Diane's Quilting Tips For May

Larger stitches used here for heavier thread

Remember that stitch length in machine quilting is not one universal set length. There is no one "correct" length. It depends on the style of the quilt, the type of thread you are using, and the quilt's end use perhaps as well. If you are doing a folk art style with some simple outlining and backgrounds, a heavier more cottony thread would work well, maybe a neutral used throughout or a "blended" or slightly variegated thread, rather than switching colors. Then a larger stitch length is appropriate. For an heirloom look with fine quilting thread such as Egyptian cotton or fine silk, then a smaller stitch length is best. Consistency is the key - you want even smooth stitches of whatever length you decide on. Some quilters have such a hard time getting their stitches a bit smaller than the galloping "basting" look they come to class with. If it is too hard for you to slow down your hands to achieve smaller stitches, try pressing a bit harder on the gas pedal and keep your hands the same speed. As you learn to quilt, using a consistent speed may be helpful so you can learn to adjust your hands to that speed. Then as you progress you will discover the control and the fun of using your foot control to go faster and slower depending on the situation, or "road conditions." Of course your hand speed varies with the motor (foot control) speed - the faster you run the machine, the faster your hands move, and vice versa. They work together in a coordinated way to keep consistent stitches. It's fun! It's a challenge in coordination, one I never tire of.

I just returned from Paducah where I was immersed, surrounded, bombarded, overwhelmed with quilting and ideas and new products. It is hard even for someone who is experienced to pick and choose what information or product is best for you. I did see some new things that might work for me, touched a lot of fabric, and heard John Flynn say that even using his quilt frame on a home machine he uses a light delicate touch for the best control, and smoooooooth hand movements. Same for me, for when you quilt like I do, moving the actual quilt under the needle.

Get a spiral binding for your quilt books you use frequently. I find it is so nice to be able to open the book flat, fold it back, and use it over and over without damaging the binding that it is certainly worth the small amount it takes to have this done. Many office stores will do this for under $3.

Use the best possible materials within your budget to "practice" with. I spent the afternoon today with some lovely soft solid colored fabric layered with Hobbs Wool batt and a muslin backing, and #100 silk thread to perfect some new freehand designs. I start out with some simple shapes, kept echoing them, added this and that, tried some ferns, did all sorts of things. They are beautiful because I tried to do my best even while experimenting, and the beautiful thread and fabric makes them look gorgeous. I now have a sampler to refer to or that I can use for photos for articles, etc. If I were to "use up" thread that I hate or that is a bad color for the fabric, these samples would be simply a waste of time.

If what you look down and see as you are quilting is not what you like, want, hope for - change somehing to make it better, and do NOT practice it over and over. All you'll do is cement that technique that isn't correct into your brain and it will be doubly difficult to un-do it later.

If you have a little extra in your budget but have no real "need" of a new sewing machine for machine quilting and love using your old 930 or Singer or Janome that is your "workhorse," maybe you should treat yourself to a little test drive on one of the new machines. I know most of you are brand loyal, or are locked into whatever dealer you have in your area, but try a new machine for quilting. They have evolved into the most magnificent tools for us. The response, the power, the control, oh my! I wouldn't have believed it had I not spent some time with the brand new models to see how much improved they are over just a few years ago.

Also, if you already own one of the new Berninas with a BSR, be sure to check back with your dealer for upgrades in the software that operates this stitch regulator. The newest ones have really made a difference in this foot's performance.

The new light on the Berninas lets you see even the faintest markings, and the option of the magnifier lenses is saving my vision and making my work even better.

Visibility is key to free motion work. A foot for the machine with minimal obstructions is so important. In class recently I pointed out to a Janome owner (6500) how she could replace the large thumbscrew that almost blocked visibility to the back of the needle with a flat head screw, used with a screwdriver. She did it during lunch, and it made a big difference.

