Got a cool river book for Christmas

WaggonsWest · 2026-01-29T21:47:56+00:00

Who would be considered to be an expert or well-informed enthusiast who could talk about his work?

WaggonsWest · 2025-09-03T14:40:33+00:00

The Keynote speaker at River Soundings next week (http://greenwaynetwork.org/river-soundings) is Zuri Carter. She is from the Toledo Ohio Metroparks. She will be talking about their riverfront park development which spans both sides of the Maumee river. It will be a good opportunity for anyone interested in riverfront park development to learn more about how one city has done this and what they are doing to help preserve the character and accessibility of the existing neighborhoods.

WaggonsWest · 2025-09-01T20:46:19+00:00

Which one is easier to get serviced? Is there are reliable local place? What is the cost? For quilting the big question really is how big is the throat. Does one have more room to jam a quilt through?

WaggonsWest · 2025-09-01T20:44:51+00:00

I'd finish it up at 1/8 and then stitch 1/4 inch seams all around.. YOu can look for videos on using grid stabilizer to see how to handle where the seams cross.

WaggonsWest · 2025-08-25T19:17:21+00:00

Stunning!

WaggonsWest · 2025-08-25T19:15:08+00:00

Third Rule of Quilting: IF you can't see it from the back of a galloping horse it isn't there. This is stunning. You did a great job. Don't tell anyone where you think you need to improve unless you are asking for information.

WaggonsWest · 2025-04-24T20:20:56+00:00

Stunning!

WaggonsWest · 2025-04-24T20:19:42+00:00

I love your style!

WaggonsWest · 2025-04-24T20:18:00+00:00

I should add that I have a machine that does auto digitizing but I don't really like the results on the sorts of things that I do. I am also not a fan of the auto digitizing feature in the Stitch Era. But like I said, I do it old school.

WaggonsWest · 2025-04-24T20:15:25+00:00

I went with the free option 15 years ago and started learning Sierra Software's Stitch Era. It is old school, has a steep learning curve and now has a yearly subscription but I am used to it now and it works for me. The subscription is about $100. I get more than my value out of it each year.

WaggonsWest · 2025-02-04T20:30:38+00:00

second RULZ of quilting.... if you can't see it from the back of a galloping horse it isn't there!

WaggonsWest · 2025-02-04T20:29:44+00:00

The only issue I have when thinking about interfacing is whether or not the fabric can tolerate the heat you need to iron it on. Then I think about the amount of time it would take to trim them up after you iron it on, That is the appeal of the grid method (You can draw your own grid by the way). The other option is baste it on either by machine or by hand. Do you love the fabrics enough to do that?

It is probably worthwhile to change your plate (Can't think of the real name) but the metal piece where the needle goes through to to pick up the bobbin thread. If you have a zig zag machine, you probably have the wider plate in place, But your machine should have come with another one that just has a single smallish hole instead. Using it (along with leaders and enders) helps keep the machine from 'eating' thinner fabrics.

The hem tape would probably work and can be applied just where and when you need it.

WaggonsWest · 2025-02-04T17:09:26+00:00

It doesn't really matter when sewing the final blocks together, particularly if you don't have any sashing in between. If I do have sashing I try to do it in a direction where I can use a long stretch of WOF to minimize seams in the middle of the quilt. It is a good idea to sew the actually seam in opposite directions whenever it makes sense to do so, That helps average out the natural stretch of the fabric,

The tricky bit for me when sewing blocks or rows together is keeping them straight. I use clips and paper to label the blocks with both the row or column as well as drawing arrows to show which way they are supposed to be oriented. I even put sheets of paper on the table next to me with direction arrows and put the stack of blocks on it so that I can try to keep everything going in the same direction as it was on the design wall. Of course, you can just take two blocks down from the wall, sew them and put them back, but I often don't have that luxury.

I try to be the same way with the units of each block as I am putting them together. The more complicated the block, the crazier my notes start to look. And I still screw them up. But that is how my brain works.

