There are hundreds of pieces to be sewn for this quilt, and the leader/ender style wasn't making fast enough progress for me. So I oiled her generously and found the quarter inch seam line using Bonnie Hunter's seam guide tool.
She worked beautifully, making a perfect stitch for hours. Don't you love how the fabric looks like ribbon candy coming out behind the needle when you sew long strip sets?
Everything was threaded properly but it was as if there was no thread. I reread the manual for the umpteenth time. In my own defence, I have a lot of machines and have read a lot of manuals so I can't remember all the details for each machine (yet). As it turns out, the issue was incorrect needle placement. In this machine the smooth side of the needle in the shank must face the back of the Featherweight 221K. I hope I remember this!
To see more design wall posts, hop over to Small Quilts.
PS... the winner of the Olfa prize package from last Monday's Happy Little Things post was commenter # 122 (out of 228 comments). Congratulations to Diana from Texas!
It was inspiring reading what makes my blog readers happy....thanks for entering!
Making accurate ribbons with Elsie would have been enjoyable other than the opps needle placement. Been there done that. Perhaps put a sticky note on your machine for next time. Congrats to Diana. I missed the part of what makes me happy when I commented. Obviously, my favorite happy about your blog is Slow Sunday Stitching, however, I do enjoy reading about your other quilting projects and adventures.
ReplyDeleteI swear every machine I have you have put the needle in different - and sometimes thread differently too! I hope you have yours figured out. I was thinking something was wrong with my machine the other day as I was running batiks through the tension was a bit messed up and then when I couldn't get it figured out I was doing testing on another and it worked fine when I suddenly realized I wasn't testing on a batik - the tension was fine on the other fabric! I've not had that problem before on this machine
ReplyDeleteYes, making ribbon candy is fun! And colorful chains! Good investigating to figure out the stitching problem.
ReplyDeleteLoved that last post with all the ladies quilting. Yes, sorting out machines...I have two and it is enough of a challenge for me!! And my mind boggled at the idea of hundreds of pieces in Kevin's quilt. But I know you are up for it no problem. Happy Stitching, Kathy.
ReplyDeleteAdmire you for going forward on Kevin's! I gave up and the work already completed is on it's way to a new home!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have only four machines, yet I have to get out the manuals before I change anything on any of them.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty scraps in your mystery quilt.
The brights and neutrals will make a really fun quilt. I'm doing well on the color 1, but not so hot on color 2. With less than 2 weeks to clue 3, I need to get busy!
ReplyDeleteThe Featherweight is fussy in a few ways, so I tend to check the manual before I put in the needle and when I clean it so that the bobbin case is set up correctly (ask me how I learned to do this ;)
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