Pick the thread you want for your project for the quilting, then pick the needle. The thread weight and style determines what needle you must use to accomodate it. Also, the style of machine quilting helps you pick these things. You can't do tiny stippling with a big needle and thick thread. You need something finer, like a #60 needle, and #60 thread. However, if you do choose a larger thread like #40 cotton, be sure and pick a big enough needle, such as a #80 so you will be able to thread it and the needle will make a proper stitch. Schmetz has a chart and gives info at point of purchase. Ask quilt shops or sewing centers too when you buy thread, what needle to use. Then use your common sense. I know when I used nylon monofilament thread, the finest thread available to date, I was told emphatically NOT to use a #60 Sharp needle, and of course, it works the best. So experiment for yourself. If you constantly break needles or if the thread frays and breaks, you need something a bit stronger and bigger. Try a Jeans/denim needle in the proper size (not #100 - for tents). For example, a #70 jeans needle is much stronger than a #70 Universal or a #70 Sharp, but still nice and pointed at the end for good machine quilting. Also if you tend to bend or break needles, you are probably moving the quilt too fast for the rate of the machine. Slow those hands down!

Superior has a new thread called "King Tut" that is Egyptian cotton and the variegated is a tight twist, with barely any lint, in gorgeous colors. It looks like an excellent quality thread for those of you who prefer using natural fibers in your quilts, plus many of the color changes are so subtle it is difficult to tell you are using variegated, but it gives some depth and texture to your quilting. Remember, we machine quilters are a big market and the quilting industry is developing many new products for us. Keep checking these things and there might be the thread or batt or fabric that you have dreamed about for years and now it is being manufactured. Their new MasterPiece cotton is wonderful too for a finer thread, more refined stitches and an heirloom look. Great for piecing too.

The best news though---YLI tells me that all their #100 silk colors will be available in the large cones very soon! For those of us who prefer to do fine heirloom quilting with this thread, wow, what a treat to be able to purchase it in the 1000 m. cones, with a price break and enough on a cone to quilt a project. When sources become available I'll post them on my Notebook page.

Try pressing some seams open for a change. If you take a smaller stitch length it helps hold the pieces together better, but be prepared for some tough "picking out" as the English quilters say. In half-square triangle units like in sawtooth borders I always press the long bias seam joining the two triangles together open. However, I still press the seams to the side that join the squares. I tried pressing those open too on "Butternut Summer" in the outer sawtooth border, and the pieced border then ended up about 2" too long! All those little seams take up a smidgeon of space when pressed to the side. You would have to change your 1/4" seam allowance from scant to generous to make it work, but of course that is entirely do-able.

The batt you use for trapunto in machine quilting really makes a difference how it will turn out, how easy it is to trim, how much loft it has. Experiment! Try several brands and see the differences before you use one for a large project. Some batting will beard horribly on dark fabrics, some is softer to quilt through, some is coarser and scratchier. You may even want to use two layers of a soft batt to get the right amount of stuffing. I like the thin denser batts that are easier to trim. The newest batt I have tried and loved is Quilter's Dream Poly, in the mid-weight. It is thin and easy to work with but does give a nice "stuffed" look.

Small needles make small holes, and holes can cause so much trouble in machine quilting. They are permanent (hold it up to the light and your quilt looks perforated), so the smaller the better. I like #60 Sharps best for quilting with nylon thread, or #70 Sharps with cotton. When a needle starts sounding dull, put in a new one! In my last quilt, I used 2 packs of needles just for the quilting.

New batts are coming into the market all the time. The batt makes a huge difference in our quilting success. I primarily use Hobbs Heirloom Wool because of the loft and the soft hand during quilting. My quilt is not stiff as a board from my close quilting, but is still soft and supple. I can gather it in my hands easily to manipulate under the needle. The quilted-down areas are thin and the loft appears in the designs. Love it. Yes, I use it for practice too. There is now a wool batt from Quilter's Dream that is lovely, and a new silk batt from Hobbs that is even lighter than their Heirloom Wool. It comes in their new "Tuscany" collection.

Be careful using smaller needles--they break easily if you pull the quilt too much or if you catch the quilt on the needle while moving it around.

One of the main reasons I like to quilt with very fine thread such as YLI #100 silk, Aurifil #50 Cotton, or invisible nylon is that my quilting style requires much back-tracking or double stitching. I stitch over a previous line of quilting to get to the next place in the design, rather than stop and cut the thread, secure stitches, etc. and start over 1/2" away. The thin thread is much less noticeable than thicker thread. Heavier threads like #40 Cotton are fine for larger scale quilting like large meandering, or for continuous line designs. For tiny stippling in the background, you need to use very fine thread and a fine needle.

And of course you may use a heavier thread for the design, and finer thread for background quilting in heirloom type quilting.