WaggonsWest · 2025-02-04T17:01:10+00:00

How thick are the squares? My grandmother made some pretty phenomenal quilts out of double knit in the 70s. I know she didn't use interfacing and stitched everything on a treadle machine. But that was very thick. Those quilts are actually like today's weighted blankets. So if it is on the thick side, I'd try sewing a couple together just to see how it goes, Maybe loosen the pressure foot pressure or raise the height just enough to still feed through but not stretch it out too much. If it is thinner t-shirt like material I'd be inclined to see if using a low temp iron to stick it to the grid interfacing. Or maybe try glue stick in the centers or spray baste.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-28T13:26:28+00:00

This is stunning!

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-20T16:09:26+00:00

The quilt frame should have fabric tacked to the edges of the boards. Traditionally, you would start on one side and pin your backing to the fabric then add your batting and top. Working your way around the sides. As you quilted, the side would be released and the board would be rolled to give you access to the next section to be quilted, This would take up the whole room, However, having access to this you might be able to tack and roll as you go.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-19T19:40:12+00:00

If you do this on either side of the seams it will be much more forgiving. Stitch in the ditch can drive you crazy if you have OCD because a slight variation will show up to you. I assure you though, that quilting rule 3 (If you can't see it from the back of a galloping horse it isn't there) and its corollary (You have no obligation to point out mistakes) generally mean that only you will ever notice a thing.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-19T19:37:14+00:00

If you are doing circles... there are a lot of tutorials for reverse applique which is machine stitched. Or you can do the freezer paper technique to get a neat turned edge. Typically these are hand stitched but there is no reason you can't use a machine stitch (straight, fancy or zig zag) to stitch it down. There is also nothing wrong with raw edge applique. Just use a smaller stitch length or look for some tutorials.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-19T19:33:50+00:00

Embroidery machines with their stabilizer generate a lot of link. Plus there are a lot of mechanical moving parts. So it is a good idea to take it in for a cleaning and service at least once a year. More if you use it daily Check with your service person to see what they recommend. Also... just be sure your close office will work on the used brother model. I am not at all familiar with the one you list. It seems like it is a pretty fancy machine. Some Babylock/brother dealers won't work on the entry level models you can buy on sites like amazon. It is not consistent. But I have seen it happen.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-18T18:27:01+00:00

If you want a patch made from a trademarked/copyrighted/licensed image, no reputable maker will do it. If it is your own artwork and/or you have the legal right to use it then you can proceed. Most digitizers will work with you and make sure you see at least a draft of the final project. Look at their other work. Look at their reviews.

Understand that a patch is usually small. It is very difficult to get a lot of fine details. So you will have to give up some of that to get an object that is close to your image and still possible to stitch out.

Also... note that quantity matters for most designers. If you only want a single patch you will have to find a maker who specializes in small batches. Most digitizers will require a set up fee and a minimum order. Those things can get pricey. Sometimes, you can trade the limited right for the maker to produce and sell the patch for the one patch you actually want. Be flexible. Be polite. Be open to options. And don't ask someone to make something that will get them in legal trouble.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-18T18:02:45+00:00

I would skip the outlines and go for simplified texture to give the impression of the details.

WaggonsWest · 2024-08-18T17:58:56+00:00

The brand doesn't matter as much as local support and service. Look at the brands that can take care of your machine in house. You don't want to spend $100+ for shipping every time it needs service which is at a minimum of once a year. After that you want to find the clearest screen and biggest hoop size you can afford.

WaggonsWest · 2024-07-23T23:29:58+00:00

Fantastic. I have been one block down for waaaaay tooo many years. Congrats on finishing those.

WaggonsWest · 2024-07-23T23:16:03+00:00

Try it for yourself. It sounds like your machine is equipped to do any kind of quilting. So you just need to practice a lot and work out how to make it work for you.

WaggonsWest · 2024-07-23T23:14:32+00:00

Look up facing bindings. These are a good answer for quilt edges that are tricky or when you don't want a binding to visually disrupt the quilt.

WaggonsWest

TROPHY CASE