Machine Misfortunes

Monday
I am tired of gummy needles, missed stitches, and broken thread.  I am tired of failure.  Do you ever feel that way?  I love my doggie portrait.  The fusing came out better than I dreamed, but the quilting is a disaster due to fusible adhesive glopping up the needle.  I called my Baby Lock dealer who is always helpful.  She suggested that maybe I didn't get the fusible ironed enough so that it was fully incorporated into the fabric.  She also suggested #12 denim or jeans needle.  If I couldn't get that needle, try #12 universal.  OK.  I drove to the valley and the closest store didn't have the right needle, although I picked up the #12 universal.  I went to the other store and they were closed for two days.  So....I came home, ironed down the fusible really well with a silicone press cloth and tried again.  No luck.  I talked to my daughter (professional longarmer) and she asked if I had used steam.  No I hadn't so I tried that, to no avail.  My only option is to look further for the #12 denim or jeans needle when I am down off the mountain on Wednesday.

Thank you for listening. I feel better now.  Here is a picture of my doggie before quilting.

Dixie fused, before attempting to quilt.

Tuesday
No luck in quilting no matter what I did so I moved on to another project, but my beloved sewing machine bunched up the stitches, ruffled the fabric and tore the foundation paper.  It was fully serviced one month ago!  I called my dealer and was told to bring the machine in.  Move over dark cloud.  I have had enough disruption.

Wednesday
I left the machine in the shop while I got a haircut, had a Japanese lunch with DH, and did some errands.  What a boost for sagging spirits!  On the way home I retrieved my presently persnickety
machine.

The diagnosis of my machine troubles:
1.  The fusible not only gummed up the needle, but left a crystalline, powdery residue in the bobbin case and surroundings.  The folks in the shop cleaned up the mess and recommended not using Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite with my machine.  That's easy.  I prefer Soft Fuse anyway.  I will just have to do the doggie over again. Fortunately my 3-year service contract paid for the work.

TIP:  Run a tester on your machine with Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite before investing time or money in it for a fusible project.

2.  In my new project (no fusible) I was using Superior's Bottom Line in both the top and bobbin, sewing seams on foundation paper.  It is a thin, polyester thread, and is relatively elastic.  This is fine for the bobbin as it will pull the top thread down slightly when it relaxes, but it is too stretchy for the top and causes bunching.  Being polyester, it also can get hot, which causes more stretching and therefore more bunching.

TIP:  Use Superior's "Bottom Line" thread in the bobbin, but not top AND bottom.

In spite of many, many years of sewing and quilting, I still find myself crawling up the learning curve.  There is always something new to learn in this business/hobby.  My brain loves to form new connections, which will hopefully keep me sane and avoid early onset dementia.

Friday:  Epilogue by Brain Dead
I set up the machine and sat down to sew again, but my fabric bunched up as before.  Rethread, change the needle, redo.  Still bunches.  No (scream and tear hair out).......this cannot be!  Change from my favorite foot to the standard foot.  Ah, it works great.  Pick up my favorite, but non-standard foot to put it away.  What is this sticky stuff on the bottom?  Oh no!  I told you about putting my foundation pattern together with surgical tape.  Well, my surgical tape had been in the band-aid drawer for decades and was feeling a bit gummy on the non-sticking side.  Apparently the top of the tape gummed up the underside of the foot so fabric could not flow under it.  My newly purchased roll of tape is not sticky on top and I can sew over it just fine with all feet.  I cleaned my favorite foot with alcohol and it is back on the machine and working beautifully.  Incidentally, I can easily pull the bad, old tape off the foundation pattern and replace it with the new.  All is working fine and progress has begun again.  May I hear a big HURRAY!!!!?

TIP:  If it is sticky, don't sew it!  Buy a new roll of surgical tape if you plan to use it.

I still have to do the doggie over from scratch, but at least I have the pattern in waiting mode.

Sew a Happy Seam this week.  I wish you no gummed needles or puckered fabric.

Fusible Analytics

I promised an analytic comparison of two methods of using fusible material to create a quilt.  Both methods leave raw edges and can be quilted anywhere from lightly to heavy thread painting.  Be aware that my analyses are summaries of MY experience and are not intended to take the place of the books and classes mentioned below.

Method I.  I learned this by following the directions in Lea McComas' book, "Thread Painted Portraits," and additionally from attending a class she taught.

1.  Using a posterized black and white version of a photo, trace it on the dull side of freezer paper and carefully label by value (#1 = white, #5= black, #2-4 = in-between values; and/or color).  Starting with the lightest value (#1) mark those edges with a red pencil where you will cut extra fabric to slip under the adjoining piece(s).  Remember to work so that light color goes under a darker color.
    Pro:  This keeps everything clear and straight, and pays off in the end.
    Con:  Time consuming.
   TIP:  Don't rush.  Doing it right saves time in the end.
   TIP:  Pre-shrink the freezer paper by running a dry iron over it, lifting it, then pressing it a second
           time.  Believe it or not, it does shrink and can mess up your plans.

