often go astray. And they certainly did this week. Last week I showed you my whole quilt of embroidery squares ready to be quilted on my dining room table. My plan was to quilt a quarter inch away from each seam, using my walking foot. I started with my #1 Bernina and it was skipping stitches. NOT GOOD! So I brought the very heavy machine back upstairs to my studio and brought my very heavy #2 Bernina downstairs and SAME THING.....skipped stitches.
Went to Youtube to see if there was any help and the only suggestion was to use a new needle. Did that.....still skipping stitches. Tried stitching on other sample quilt sandwiches and it was fine. So I thought that perhaps it was because it was too heavy, even though I lifted it as I stitched to avoid drag. And even tho I had quilted other big quilts with no trouble.
Soooo I laboriously picked out the bad rows of quilting and then picked out stitches to make it into three smaller pieces, about 25" wide and 42" long. I had to cut the backing to fit the smaller sizes, resprayed with the basting spray and went back to quilting. Argh*&%%$#$%^&. STILL skipping stitches.
Now please understand that I have been spray-basting for probably 30 years. All sizes and shapes of quilts and I have never had a problem. Basting used to be my least favorite part of the quilt making process. I hated thread-basting and I hated pin-basting, so when spray-basting came along, I was first in line.
But I thought that that might be the problem. I had spray-basted my flannel to my fabric squares and then spray basting the backing to the sewn together squares. Also I had never used flannel as a batting.
Sooooo, I laboriously again picked out the rows of machine quilting and, held my breath and put the one section and its backing in the washing machine....cold water, gentle cycle. I did not put it in the dryer, but hung it to dry over the shower curtain rod. No damage to the embroidery, but I thought it still felt ever so slightly tacky on the back, so put it in the machine again. It looks OK wet, but I have to let it dry again and see what happens. With me luck.
On a happier note, I just bought this beautiful book. I have missed having my little squares on which to embroider and I saw this book on Mary Corbett's website. One thing I really like is that the backgrounds are watercolored right onto the fabric. Her instructions are fabulous. She tells you everything you need for each project and one is prettier than the other. I can't wait to start one, but I have to deal with the aforementioned problem with my quilt.
I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.
5 comments:
Have you tried making a sandwich of the exact fabrics you’re using in your quilt: same backing fabric, same flannel batting, same top fabric all spray basted the same way? I’d do that and work out your issues there. I’ve had trouble with certain fabrics sometimes, esp pfd for hand dyeing.
Yes, I have done that. And now to make matters worse, the stickiness is still there after washing it twice. So I am going to take several pieces of paper, the cheap kind that's used to wrap glass items at Home Goods. Iron it over and over until all the glue is absorbed into the paper. That will be tomorrow's task. I hope it works.
There are new machine needles that are made especially for use with spray adhesives. I think they are by Schmetz.
Thank you, Wanda.I never knew. I just went to Amazon and found them. Coming tomorrow! Hurray! I'll let everyone know how they work.
I'm with you on basting being one of my least favorite aspects of quilting. However, spray basting scared me because of the chemicals. Then I saw that Betty Busby fuses her quilts. Her resource is Museum Services Corporation and the fusible is Spunfab. It comes comes 60" wide and you buy it in 10 yard bolts. Quite affordable when you compare it with Misty Fuse. This is way museum's use to repair textiles. Who knew? I've been basting my quilts this way for years. It hasn't caused skipped stitches on either of my machines. The Schmetz sells a non sticking needle recommended when working with fusibles. I believe it comes in several sizes.
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