Thread Frustration
After a long conversation with my mom, my hours of thread frustration today do not seem to be because of (1) my inexperience with thread on cones, (2) the age of my machine, (3) the quality of the thread, or any other logical reason...it seems that the thread goddess was frowning down upon me, and once I had made the voodoo sacrifice to the Great Supreme Rayon SheGod, all was good. I obviously need more practice. Note my first use of the Thread Pro Stand. I need practice with it also. I don't have time to practice stuff, though. It's too frustrating. I got good at hearing the weird hiccup the machine made right before it looped thread all over the front, and the strange metallic twang the needle would make right before the thread broke.
Note the setup includes a cat sleeping behind the machine and a cat sitting on the chair where I sit. This makes it very easy to attain the appropriate back stiffness for quilting without soreness in shoulders.
I quilted two pieces this weekend, after being prescribed Vicodin for a sore throat from hell (I didn't take very much of it...it made it too hard to quilt...or stay awake). The weekend is improving. This is part of Still Life with Bloody Head. Guess what...this is the head. This piece has been in progress for two years...why? Thread. Couldn't find the right one. Then I found the right one and it almost drove me to shred this quilt.
This piece is named Weighted. I can't really explain it. Binding it will be difficult. It has color issues. The Grand Canyon applique block is almost done. Hopefully I can post a picture of it later this week.
posted by vrgnamgnta @ 10:33 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
You have some unique pieces there, very dark and powerful. Arresting.
Thread aggravation can be a nightmare. I actually was able to drop a spool of holographic in a coffee cup off to the side of the machine and make it work. The idea was that it had to come very loosely off the spool. I suppose you have checked to see about having the "right" needles, adjusting tension and so on? Here is one website that talks about needle sizes and thread types:
http://www.quiltbus.com/threadtheory.htm
Soory, I don't know how to make that a live link. Jen
"Weighted" is very Dali-like to me. I'm also glad to know I'm not the only one who's working on an old machine making miracles happen every time I produce something with it, LOL.
My mom suggested the coffee can too, and then told me where in her house I could find one (I don't drink coffee). I changed needles and tension and swore a lot...we honestly believe it was the amount of thread on the spool, and once there was less on there, it came off the spool better.
Dali and I are VERY close :-).
"Weighted" is cool and scary and wonderful.
I place ALL spools of thread in a coffee cup next to my machine now and this step alone has eliminated thread problems. I tried the Thread Pro thing.. and the base really needed to be weighted heavier IMHO.
Post a Comment
<< Home