Diane Gaudynski - A New Tradition In Quilting

Soon the Fall colors will be glorious......

Back to school! Time to get out the quilting and warm up, take a few spins around the fabric, and then tackle a project. I've been trying out some new ideas, combining motifs, using old favorites in a new way, and hope to introduce them into upcoming classes. Get out of your rut and shake things up a little. Sometimes I look at what I've tried and wonder what WAS I thinking, and other times it's a fabulous new idea that gives me even more ideas and more importantly, excitement about quilting.

Although I don't wear gloves, use a hoop or aid in my free motion quilting, it is OK if that's what you need to control the quilt under the needle or need it because of physical limitations, arthritis, etc. It's best for smooth quilting to have a good grip on your quilt and that it moves very, very freely. Lowering the feed dogs is the first step to giving you enough room between the quilt and the machine's free motion foot. That should allow you to move the quilt smoothly and easily and get even stitches. Keeping a smooth machine bed also helps, and sometimes a Supreme Slider is the answer, a teflon sheet that self-adheres and lets you move the quilt easily and smoothly with hands and fingers, not big muscles in arms and shoulders. I use one most of the time.

Sometimes the foot of the machine can be slightly adjusted to give you more clearance to move the quilt under it - ask your service person about this, or a different foot that might sit a bit higher. New machines mostly all have ways to alter this with a dial or adjustment on a touch screen. I use this feature all the time to change how tightly the foot sits over the quilt. For straight lines I like it on the normal setting, but use less pressure on the foot (lower number) when I have a bubble or "pouf" that needs to be quilted in, or when stippling, or quilting on pieced work that has clunky seam allowances so the foot doesn't get stuck when going over these areas. If you use trapunto, this is a great feature too, so check and make sure any new machine you are considering has it. For the Slider, go to: www.freemotionslider.com

What speed works best for free motion? The one thing I recommend is that whatever speed you use, make sure you can always stay in control and not feel stressed or tense. If you go to fast for your skill level, you will be stiff and sore, and quilting will be stressful for you. Slow down, get under control, make sure the stitches become even, and then your speed will naturally increase. As I begin each day with a quilting project, I start out at a medium speed, but by the end of the day I know I am quilting much faster and just as well. Some never quilt fast at all - the control and precision and relaxing feel is worth the trade-off in taking a bit longer to quilt a piece. If you do find that your work is less than what you'd like it to be, slow down, refine your quilting, and then when it is at a higher level of competence and expertise, you'll be able to work faster and maintain the high level.

Don't forget to investigate what is new on the market. If you haven't been to your local sewing machine shop or quilt shop over the summer, now is the time to take a few hours and see what's new. Sometimes it's something inexpensive but wonderful like a new marker or brand or color of thread, or maybe more costly like a specialty fabric like hand dyed Silk Radiance, or a new machine, like the new Bernina 830. Which I still haven't test driven! Soon, I hope.

I have come to the conclusion that chocolate, especially imported pricey chocolate, is fabulous for one's complexion, keeps your skin youthful and glowing. It also adds the zip and zing you need for good machine quilting. Don't use irresponsibly or you might become too hyped and erratic for controlled quilting! A tiny cup of exquisite coffee in a special beautiful china cup, and a small piece of fabulous chocolate and then hit the free motion.

I have also come to the conclusion that there are three crucial things that affect the success of the "look" of your machine quilting: stitch length (proper one for the thread you use and the design) and consistency in stitch length, correct color of thread for your fabric color and style, and the right tension. If these are correct, even the most inexperienced quilter's work can look wonderful!

The thread delivery system is so crucial in machine quilting. After you thread the top, with the presser foot UP, gently pull the thread through the needle to see if it moves smoothly and with no catches anywhere. If you feel too much resistance, perhaps the thread is trying to unwind and turn a huge spindle of thread at the same time - take it off the machine and use a cone thread holder and any thread guides your machine provides. If there are catches or snags, turn the spool the other way on the spindle and see if that helps. Sometimes you have to file off those rough spots on thread spools. I was using some embroidery thread to quilt with today and tried 3 different thread setups before getting the correct one for good tension, smooth delivery, and a nice stitch with no snags.

In a class recently the same thing happened only with bobbin thread. While trying to improve the stitch quality on this machine, I gently pulled the bobbin thread through the opening of the throat plate on the machine and it would flow smoothly and then "catch." It turned out to be a problem with a pre-wound purchased bobbin. I took it out, wound a bobbin on the machine with #50 cotton Aurifil thread, put it in, and voila, problem solved. Perfect stitch.

