Embroidery fun...

Progress report with the new toy...a Pfaff Creative 2.  This is a thistle flower for a baby book, the pages were made by guests at the baby's shower and now her nanna is making a book.

 

I embroidered the birth announcement on a pink block.  Below is the practice on a quilt sandwich.

I'm practicing my  free motion leaves as well.  The embroidery was done with 100% variegated purple thread and the green leaves are 100% polyester trilobal embroidery thread.  So far I'm really enjoying doing sewing machine embroidery. 

Happy sewing all.

free motion quilting - heart shaped leaves

I'm delighted to participate in 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge.  January's teacher is Frances Moore.  First I drew the leaves on about a dozen sheets paper, trying to get them relatively the same size and running in different directions without crossing the lines.

These are the first two sheets.

This is the last sheet.  I put a question mark at the start as in hindsight, I should have started with a complete leaf instead of short piece of stem.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until after I completed the square in my sampler quilt.  When I was done my square I went back to the centre to add one tiny leaf on the starter stem, it is very obvious because of the extra thread.

 

This is my practice scrap, I tried purple Coats 100% polyester thread 40 wt and white bobbin quilting thread in the bottom.

On the backside there are tiny purple dots from the top side showing through the bottom.  I adjusted the needle tension then I had white dots on the top.  This problem was easily fixed by changing the bobbin thread to the same thread colour as the needle.

This month's square was quilted with my Bernina 930 Record (Helga) using a Schmetz universal 80/12 needle.

I'm mostly happy with the results.  The only thing I don't like is my beginning and end are obvious.  These leaves are fun to quilt.

The sampler quilt is 100% cotton top, the outside border is 100% cotton unbleached muslin and so is the back.  The batting is Warm and Natural 80% cotton and 20% polyester.  This batting is wonderful to quilt with.

I really looking forward to next month's free motion quilting design.  After completing the sampler block I put these leaves on the baby quilt behind the sampler quilt.

Happy quilting all!

What Child Is This - vocalist Barry Mihilewicz my cousin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py-8WmW9bm4

A little piece of magic.  Happy New Year!

Using a treadle sewing cabinet with an electric machine

Debbie has left a new comment on your post "Husqvarna 530 Lily":

When I used a treadle cabinet for an electric machine I constantly got tangled up with the iron pedal on the bottom. Congrats on your new machines!

This is how my treadle cabinet was set up.  After the treadle machine was removed, a wooden shelf was installed for this free arm machine to sit on.   The older flatbed machines have the identical hinged pin at the back of the machine that fits into a portable carrying case or sewing machine cabinet.  These machines can be installed the same way the treadle machine was and folded down for storage.  My shelf set-up does not allow for the machine to be folded inside when not in use. 

I wrapped the electric cord that plugs into the wall and the foot pedal cord around the centre of the treadle frame then feed them up and inside the back of the cabinet to plug into the machine.

 

I put a small piece (2 by 4) of wood 2 inches thick under the treadle pedal.  

This prevents the treadle pedal from moving when sewing.

Works like a charm. Happy sewing all.

Husqvarna 530 Lily

In July 2011, I gave Heidi my Husqvarna 500 Computer to my daughter.  There was a brief period where I thought or hoped that my Bernina 930 Helga would be my new "go to" machine.  I guess old habits die hard,  I missed my Husqvarna.  So I bought this one.

Manufactured in Sweden in 1997 the 530 Lily is a scaled down model of the 500.  Lily does not have as many features or stitches, there is no alphabet, but the body of the machine is identical to the 500.  I bought the 530 Lily in Kanata, Ontario.  She arrived on bus this morning.  Look what a fantastic job the previous owners did packing her up.

The bobbins were in a zip lock bag, the accessories and feet were individually wrapped in bubble wrap.  A surprise bonus in the box was a free motion quilting/darning foot and walking foot.

Lily just happens to have the same name as my dog.

She has an extension which I won't be using because she fits so well in this 1914 Singer treadle cabinet.

This is a shot of the bobbin winder and control panel.  It has a sewing advisor, that includes a selection for leather and vinyl sewing.

The stitches in purple thread were made with the Husqvarna/Viking Lily 530.  She sews lovely, precise stitches.

The Lily 530 wears low shank snap on feet, uses standard needles and the same bobbins as my Pfaff Creative 2.  Welcome home my new "go to" machine.

December has been a great month for me, I sold two sewing machines (Elnas) and bought two sewing machines the Pfaff Creative 2 and this one.   Currently, I own 12 machines, three are listed for sale and one will be given to my son in 2012.  See, I'm getting so close to my goal of owning only 8 or less machines.

Three more sleeps till we fly east to spend Christmas with our daughter and son-in-law.  Happy holidays all.

Pfaff Creative 2

I must have been extra good this year, because I traded off Big Bertha my Pfaff QE 4 and brought this beauty home!

I could have swapped straight across for a Pfaff Smarter C1100, but what is the fun in that?  Instead I traded up to the combo embroidery/sewing machine.  Needless to say, the Christmas sewing is on the back burner while I play with the new toy.

She has the extra large harp area like the QE 4, the same toggle switch and buttons.  She uses the same feet, the identical straight stitch plate and bobbins.  Any suggestions on what I should name this beauty?

This is really fun.  The software converts true type computer fonts to files that the sewing machine will embroider.  I'm just learning so I made a few mistakes but this is only practice scrap.

 Sew Fun! was made with a computer font I converted.

 

I ran into a little glitch with the Christmas tree.  Operator error.  I hit the wrong button and the machine centered itself in the middle of my hoop not at the bottom right hand side where the pot and bottom of the tree were.  I eye balled it to get back to the same position.  As you can see, it is a wee bit off.  This machine will cut the jump stitches as it sews and baste around the design before it starts embroidering,  so it is easy to see exactly where the design will be. 

Tammy's Craft Emporium was the first thing I tried to embroider.  The font was too small causing too much thread build up.  I think this machine will be fun to use.  I plan to decorate quilts, personalize gifts with names or initials and add borders to table cloths or napkins.  Having never owned an embroidery machine before, I'm really excited about it.

I have lots to learn about backing,  how to embroider on terry cloth, denim and quilts.  Any comments, suggestions and advice are always welcome.  Does anyone else buy themselves Christmas gifts? 

Awwwwww.. my cup runneth over!  Have a super duper day all!  ~dancing around the room with glee!

Lily's new fur cut!

Sometimes she just doesn't want her photo taken.

Lily was more interested in relaxing than her photo shoot.

Doug thought the little bows in her ears were silly.  I think she looks sleepy and bored.

She smells much better now.  Dogs are difficult to photograph. 

Now that she's had her spa day she is ready to go the the boarding kennel for Christmas while we go visit Shannon, AJ and Penny (their puppy) in Kingston, Ontario.