When you have to readjust your hand position, don’t keep running the machine! This is where your stitches go all out of control. When driving, keep your hands on the wheel. If you have to stop and move your hands, stop the machine too. This is one of the most common problems I see with students, and many are unaware that they do this.

I think the plastic-spindle cone thread holders seem to attract nylon monofilament thread and cause it to get twisted around it. My metal one works great. I use it for most of my sewing and quilting, even for water soluble thread. You could easily make a home-made one too.

For machine trapunto, if you use water soluble thread in both the top and the bobbin, you won’t have to worry about tension or bobbin pop-ups. Just wind your bobbin slowly. Lower the top tension a little too. Get it set right on a sample before you use it on your quilt. If your trapunto stitching pulls in the fabric or looks "scrunched in," snip a few of the water soluble stitches, or give it a gentle tug and hear those threads snap and break. It will release the "too tight" tension and will still be enough to hold the poly to the back of the design. Otherwise the entire top will get distorted when you quilt it. Many of the new machines have an adjustment to the speed of the bobbin winding motor so you can slow it down when winding a bobbin with this thread.

I had a drop of sewing machine oil land right on the front of my quilt! I blotted it with a paper towel and then sprinkled it with dry cornstarch. The next day I brushed it off with a soft tooth brush and no oil stain. The starch dissolved too when I washed the quilt.

That oil drop came from my frequent cleaning and oiling of the bobbin area when I am doing prolonged machine quilting, usually every 4 hours or so. You can hear the difference right away. Also, brush out the lint, threads, and debris that accumulates in the bobbin area when you change your bobbin or re-wind it. I see too many students cringe when I open the throat plate and see inside the bobbin area, sometimes packed solid with lint, much resembling dryer lint. Brush it out! If you don't know where to oil this area, a good rule of thumb is anywhere there are two moving metal parts, but ask your service person for a "where to oil" lesson. Even the salespeople at sewing centers/dealers can help you out with where/how to oil your machine.

Remember to look ahead of the needle when machine quilting! Use a small free motion foot, preferably one that is open in the front for the greatest possible visibility.

Even when quilting small items that can be turned easily so you can sew towards you, try not turning them and keep them facing you. Keep north facing north on the quilt, south facing south, and so on. A little tweak is fine, but don't spin the quilt around in the machine. Quilt free-motion in the direction your design takes you instead. This will give you practice for doing a bigger quilt that cannot be turned any way you want.

Try doing some echo quilting. Not only is it beautiful in itself, but it gives you great practice in getting an even stitch length, getting control of your stitching, and learning to space the lines. This will help you improve your stipple quilting techniques, which will be so much easier if all of these things are comfortable for you. Then you can work on those funny little shapes! It also is the basis for most "off-the-road" quilting that isn't mark - try quilting a shape or design and then echo it several times, then change the shape and echo that and keep going . . . soon you will have solid quilting with all sorts of interesting shapes that you didn't know you had in you! If you've taken my classes, you know I repeat over and over, "echo quilting is the basis for all good machine quilting." Try it.

Ergonomics, ergonomics, ergonomics! It's the new word for us quilters to think about. Doing jobs the best way to avoid stress on our bodies, and eventual pain and long-term problems - that's ergonomics. There are teachers, articles, lectures, etc. out there to help you learn. One of the easiest things is to NOT overdo any one task. Don't cut out every triangle for that Ocean Waves design in one day. I vary my jobs - cut a little, piece a little, press a little, admire! It's not assembly line quilting, but saves my body and gives my great feedback as I see completed parts of the quilt as I go along, and that keeps me going.

Take care of your eyes. When you do "close work" like machine stippling, it really helps your eyes if every 10 minutes or so you stop and rest them by closing them for a minute or two. Also look at a point a different distance away every now and then so they focus on something other than your stitching. Take frequent breaks too; it really helps. Also, remember to blink. I have learned to use the maginifier with my Bernina 730 often, as it really helps prevent eyestrain.

Keep making quilts! You will get better every time.

Try my recipe for spray starch for all your pressing/piecing needs. Produces a super flat stable quilt: Dissolve half a teaspoon of regular Argo cornstarch (in your cupboard probably) in a few tablespoons of cold water in a heat proof 2-cup measuring pitcher like Pyrex. Add boiling water to make one cup, stirring constantly. Then add cold water to the 2 cup line. Let cool and use in a pump spray bottle. Shake it every time you spray. You may have to dilute it a little if it is too thick or builds up white flakes. Lasts a week or so as there are no preservatives, no chemicals, no nothing that harms us or the environment, and it’s practically free, except for the spray bottle! Don't starch fabrics for storage as it will attract critters such as centipedes, and mice.