Be sure you wind your own bobbins correctly. No small tags of thread should protrude from the bobbin as they will interfere with the sensor's in the machine. No "sponge bobs" either - if you can insert your fingernail into the thread on the bobbin and it is soft, moveable, and spongy, it won't work right. The thread needs to come from the spool and through all the guides and the tensioning device on the machine correctly and in the right direction for the bobbin to wind properly.

Check and see if your machine can regulate the speed when winding the bobbin; this is a fantastic feature on a machine, especially if you are winding specialty threads that might need a slower speed, such as water soluble.

Don't start quilting on the quilt until you get the tension adjusted correctly. Play some music, use the exact batting and fabrics and thread and needle for the quilt itself, and doodle around until the stitches look perfect. Sometimes all it takes is a tiny adjustment, but it is very important you use the same batt and fabrics as the quilt. I tried it once with the fabrics but a different batt from what I had in the actual quilt, and the tension was completely different when I quilted on the quilt.

If you are trying finer weight threads such as the #100 silk I use, most machines' tension settings have to be reduced by at least one entire number, most times more. On my Bernina 730 I use it on #2 or less on top when I quilt with #100 silk. A lower number is a looser tension. You want the stitches to flow, to look like stitches, to form a definite stitch not a tight line of thread on top of the quilt. Gently touch the quilting with your fingertip - it should not feel rough at all. Tight tension can cause this, either on the top or the back. Adjust it!

I love the magnifiers on my Benina but there are ones available for other machines that are really helpful. Test drive them if you can so you get one with a really good quality lens. Sometimes it's easier to quilt designs without the magnifier (long smooth lines, e.g.) and other times a magnifier will save your eyes and life and quilting.

Try quilting on something unusual, just for fun, like silk jacquard or cotton sateen, or silk from something you don't wear anymore. Make a purse or toiletry bag! Frame it, give it as a gift. Cut up old blouses that don't fit anymore and quilt the fabric, even if it makes a pillow it is good for your experience and someone would love a silk pillow as a special gift from you.

Clean the bobbin area frequently. Thread lint can pack in around the workings of the bobbin case and hook area, causing problems like horrible looking stitches, skipped stitches, broken thread, and a very noisy machine, or sometimes, a very QUIET machine from all the insulation the lint provides. Check and clean/oil the hook area every 3 hours of solid use. Follow manufacturer's instructions, as some machines require no oil, but do need lint removed. Silk thread especially leaves a sticky debris and this must be removed from the machine's thread pathway, upper and lower. It's harmless, but will build up and compromise your machine's performance.

Free motion straight lines are tough to do, and if they are the least bit "off" your eye immediately zeroes in on the wobble. Try quilting soft curves instead - if they are off a bit, no one will notice, and you will relax. Draw the lines straight and then curve above and below, or simply "eyeball" the curves every 1" or so and see how it looks. It's a nice way to fill space in odd sized areas too.

If you get build-up of starch on your iron, wipe it off (when iron is cool) with a rough terry towel soaked in white vinegar. It will come clean beautifully! I use a length of muslin to cover my ironing board and wash it frequently. I've even use a damp cloth and Bon Ami cleanser on my Rowenta sole plate and it is shiny and bright like new. I think the new micro fiber cleaning cloths would work great for this too. I love starch to stabilize my fabric and lessen the chances of imprecise piecing, and pleating and pulling of fabric during machine quilting. Love starch on the backing, really helps it stay nice and smooth during quilting.

Take some time to go to your favorite local quilt shop or sewing center when you have no reason at all to go and just browse. I have found so many interesting things I never would have known about had I not spent a bit of time poking into nooks and crannies. And if you desperately want your shop to carry a product like #60 Microtex Sharp needles or #100 silk thread in a variety of gorgeous colors, ask them! Or a line of fabric, notions, Aurifil thread, whatever. Show them a sample, make them a sample so the product will sell itself. Our local shops need our support and ideas.

Blue washout markers are notorious for going "dry" so fast. When I am marking an extensive area, I use 2 or 3 and switch between them. They get a chance to "re-charge" a bit before I pick them up again. I have found the "fine line" ones difficult to use--they dry out too fast and cause too much drag on the fabric when you are marking. Marking is a big enough chore--you shouldn't have to fight your marking pen too. A light touch works best to keep the ink flowing evenly and avoid mashing down the felt tip. A light touch also doesn't move the quilt top off the positioning lines of the design you are tracing.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Try my recipe for spray starch for all your pressing/piecing needs. Produces a super flat stable quilt: Dissolve half a teaspoon (or for a more substantial recipe, 1 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. Works especially well for quilt backing fabric so the quilt will move freely.

