Next step in quilting...

Just ordered a new sewing/quilting machine! A Juki TL 2000Qi (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C ... UTF8&psc=1)

Now that the kids are getting older I am able to get back to a couple of my past hobbies, quilting being one of the main ones. Unfortunately the machines I have just aren't working well anymore - my gma's older Kenmore skips stitches (and going by the repair records she had in the cabinet it's been an ongoing issue), my newer Janome has decided it just doesn't like to free motion quilt anymore, along with a few other tension issues... and the treadle is fun, but slow and not so portable. I have pieced a whole baby quilt so far, including the applique and thoroughly enjoyed the process . I do want to do more charity quilts and things like that so a little speed every now and then would be nice. I actually started looking at full long arm machines and frames for a potential small side business, but either way I needed a new piecing machine so I decided to start there for now. The Jukis were a popular choice for the midarm frames (like Gracies) and after an embarrassing amount of research I finally pulled the trigger. Here's hoping it works out as well as so many of the rave reviews stated! Those handful of negative ones always scare me b/c if there is a slight possibility that something can go wrong with an item, it will for me - part of the reason I bought new and paid a little extra for a 2 year warranty :roll: . There were 2 on CL that were tempting, but for the investment I was a bit nervous.

It should be here tomorrow! I have the baby quilt to finish up, a cloth book to make, 2 Linus quilts that I kinda, sorta forgot I had , and a memory quilt that needs to be done by next Friday (and the fabric won't be here until maybe Wednesday even though I ordered it on 8/23)... quilting marathon, here I come! Looking forward to logging some time on the new machine, and hopefully no tears :lol: (the memory quilt I made last year was hugely important and special - and that's when my main machine decided to mess up. I was in tears and had no idea what to do... thankfully a bobbin change helped, but it was not a pleasant experience).

How is the quilting going?

Mostly wonderful :lol: I quilted the baby quilt without a hitch and in record time. I was able to try out numerous FMQ patterns within the book bindings, wrote titles/authors in on a couple, and drew a couple of sketches on some as well. It was fun! The memory quilt I did went together quickly... it's amazing the speed! Wow! I had to go back to my Janome to piece together some batting (needed a zig zag stitch) and it was painfully slow :lol: . I am convinced the devil doesn't like me doing memory quilts - out of all of the ones I have done over the years, the TWO memory quilts have given me the most trouble. Pretty sure it was a thread issue... evidently black is notoriously tricky. I think the heavy dye made it a bit stiffer so when I would go to move one direction in particular it would sew through itself, knot, then break. I wanted to throw the new machine through the window! :evil: If it had been the first quilt I attempted I would have sent the machine back, but I knew it wasn't the machine's fault. It took some trial and error (a whole lotta each :roll: ) but I finally figured out a)what the problem was, and b)the best way to "fix" (or really, avoid) it. I just had to make sure I was a full speed when FMQing, especially when pulling the fabric to the left. If I eased up on the pedal even the slightest the thread would snap. It was MUCH better after that! Still a number of projects in line to start/finish... hoping to log some hours here pretty soon for Christmas gifts!

The "Better Half" got into this a couple years ago. She just picked up a Viking and a 10' frame to go with it for a song. A Lady in her quilting club passed away and her husband made her a heck of a deal. $800 for everything!

$800!?!? Sweet! I could only dream of a deal like that!

In the last couple years she has made lots of contacts and joined several clubs all while keeping her eyes and ears open. That's how she did it anyway.

Good luck!

Oh gosh, am I ever envious of those deals!!! For the past 4 years I've been drooling over the Pfaff Creative Sensation (sewing and embroidery)... which is at minimum $4k. :x

But we've been saving up, and talking about payment plans, and maybe, just maybe, we'll finally be able to make it happen this year. I've been sewing everything from mug rugs to king size quilts to summer dresses all on a little brother machine that I bought with my allowance money in middle school... I've never really had the chance to upgrade yet, or I've told myself I don't need it. But DH caught me drooling over that Pfaff, and he's convinced I deserve a little treat.

I can't wait to see all the amazing things you do with your new machine, heritage!