© Diane Gaudynski 2008

	Remember that stitch length in machine quilting is not one universal set length. There is no one "correct" length. It depends on the style of the quilt, the type of thread you are using, and the quilt's end use perhaps as well. If you are doing a folk art style with some simple outlining and backgrounds, a heavier more cottony thread would work well, maybe a neutral used throughout or a "blended" or slightly variegated thread, rather than switching colors. Then a larger stitch length is appropriate. For an heirloom look with fine quilting thread such as Egyptian cotton or fine silk, then a smaller stitch length is best. Consistency is the key - you want even smooth stitches of whatever length you decide on. Some quilters have such a hard time getting their stitches a bit smaller than the galloping "basting" look they come to class with. If it is too hard for you to slow down your hands to achieve smaller stitches, try pressing a bit harder on the gas pedal and keep your hands the same speed. As you learn to quilt, using a consistent speed may be helpful so you can learn to adjust your hands to that speed. Then as you progress you will discover the control and the fun of using your foot control to go faster and slower depending on the situation, or "road conditions." Of course your hand speed varies with the motor (foot control) speed - the faster you run the machine, the faster your hands move, and vice versa. They work together in a coordinated way to keep consistent stitches. It's fun! It's a challenge in coordination, one I never tire of.
	I just returned from Paducah where I was immersed, surrounded, bombarded, overwhelmed with quilting and ideas and new products. It is hard even for someone who is experienced to pick and choose what information or product is best for you. I did see some new things that might work for me, touched a lot of fabric, and heard John Flynn say that even using his quilt frame on a home machine he uses a light delicate touch for the best control, and smoooooooth hand movements. Same for me, for when you quilt like I do, moving the actual quilt under the needle.
	Get a spiral binding for your quilt books you use frequently. I find it is so nice to be able to open the book flat, fold it back, and use it over and over without damaging the binding that it is certainly worth the small amount it takes to have this done. Many office stores will do this for under $3.
	Use the best possible materials within your budget to "practice" with. I spent the afternoon today with some lovely soft solid colored fabric layered with Hobbs Wool batt and a muslin backing, and #100 silk thread to perfect some new freehand designs. I start out with some simple shapes, kept echoing them, added this and that, tried some ferns, did all sorts of things. They are beautiful because I tried to do my best even while experimenting, and the beautiful thread and fabric makes them look gorgeous. I now have a sampler to refer to or that I can use for photos for articles, etc. If I were to "use up" thread that I hate or that is a bad color for the fabric, these samples would be simply a *waste of time.* If what you look down and see as you are quilting is not what you like, want, hope for - change somehing to make it better, and do NOT practice it over and over. All you'll do is cement that technique that isn't correct into your brain and it will be doubly difficult to un-do it later.
	If you have a little extra in your budget but have no real "need" of a new sewing machine for machine quilting and love using your old 930 or Singer or Janome that is your "workhorse," maybe you should treat yourself to a little test drive on one of the new machines. I know most of you are brand loyal, or are locked into whatever dealer you have in your area, but try a new machine for quilting. They have evolved into the most magnificent tools for us. The response, the power, the control, oh my! I wouldn't have believed it had I not spent some time with the brand new models to see how much improved they are over just a few years ago. Also, if you already own one of the new Berninas with a BSR, be sure to check back with your dealer for upgrades in the software that operates this stitch regulator. The newest ones have really made a difference in this foot's performance. The new light on the Berninas lets you see even the faintest markings, and the option of the magnifier lenses is saving my vision and making my work even better.
	*Visibility is key to free motion work*. A foot for the machine with minimal obstructions is so important. In class recently I pointed out to a Janome owner (6500) how she could replace the large thumbscrew that almost blocked visibility to the back of the needle with a flat head screw, used with a screwdriver. She did it during lunch, and it made a big difference.
