WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:

[EnumclawGramma]

Ok, so....I'm done with the top of my Quilt of Valor and it's all sandwiched and ready to quilt. I'm learning to use my new machine and it's time to FMQ. I had a senior moment (you know what I mean) and couldn't remember if I wanted to set my thread tension or stitch length to ZERO (according to Leah Day), and I wasn't sure which was which on my machine because it's not "manual" like my Pfaff was, and I changed the WRONG one. (still not sure which I changed). I was AMAZED at how my FMQing just sailed along, no thread breaking, no skipped stitches....it was going swimmingly!!! (I don't really know if that's a word, if it isn't I just made it one!) I sailed through WELL over half that quilt. I was like "Yeah baby! I'm doin' it NOW!! This machine ROCKS". DH was doin' a little happy dance in the living room cuz....Mama's happy. My machine was humming to the beat of my heart. We were one my machine and I. This is really livin.....

I decided to take a break, check my work, finish tomorrow. Now....this is where the "what I learned" comes in. Remember on the tutorial Jenny's daughter did about FMQing? And....remember when she said "take a few stitches, and turn your work over and check the back"? Remember? You heard it. I remember hearing it. I sure wish I'd followed her advice, because when I looked at the back to see if it looked as incredible as the front...you guessed it...."eyelashes" (you know, right?) HALF the quilt. And you know what I did with my morning coffee today? Pick. Pick. Pick. Rip. Rip. Rip. HALF the quilt.

"Take a few stitches and turn it over and check your work" Lesson. Learned.

[bkthomas]

Aww..Libby, so sorry

[EnumclawGramma]

Hey....it's OK! I learned. I was in my sewing room (my most favorite place) and it was fixed and done right before the end of the day. All's well that ends well, right?

[auntiemern]

Awe Libby,that just stinks. I have yet to figure out how to keep that from happening. I can do fine on practice sandwich, but the min I start on real quilt..., well let's just say I am glad my DGK's are not anywhere within ear shot. LOL

[Bubby]

Libby....How disappointing and aggravating. (((Hugger)))) Barb

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Thats i just so painful! What do you think caused that? I fixed my FMQ problems by putting the tension on manual instead of auto

[EnumclawGramma]

Thats i just so painful! What do you think caused that? I fixed my FMQ problems by putting the tension on manual instead of auto

Oh Jean....it was totally a tension issue! Once I put all the settings back to where they were....everything worked GREAT! I love my new machine, it'll do whatever you want it to.....you just have to LET IT!

I know this sounds really awful, but I honestly chalk it up to a learning experience. While ripping it out I thought about what I was going to tell all you quilters about my snafu! Seriously, whenever I make a mistake like this, and I'm able to figure out where I went wrong...it's like "well, now I know how to do it right"....and I move on! I've been frustrated to tears before, don't get me wrong. Which is what motivated DH to buy me this new machine! There's a learning curve to anything that's worth doing, quilting is something I love and want to improve on. I want to live up to what recipients of my quilts think of me! Make sense?

[buckeyequilter]

I know this sounds really awful, but I honestly chalk it up to a learning experience. While ripping it out I thought about what I was going to tell all you quilters about my snafu! Seriously, whenever I make a mistake like this, and I'm able to figure out where I went wrong...it's like "well, now I know how to do it right"....and I move on! I've been frustrated to tears before, don't get me wrong. Which is what motivated DH to buy me this new machine! There's a learning curve to anything that's worth doing, quilting is something I love and want to improve on. I want to live up to what recipients of my quilts think of me! Make sense?

I'm glad you got it all working....I'm looking forward to seeing your finished quilt

[Winniesfriend]

Oh Bugger - What a time consuming way to learn a lesson - better luck next time

[buckeyequilter]

OMG been there, done that......mine was embroidery on a quilt. If I have something like that happen - I can't leave it I have to pick it out. I saw a machine embroidery eraser....I think I'm going to order it and see how it works.