Everything Old...

Blueberry Tea ~  60" X  76"

...is new again! There's a revival going on at Chez Goodneedle; a renewed interest in long-ago abandoned projects, and it's all good. While documenting all of my UFO's that were boxed, in various stages of completion, I decided that it was hypocritical to prioritize those while ignoring those that were hiding in plain sight! Namely this almost-already-vintage quilt that needs nothing more than hand quilting attention and another neatly-folded-on-the-shelf, partially hand-quilted beauty, in need of the same thing. I'm not focusing on how long they've been in this stage of undone-ness; not at all, only on seeing them become the finished quilts they were meant to be!

Every evening, while watching television, I have been quilting one of the basket blocks. It feels good to get back into the rhythm of handwork. I've always believed that in order to know where we're going (quilt-wise) it's important to understand not only where we are but how we got there, based on foundation and history. This is how I got to where I am now: hand quilting; one, single, stitch at a time! I brew up a cup of Blueberry Tea (this old quilt gained a new name!) and settle in for my new, again,  favorite pastime!

I hand quilt with a miniscule size 12 'Between' needle. A renewed enthusiasm for hand quilting is no match for the eyes of my youth though, I'm lucky Mr. Goodneedle saw to it that a new needle threader was under the Christmas tree this year. This threader is worth its weight in gold! I assure you that I receive no compensation from Clover, but I do believe that this needle threader is a must-have. It threads those size 12 needle eyes with 40 wt. cotton thread in a split second, I am amazed every time! These aging eyes had their annual check up today. I ordered new glasses; but just lenses this time. I'm having them put into my old (time before last) frames; I just loved the way those fit: it's a theme... eveything old truly is new again!

Life is Good!

Needle Knowledge

I've been embroidering the last few days, there were a few pending requests for burp cloths and I managed to stitch a bit here and there, making the best use of snatched time when it became available. Unfortunately for me I wasted too many of those precious minutes wrangling with machine issues which, in reality, had nothing to do with the machine and everything to do with needles! Learn from me and save yourself unnecessary frustration.
1. Use a size 90/14 sharp (I love the titanium needles) for embroidering through several layers like these cloth diapers, anything smaller and your thread will fray and break... often.
2. Use a jeans needle (100/16) for topstitching through multiple thicknesses (including the tightly woven ribbon trim) and binding, the point is sharp and your stitches will be perfect.
3. If you're sewing with a fine thread, such as Aurifil, an 80/12 needle is great (again, I love those needles with the titanium coating) but if you're using a slightly beefier 50 wt. cotton on top and in the bobbin you might consider bumping up the needle size too, you'll be happier with the results if you change your needle to a size 90/14.
4. If you're skipping stitches, for any reason, change your needle; it's the best place to start troubleshooting. 99% of the time a fresh needle (the proper size for the task) will take care of the problem.

I read a quote attributed to Michelangelo this weekend: "I am still learning...".

He's certainly not alone~
Life is Good!

To The Point

Every once in a while a product comes along that works so well, and lives up to it's reputation so commendably, that it is simply too good not to recommend. I order my quilting threads from Superior Threads and had recently read about their domestic machine needles in their newsletter. I am familiar with titanium needles and how well they perform for the embroidery machine, I decided to purchase some of these Topstitch needles for piecing just to try them out. I have been sewing with these needles for the last month and, in my humble opinion, it's the best needle I have ever used. The stitches are perfect and the needle stays sharp and precise, even after a marathon day of sewing! I bought size 80/12 for typical quilting weight cotton fabric, the needle appeared to be large when I removed it from the package, but the results are perfect and the stitches so pretty that I haven't questioned my choice! I have included, below, the product description as it appears on Superior's website:

Titanium-coated Topstitch needles for all domestic machines. Titanium-coated needles have been available for longarm and industrial machines for many years but these are the first titanium-coated Topstitch style needles made for home machines. Superior Threads (USA) and Organ Needle Company (Japan) have applied the latest technology of titanium-coated needles to the Topstitch style for home machines. Because these new titanium-coated needles have an ultra thin coat of titanium nitride they will stay sharper longer and outlast any current Topstitch needle on the market.

Why Topstitch? The Topstitch needle is the most common needle type used and recommended by professionals and educators. We recommend the Topstitch for piecing, quilting, embroidery, appliqué, and construction. These needles are available in four sizes to accommodate all thread types, including metallic threads. The Topstitch needle has a larger eye and deeper groove. It is often referred as the MAGIC NEEDLE. It really does make a difference in your sewing experience.

Life is Good!

All Too Human, Quirks And All...

foible (n.) [foi.buhl]
1. a minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect, an all-too-human quirk or weakness. From the French (faible) for feeble.

That's me, full of foibles, I'll admit it. The greatest of these? I only listen half as much as I should. That was the case this past week with my Bernina Stitch Regulator. It's a great little invention that senses the all-too-human movements of the fabric beneath it's foot and makes a quilt stitch length accordingly. (In a perfect world with a foible-free operator!) I have used this accessory many times with stellar results. Not this time. I had journal covers to quilt for my recent blog giveaway. I could quilt, oh... maybe two inches, and the thread would snap and break. I changed needles, I altered the tension, I traded bobbin cases, I swapped out bobbin thread, I even lubricated the top thread with silicone. Nothing changed the result. The stitches were AWFUL, and that was when I had any line of them measuring more than an inch or two. I was frustrated beyond belief. My husband reminded me that this had happened to me before. It had? I didn't remember that. (Another foible perhaps, forgetfulness? I was blaming that on hormones!) I decided to take both of these pieces, back them together and load them on Sundance for quilting, I knew I could do that! But then I decided that I couldn't let this get the best of me, I should be able to quilt a small piece using the BSR. I stopped by my LQS last Thursday on my way home from a meeting and talked with the shop's owner, she immediately suggested that I switch from a 80/12 quilting needle to a 90/14 to accommodate the larger diameter thread (30 wt. Sulky) that I was determined to use. It was that simple! After I made that adjustment the quilting progressed like a Nascar race under a green flag. I had forgotten all about the larger eye and scarf for a heavier thread, or had I ever heard all that I needed to? I guess I just don't listen to all the information that I need; but rather, think that I've gleaned enough and rush head-long into whatever needs doing. Yep, it's my all-too-human quirk, I'm foibled. But, the quilting's done!

Life is Good!