	*Pick the thread you want for your project for the quilting, then pick the needle.* The thread weight and style determines what needle you must use to accomodate it. Also, the style of machine quilting helps you pick these things. You can't do tiny stippling with a big needle and thick thread. You need something finer, like a #60 needle, and #60 thread. However, if you do choose a larger thread like #40 cotton, be sure and pick a big enough needle, such as a #80 so you will be able to thread it and the needle will make a proper stitch. Schmetz has a chart and gives info at point of purchase. Ask quilt shops or sewing centers too when you buy thread, what needle to use. Then use your common sense. I know when I used nylon monofilament thread, the finest thread available to date, I was told emphatically NOT to use a #60 Sharp needle, and of course, it works the best. So experiment for yourself. If you constantly break needles or if the thread frays and breaks, you need something a bit stronger and bigger. Try a Jeans/denim needle in the proper size (not #100 - for tents). For example, a #70 jeans needle is much stronger than a #70 Universal or a #70 Sharp, but still nice and pointed at the end for good machine quilting. *Also if you tend to bend or break needles, you are probably moving the quilt too fast for the rate of the machine. Slow those hands down!*
	Superior has a new thread called "King Tut" that is Egyptian cotton and the variegated is a tight twist, with barely any lint, in gorgeous colors. It looks like an excellent quality thread for those of you who prefer using natural fibers in your quilts, plus many of the color changes are so subtle it is difficult to tell you are using variegated, but it gives some depth and texture to your quilting. Remember, we machine quilters are a big market and the quilting industry is developing many new products for us. Keep checking these things and there might be the thread or batt or fabric that you have dreamed about for years and now it is being manufactured. Their new MasterPiece cotton is wonderful too for a finer thread, more refined stitches and an heirloom look. Great for piecing too. The best news though---*YLI tells me that all their #100 silk colors will be available in the large cones very soon!* For those of us who prefer to do fine heirloom quilting with this thread, wow, what a treat to be able to purchase it in the 1000 m. cones, with a price break and enough on a cone to quilt a project. When sources become available I'll post them on my Notebook page.
	Try pressing some seams open for a change. If you take a smaller stitch length it helps hold the pieces together better, but be prepared for some tough "picking out" as the English quilters say. In half-square triangle units like in sawtooth borders I always press the long bias seam joining the two triangles together open. However, I still press the seams to the side that join the squares. I tried pressing those open too on "Butternut Summer" in the outer sawtooth border, and the pieced border then ended up about 2" too long! All those little seams take up a smidgeon of space when pressed to the side. You would have to change your 1/4" seam allowance from scant to generous to make it work, but of course that is entirely do-able.
	The batt you use for trapunto in machine quilting really makes a difference how it will turn out, how easy it is to trim, how much loft it has. Experiment! Try several brands and see the differences before you use one for a large project. Some batting will beard horribly on dark fabrics, some is softer to quilt through, some is coarser and scratchier. You may even want to use two layers of a soft batt to get the right amount of stuffing. I like the thin denser batts that are easier to trim. The newest batt I have tried and loved is Quilter's Dream Poly, in the mid-weight. It is thin and easy to work with but does give a nice "stuffed" look.
	Small needles make small holes, and holes can cause so much trouble in machine quilting. They are permanent (hold it up to the light and your quilt looks perforated), so the smaller the better. I like #60 Sharps best for quilting with nylon thread, or #70 Sharps with cotton. When a needle starts sounding dull, put in a new one! In my last quilt, I used 2 packs of needles just for the quilting.
	New batts are coming into the market all the time. The batt makes a huge difference in our quilting success. I primarily use Hobbs Heirloom Wool because of the loft and the soft hand during quilting. My quilt is not stiff as a board from my close quilting, but is still soft and supple. I can gather it in my hands easily to manipulate under the needle. The quilted-down areas are thin and the loft appears in the designs. Love it. Yes, I use it for practice too. There is now a wool batt from Quilter's Dream that is lovely, and a new silk batt from Hobbs that is even lighter than their Heirloom Wool. It comes in their new "Tuscany" collection.
	*Be careful using smaller needles*--they break easily if you pull the quilt too much or if you catch the quilt on the needle while moving it around.
	One of the main reasons I like to quilt with very fine thread such as YLI #100 silk, Aurifil #50 Cotton, or invisible nylon is that my quilting style requires much back-tracking or *double stitching.* I stitch over a previous line of quilting to get to the next place in the design, rather than stop and cut the thread, secure stitches, etc. and start over 1/2" away. The thin thread is much less noticeable than thicker thread. Heavier threads like #40 Cotton are fine for larger scale quilting like large meandering, or for continuous line designs. *For tiny stippling in the background, you need to use very fine thread and a fine needle.* *And of course you may use a heavier thread for the design, and finer thread for background quilting in heirloom type quilting.*
