I'm doing concentric circles and used a 12" bowl as my starting circle template. I also decided to use four different thread colours, grey, blue, lime and orange - alternating them every circle. Look, I've proper thought about the quilting and everything. It's not FMQ but it's not straight lines either.
All went well with the first circle, it was slightly wavy but I could live with it. I just need to slow down a bit. Thread change, onto next circle and fitting my quilting bar to the walking foot - cue filthy sweary words and fists railing at the sky. The quilting bar only fits/works to the right and not to the left, which is where I needed in order to follow the starter circle. I mean, what a stupid design flaw. I tried putting it to the left but it kept jumping up and was useless.
I decided to wing it a little but soon stopped when I remembered that circles shouldn't have corners! To be fair, the kinks happened when I got a little carried away with my needle speed. Some of the circles were actually quite smooth and evenly spaced. But I grumped out last night and grabbed the seam ripper. (oh, and ordered an adjustable quilting bar!)
So today I am mostly doing this....
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| #ochwell |
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| I found some nests so perhaps ripping is the way forward |
Keech!! My bar only goes to the right, as well! I stuck it on the left anyway and masking taped it down when I did my spiral quilting. You're right - what a stupid, stupid design flaw. (You a Janome user, too?)
ReplyDeleteoh no :( Boo hiss! Have you tried my clever stick a rawl plug on the end of the quilting bar and use empty bobbins to set the length?! works a treat!!
ReplyDeleteOh rubbish! I did my circle quilting with an adjustable foot instead of a quilting bar and I had exactly the same trouble- plus it gets very hard when you're getting close to the edges as the whole quilt has to go through that tiny space. Nicht gut.
ReplyDeleteGrrrrr, bad design, and sooooooo annoying when you just want to get done! Good Luck with the next try :o)
ReplyDeleteHow annoying! Good luck with round two :-)
ReplyDeletereading all the comments and I have nothing to ad as I have never even tried to quilt a circle. I am sure you will get it right though as you are ace at this sort of thing, just a little blip for now ans tomorrow all will go well
ReplyDeleteArse! I hope you second go is easier x
ReplyDeleteI have given up on perfection when it comes to circles but I've gotten better. I also have a quilting bar that only fits one way (grr) which makes it impossible, too, to switch sides so that you're not always sewing in the same direction and having your top migrate right off the batting, which happens with circular quilting... True story.
ReplyDeleteWhat happens if you lengthen your stitch by a half? It'll be stellar when it's finished. Power through!!
I've never tried quilting in a circle, so fingers crossed for your next attempt! Have you tried a hera marker or a frixion pen, then you wouldn't need the quilting bar??
ReplyDeleteI tend to do curves the wrong way for the bar too.... its a right pain in the ass! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteKeep ripping....and smiling too!
ReplyDeleteoh, Grrr! I sympathise! Why is that bar designed anti logic! It must have been designed by a man! keep smiling through!
ReplyDeleteMy machine has the same problem, it's infuriating! Love the idea though x
ReplyDeleteI think I have just scraped that plan to quilt in circles on my next project! :-O
ReplyDelete