Labeled drawing.  Letters refer to color, numbers indicate value. (Click to view large)

2.  Make a copy of the whole thing by tracing lines and notations.  The copy will be cut apart to be used as pattern pieces.
     Pro:  This gives you a master copy for reference.
     Con:  Time consuming.
     TIP:  A light table is invaluable here, but taping it to a window works too.
     TIP:  Cut your pattern pieces as you go or it will be a major puzzle sorting them out.
     TIP:  I keep the cut patterns in labeled envelopes so I can find them if I change my mind about the
              fabric I chose originally.

3.  Iron your basic, freezer paper pattern to an ironing surface and lay a silicone press sheet over it.  You need to be able to see through the press sheet to the pattern.  Iron fusible material to the back of your chosen fabrics.  Using the cut freezer paper patterns, cut out pieces.  Using the tip of your iron, tack your cut pieces of fabric in their assigned places to the ironing sheet.
     Pro:  The cut pattern pieces are right side up and placed on the right side of the fabric.  No
              confusion.
    Con:  Lots of little, pattern pieces running around.  Potential for unnecessary fabric waste.
    TIP:  To avoid fabric waste, don't put large amounts of fusible on your fabrics at one time.
    TIP:  I like SoftFuse.  It only has one layer of paper and is no trouble to quilt through.
    TIP:  Don't forget to cut extra fabric on your fabric pieces where the red marks are on your
             patterns.

Extra fabric where pattern is marked with red arrows.

Basic pattern beneath pressing sheet;
fabric with fusible and cut patterns on top. 

4.  Once all the pieces are tacked in place to your satisfaction, cover with another pressing sheet and press the whole thing together (in a pressing sheet sandwich).  When cool all those pieces of fabric can be peeled off the pressing sheet as a single unit, which is then ready to lay down on a prepared background and fused down permanently.
     Pro:  So cool!

Method II.  This method was learned during a class taught by Barbara Yates Beasley on creating animal portraits.

1.  Draw outlines delineating color and/or value on clear mylar with a fine, black Sharpie pen.  The backside is used for making pattern pieces.  Each outlined space becomes one little piece of fabric.
  Pro:  The mylar is very easy to work with and trace on; can be erased with alcohol and used again.
  Con:  It is easy to mix up front and back.
  TIP:  Using a posterized, black and white version of your photo may help with the drawing.
  TIP:  Label the backside of the mylar with "Pattern" or some indication as to which side you are
           working with.

Yes, you saw it last week!

2.  Trace the drawing on muslin so you know where to put the little pieces of fabric.
  Pro:  It is easy to put each piece in its place on the muslin.
  Con:  It is easy to get lost if you are looking at the pattern side so you have to remember to turn the
           mylar over to match the piece to its place on the muslin.
  TIP:  If you are comfortable with the computer you can do your drawing on the photo (I use
          Photoshop) before printing, then trace those lines on the mylar.  This would then show you the
          pattern pieces from the front side on the printed photo (no constant flipping of the mylar).

3.  Turn the mylar over to use the backside as the pattern.
    Pro:  Easy to draw patterns.
    Con:  Easy to forget which side you are working on and end up with the fusible backwards.
    TIP:  Mark the backside of the mylar so you know which side is up.

4.  Trace a piece from the mylar basic pattern onto Steam-a-seam 2 Lite, which has paper on each side of the fusible (sandwich style).
    Pro:  It is easy to see the lines for tracing.
    Con:  Sometimes the fusible sticks to the wrong piece of paper and you have to mess with it to
             move it to the paper with the tracing on it.
    TIP:  Check which side the fusible is clinging to before tracing.

5.  Cut around pattern piece roughly, take off paper backing and iron to wrong side of fabric.
     Pro:  Little fabric waste if no mistakes.
     Con:  One more time to remember which is front and back.
     TIP:  Chin up - do it enough and you'll keep it straight.

6.  Cut closely around the piece leaving about 1/16 inch outside the drawn line to nestle under or on top  of adjoining fabric pieces and set in its place on the muslin.
     Pro:  The piece of fabric with the fusible clings lightly to the muslin and pretty much stays put
              until  ironed.

I found that this method messed with my mind:  Wrong side, right side, which side; diddle, diddle dumpling, one ear wrong.  Several errors with wasted time and materials challenged me to remember.

The major problem that I am still wrestling with is that the Steam a Seam 2 Lite gums up my machine needle.  Their website says it was designed to not be gummy, but "if it does" you can use Sewers Aid (silicone liquid) on the needle to help it slide through.  I find myself constantly cleaning the needle with alcohol and applying Sewers Aid.  I am still getting skipped stitches and broken thread especially if I move the fabric toward me.  A 90/14 needle helps a bit, but makes visible holes in the fused fabric.  Maybe that will resolve.  I have done a lot of turning this little quilt to prevent the hiccups, but I miss the freedom of movement, and have given up on considering this as a show quilt.  The quilting is not up to snuff, but I am not doing it over.  Chalk it up to the learning process.  I still love the way my dog turned out.

This is long.  I hope it is helpful

Sew a Happy Seam this Week or try some fabric fusing.