	When you have to readjust your hand position, *don’t keep running the machine!* This is where your stitches go all out of control. When driving, keep your hands on the wheel. If you have to stop and move your hands, stop the machine too. This is one of the most common problems I see with students, and many are unaware that they do this.
	I think the plastic-spindle *cone thread holders* seem to attract nylon monofilament thread and cause it to get twisted around it. My metal one works great. I use it for most of my sewing and quilting, even for water soluble thread. You could easily make a home-made one too.
	For *machine trapunto*, if you use water soluble thread in both the top and the bobbin, you won’t have to worry about tension or bobbin pop-ups. Just wind your bobbin slowly. Lower the top tension a little too. Get it set right on a sample before you use it on your quilt. If your trapunto stitching pulls in the fabric or looks "scrunched in," snip a few of the water soluble stitches, or give it a gentle tug and hear those threads snap and break. It will release the "too tight" tension and will still be enough to hold the poly to the back of the design. Otherwise the entire top will get distorted when you quilt it. Many of the new machines have an adjustment to the speed of the bobbin winding motor so you can slow it down when winding a bobbin with this thread.
	I had a drop of sewing machine oil land right on the front of my quilt! I blotted it with a paper towel and then sprinkled it with dry cornstarch. The next day I brushed it off with a soft tooth brush and no oil stain. The starch dissolved too when I washed the quilt.
	That oil drop came from my frequent cleaning and oiling of the bobbin area when I am doing prolonged machine quilting, usually every 4 hours or so. You can hear the difference right away. Also, brush out the lint, threads, and debris that accumulates in the bobbin area when you change your bobbin or re-wind it. I see too many students cringe when I open the throat plate and see inside the bobbin area, sometimes packed solid with lint, much resembling dryer lint. Brush it out! If you don't know where to oil this area, a good rule of thumb is anywhere there are two moving metal parts, but ask your service person for a "where to oil" lesson. Even the salespeople at sewing centers/dealers can help you out with where/how to oil your machine.
	Remember to look ahead of the needle when machine quilting! Use a small free motion foot, preferably one that is open in the front for the greatest possible visibility.
	Even when quilting small items that can be turned easily so you can sew towards you, try not turning them and keep them facing you. Keep north facing north on the quilt, south facing south, and so on. A little tweak is fine, but don't spin the quilt around in the machine. Quilt free-motion in the direction your design takes you instead. This will give you practice for doing a bigger quilt that cannot be turned any way you want.
	Try doing some echo quilting. Not only is it beautiful in itself, but it gives you great practice in getting an even stitch length, getting control of your stitching, and learning to space the lines. This will help you improve your stipple quilting techniques, which will be so much easier if all of these things are comfortable for you. Then you can work on those funny little shapes! It also is the basis for most "off-the-road" quilting that isn't mark - try quilting a shape or design and then echo it several times, then change the shape and echo that and keep going . . . soon you will have solid quilting with all sorts of interesting shapes that you didn't know you had in you! If you've taken my classes, you know I repeat over and over, "echo quilting is the basis for all good machine quilting." Try it.
	Ergonomics, ergonomics, ergonomics! It's the new word for us quilters to think about. Doing jobs the best way to avoid stress on our bodies, and eventual pain and long-term problems - that's ergonomics. There are teachers, articles, lectures, etc. out there to help you learn. One of the easiest things is to NOT overdo any one task. Don't cut out every triangle for that Ocean Waves design in one day. I vary my jobs - cut a little, piece a little, press a little, admire! It's not assembly line quilting, but saves my body and gives my great feedback as I see completed parts of the quilt as I go along, and that keeps me going.
	*Take care of your eyes.* When you do "close work" like machine stippling, it really helps your eyes if every 10 minutes or so you stop and rest them by closing them for a minute or two. Also look at a point a different distance away every now and then so they focus on something other than your stitching. Take frequent breaks too; it really helps. Also, *remember to blink.* I have learned to use the maginifier with my Bernina 730 often, as it really helps prevent eyestrain.
	*Keep making quilts! You will get better every time.*