Progress is being made on the quilting front, Sundance and I are over halfway done with this Charming Postage Stamp Baskets quilt, I have pressed some new tools into service, one is Deloa's Appliguide; I absolutely love it! It nestles around the hopping foot and gives me much better control with one hand, as the other hand drives the machine, smoothly around and onto the applique shapes. It has a beveled edge on the underside of the tool so it doesn't catch on the applique edges, but rather glides right up and over them. I highly recommend this tool to anyone with a longarm machine, it's been valuable working around the basket handles; my early attempts, before I bought the Appliguide, aren't nearly as nice as I would like.  |
| Now the cautionary part: if you're stitching in regulated mode and can easily disengage the sewing motor with one click for moving your tools and rulers in and around the hopping foot don't assume it will stay disengaged, I learned the hard way. In fact, I may not have disengaged the motor at all, I can't be certain. But, I thought I had, and when removing this tool by lifting up on it to free it, I moved the machine and it lurched into stitching mode; jamming the tool between the needle shaft and the base extension table (underneath the quilt). Thankfully, Sundance blew a fuse and the machine effectively shut down. It took both my husband and me to dislodge the tool and, from there, it was simple enough then to replace a fuse and go on, there was no damage... only to my nerves! I won't ever assume I've disengaged the motor when moving accessories around anymore; I will take it out of stitch regulator mode, move my tools, and then turn the regulator back on... it's much easier (and less stressful) to be safe than sorry! Lesson learned.
Life is Good!
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6 comments:
Oh, my heart jumped as you told your tale. That is so lucky that it wasn't worse.
Your quilting is so lovely! Are you going to do other people's quilts, or just your own?
...and I panic when I simply break a needle because I've forgotten I've changed a setting. There is NOTHING worse than the sound of something crunching when running a machine....glad it worked out okay.
I love Deloa's Appliqlide also! It's a phenomenal tool.
I've also discovered that I can use the *OUTSIDE* curve as a template! I like to do continuous curves (orange peel) in patchwork squares and diamonds. I like the optical illusion of the inter-connecting curves. I've found that the outer edge of the Appliglide is the absolute *perfect* size curve for doing that quilting motif. The upper curve (opposite the hopping foot cutout) is great for tighter curves and the curve on the side of the template is great when you need a longer, more gentle curve.
It is just serendipitous that the outer edges are also useful. I don't think that Deloa intended it as such, but it sure works well!
Maybe one day we'll have tools like that...in the mean time I'll just admire your lovely results!
Now that sounds like something I would do!! I long...for a longarm!!
I bought that tool after taking a class for DeLoa. It's a great tool. She also has a great arc -- I just need to use it more, I haven't mastered it yet. My poor HQ is feeling VERY neglected these days....
Glad no real harm was done. It's certainly scary when things like that happen.......and yes, I've done something similar.
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