Friday 31 October 2014

what is on the machine today

Currently in progress - a desert made of rusty fabric.


I got a bright idea for stitching this.
However, after quilting a little bit, the fabric started to be caught down into the feed dogs (which were disengaged.)

2 things you need to know...
First - remember I said that using the craft felt for wadding gave me the weight/feel I wanted for small pieces so I didn't have to do intense quilting. and remember that I said using craft felt for wadding was a bit difficult to stitch because it went punch, punch?

Second - quite a while ago I made a skirt from rust fabrics because I won the Student Category (when they had one) at Festival of Quilts for my design work...and then I had to make it up in full for the next year. In the process of stitching that rusted fabric, I discovered something.

...the difficult thing about rusted fabric is that it is a little difficult to sew because of the metal in the fibres. Places that show more rust markings are not necessarily the hardest bits to stitch. It could be the places where it looks like it has no markings. The fact that it is hard also causes the needle to push in and sometimes not quite go through.

So, here I am stitching rusted muslin (British muslin is a loose weave, but not as loose as cheesecloth) which has a cream coloured craft felt under it.
Ah Yes, I did think there could be a problem. And it was a good thing I was in solution mode and not soldier through mode.

Just then I remembered the single hole stitch plate which I came across the other day whilst looking for something. I did know it was there, but hadn't thought about using it - ever - since it came with the machine. But suddenly things clicked and I thought. " This might work."

And it did! So now it is quilted, but you have to wait to see what is happening in this desert.

And I have remembered stories of other single hole plate users breaking needles because they forgot the single hole plate was on there and started using a zigzag or something.
Hopefully this will help.

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