes up the cost too much. I am really going towards the new Singer I think and should be able to try it out at the show (so looking forward to another bus trip ). I know that the aftersales service for Singer is not great as you have to post your machine away . I am watching gumtree but there hasn't been much and I bid on one on eBay but was worried incase it wasn't all it seemed to be. So much to think about!

[Blackrocksrock 39]

Oh I am very lucky - the guy who sells singer and brother and others services them all and lives 16 miles from me so its really good and he has feet and spares etc for them - He also can help you if you have any problems so its great. I actually bought the NV1100 and when the stitches were a problem I took it to him and he sorted it - was thread in the discs on the top and I told him I wished I had bought the bigger NV1300 and he said - I can swap you and you can upgrade - so after about 6 weeks I upgraded as this one has more alphabet with it and more stitches but otherwise the same.

[LolaLayla 0]

That sounds really great service. I have just read some reviews and some were not that good for the Singer. I am sooo confused I will need to try them out to be sure.

[Plum 97]

The advice about a dealer who is local is a good one. It's a nightmare if you have to cart it half across the country to sort out gremlins, not that you'll have any.

Just try them but make a list of things you may want it to do first like threading, dropping feed dogs, adjusting tension, type of stitches, does it sew over bumps, can you adjust presser feet tension, how easy the feet are to change and how easy it is to put the walking foot on. How much it weighs if you're doing workshops (one of my arms is longer than the other!), look of alphabet, etc,.

So exciting getting a new machine you're going to have fun

[LolaLayla 0]

It will take me ages to choose. I spend so long researching and asking opinion about buying anything Unless I find something fab on gumtree I will most likely wait until I get a chance at the Edinburgh show to try some out before I buy.

[Plum 97]

It's a nice show, I went years ago. I'm sure they'll be there, you'll know your machine when you try it. It'll just feel right, but don't try any without looking at the price first

[LolaLayla 0]

Choosing would be easy without the price ticket getting in the way

[Blackrocksrock 39]

Also ask them if they have ex demo machines - I have seen them advertised too in some of these online places as ex demos. They use them at shows and then sell them.