"Espresso" - detail of border quilting

© "Espresso" ~ Detail, Free hand designs

Quilt made for MAQS Live Auction 2005

© Diane Gaudynski 2009

	*Back to school!* Time to get out the quilting and warm up, take a few spins around the fabric, and then tackle a project. I've been trying out some new ideas, combining motifs, using old favorites in a new way, and hope to introduce them into upcoming classes. Get out of your rut and shake things up a little. Sometimes I look at what I've tried and wonder what WAS I thinking, and other times it's a fabulous new idea that gives me even more ideas and more importantly, excitement about quilting.
	Although I don't wear gloves, use a hoop or aid in my free motion quilting, it is OK if that's what you need to control the quilt under the needle or need it because of physical limitations, arthritis, etc. It's best for smooth quilting to have a good grip on your quilt and that it moves very, very freely. Lowering the feed dogs is the first step to giving you enough room between the quilt and the machine's free motion foot. That should allow you to move the quilt smoothly and easily and get even stitches. Keeping a smooth machine bed also helps, and sometimes a Supreme Slider is the answer, a teflon sheet that self-adheres and lets you move the quilt easily and smoothly with hands and fingers, not big muscles in arms and shoulders. I use one most of the time. Sometimes the foot of the machine can be slightly adjusted to give you more clearance to move the quilt under it - ask your service person about this, or a different foot that might sit a bit higher. New machines mostly all have ways to alter this with a dial or adjustment on a touch screen. I use this feature all the time to change how tightly the foot sits over the quilt. For straight lines I like it on the normal setting, but use less pressure on the foot (lower number) when I have a bubble or "pouf" that needs to be quilted in, or when stippling, or quilting on pieced work that has clunky seam allowances so the foot doesn't get stuck when going over these areas. If you use trapunto, this is a great feature too, so check and make sure any new machine you are considering has it. For the Slider, go to: www.freemotionslider.com
	What speed works best for free motion? The one thing I recommend is that whatever speed you use, make sure you can always stay in control and not feel stressed or tense. If you go to fast for your skill level, you will be stiff and sore, and quilting will be stressful for you. Slow down, get under control, make sure the stitches become even, and then your speed will naturally increase. As I begin each day with a quilting project, I start out at a medium speed, but by the end of the day I know I am quilting much faster and just as well. Some never quilt fast at all - the control and precision and relaxing feel is worth the trade-off in taking a bit longer to quilt a piece. If you do find that your work is less than what you'd like it to be, slow down, refine your quilting, and then when it is at a higher level of competence and expertise, you'll be able to work faster and maintain the high level.
	Don't forget to investigate what is new on the market. If you haven't been to your local sewing machine shop or quilt shop over the summer, now is the time to take a few hours and see what's new. Sometimes it's something inexpensive but wonderful like a new marker or brand or color of thread, or maybe more costly like a specialty fabric like hand dyed Silk Radiance, or a new machine, like the new Bernina 830. Which I still haven't test driven! Soon, I hope.
	I have come to the conclusion that chocolate, especially imported pricey chocolate, is fabulous for one's complexion, keeps your skin youthful and glowing. It also adds the zip and zing you need for good machine quilting. Don't use irresponsibly or you might become too hyped and erratic for controlled quilting! A tiny cup of exquisite coffee in a special beautiful china cup, and a small piece of fabulous chocolate and then hit the free motion.
	I have also come to the conclusion that there are three crucial things that affect the success of the "look" of your machine quilting: *stitch length* (proper one for the thread you use and the design) and consistency in stitch length, *correct color of thread* for your fabric color and style, and the right *tension.* If these are correct, even the most inexperienced quilter's work can look wonderful!
	The thread delivery system is so crucial in machine quilting. After you thread the top, with the presser foot UP, gently pull the thread through the needle to see if it moves smoothly and with no catches anywhere. If you feel too much resistance, perhaps the thread is trying to unwind and turn a huge spindle of thread at the same time - take it off the machine and use a cone thread holder and any thread guides your machine provides. If there are catches or snags, turn the spool the other way on the spindle and see if that helps. Sometimes you have to file off those rough spots on thread spools. I was using some embroidery thread to quilt with today and tried 3 different thread setups before getting the correct one for good tension, smooth delivery, and a nice stitch with no snags. In a class recently the same thing happened only with *bobbin thread.