Productivity

I had said that this past weekend was going to be dedicated to quilting...well, it sure was! Not only did I finish the quilt for Terps for Ethiopia, but I also quilted another gift on the long arm machine. :) I will be able to share this particular quilt next week once the special person has received his gift!!

But wait...there's more! (I feel like an infomercial.) I also started quilting a sandwich I had created with this quilt top. 

I have been really excited about the thought of a simple quilt for my couch that will match all of the pillows I made. I didn't want to pay to quilt this one on the long arm, and since it is smaller, I decided to attempt straight line quilting on my machine. If you have read any of my previous posts you know that I have a high tolerance for lines not being accurate; I figured straight-ish lines would be good enough for this particular quilt. Sadly, I wasn't even able to produce straight-ish lines. My machine does not want to quilt. :(

I am sure that some of my issues are user error, but I don't think I am at fault for all of the problems I am having. The tension is really off and I have tried changing the dial to every possible setting in hopes of making it right; I have tried different brands of thread; I have used more basting pins than I am sure I need hoping that it is just fabric bunching. No matter what I do, the tension is whacky. Tension is not my only problem...the stitches are so uneven!! Some stitches are really short and others are really long. Ugh!

Anyways, I continued quilting straight lines in hope that once they were all done I wouldn't be able to notice the problem areas. Too bad...the entire thing is a problem area! After quilting half of the lines I have decided that all the stitches have to come out. I spent a solid 45 minutes today with my seam ripper and am still not done. 

That's not all....I have good news! The reason I have rambled on about all of this is to say that I have decided it is finally time to purchase my new machine. My current machine was my grandmother's and I don't think I will ever get rid of it. It is a Husqvarna Viking 190 and is good for piecing and small projects. 

I started looking at machines in October and decided that I wanted to wait until I had enough money to buy a "good machine". That time has come and I am SO EXCITED!!!! I have scheduled an appointment next Wednesday to test drive at Sew'n Place. It will be over a two hour drive to get to Chambersburg, PA but I think it will be worth the trip! They carry a variety of machines so I will be able to play and play and play. I can't wait!!!!