* While trying to improve the stitch quality on this machine, I gently pulled the bobbin thread through the opening of the throat plate on the machine and it would flow smoothly and then "catch." It turned out to be a problem with a pre-wound purchased bobbin. I took it out, wound a bobbin on the machine with #50 cotton Aurifil thread, put it in, and voila, problem solved. Perfect stitch. Be sure you wind your own bobbins correctly. No small tags of thread should protrude from the bobbin as they will interfere with the sensor's in the machine. No "sponge bobs" either - if you can insert your fingernail into the thread on the bobbin and it is soft, moveable, and spongy, it won't work right. The thread needs to come from the spool and through all the guides and the tensioning device on the machine correctly and in the right direction for the bobbin to wind properly. Check and see if your machine can regulate the speed when winding the bobbin; this is a fantastic feature on a machine, especially if you are winding specialty threads that might need a slower speed, such as water soluble.
	*Don't start quilting on the quilt until you get the tension adjusted correctly.* Play some music, use the exact batting and fabrics and thread and needle for the quilt itself, and doodle around until the stitches look perfect. Sometimes all it takes is a tiny adjustment, but it is very important you use the same batt and fabrics as the quilt. I tried it once with the fabrics but a different batt from what I had in the actual quilt, and the tension was completely different when I quilted on the quilt. If you are trying finer weight threads such as the #100 silk I use, most machines' tension settings have to be reduced by at least one entire number, most times more. On my Bernina 730 I use it on #2 or less on top when I quilt with #100 silk. A lower number is a looser tension. You want the stitches to flow, to look like stitches, to form a definite stitch not a tight line of thread on top of the quilt. Gently touch the quilting with your fingertip - it should not feel rough at all. Tight tension can cause this, either on the top or the back. Adjust it!
	I love the magnifiers on my Benina but there are ones available for other machines that are really helpful. Test drive them if you can so you get one with a really good quality lens. Sometimes it's easier to quilt designs without the magnifier (long smooth lines, e.g.) and other times a magnifier will save your eyes and life and quilting.
	Try quilting on something unusual, just for fun, like silk jacquard or cotton sateen, or silk from something you don't wear anymore. Make a purse or toiletry bag! Frame it, give it as a gift. Cut up old blouses that don't fit anymore and quilt the fabric, even if it makes a pillow it is good for your experience and someone would love a silk pillow as a special gift from you.
	Clean the bobbin area frequently. Thread lint can pack in around the workings of the bobbin case and hook area, causing problems like horrible looking stitches, skipped stitches, broken thread, and a very noisy machine, or sometimes, a very QUIET machine from all the insulation the lint provides. Check and clean/oil the hook area every 3 hours of solid use. Follow manufacturer's instructions, as some machines require no oil, but do need lint removed. Silk thread especially leaves a sticky debris and this must be removed from the machine's thread pathway, upper and lower. It's harmless, but will build up and compromise your machine's performance.
	Free motion straight lines are tough to do, and if they are the least bit "off" your eye immediately zeroes in on the wobble. Try quilting soft curves instead - if they are off a bit, no one will notice, and you will relax. Draw the lines straight and then curve above and below, or simply "eyeball" the curves every 1" or so and see how it looks. It's a nice way to fill space in odd sized areas too.
	If you get build-up of starch on your iron, wipe it off (when iron is cool) with a rough terry towel soaked in white vinegar. It will come clean beautifully! I use a length of muslin to cover my ironing board and wash it frequently. I've even use a damp cloth and Bon Ami cleanser on my Rowenta sole plate and it is shiny and bright like new. I think the new micro fiber cleaning cloths would work great for this too. I love starch to stabilize my fabric and lessen the chances of imprecise piecing, and pleating and pulling of fabric during machine quilting. Love starch on the backing, really helps it stay nice and smooth during quilting.
	Take some time to go to your favorite local quilt shop or sewing center when you have no reason at all to go and just browse. I have found so many interesting things I never would have known about had I not spent a bit of time poking into nooks and crannies. And if you desperately want your shop to carry a product like #60 Microtex Sharp needles or #100 silk thread in a variety of gorgeous colors, ask them! Or a line of fabric, notions, Aurifil thread, whatever. Show them a sample, make them a sample so the product will sell itself. Our local shops need our support and ideas.
	Blue washout markers are notorious for going "dry" so fast. When I am marking an extensive area, I use 2 or 3 and switch between them. They get a chance to "re-charge" a bit before I pick them up again. I have found the "fine line" ones difficult to use--they dry out too fast and cause too much drag on the fabric when you are marking. Marking is a big enough chore--you shouldn't have to fight your marking pen too. A light touch works best to keep the ink flowing evenly and avoid mashing down the felt tip. A light touch also doesn't move the quilt top off the positioning lines of the design you are tracing.
	Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.