There is definitely a learning curve with my
new Baby Lock Tiara, not so much with the actual free-motion quilting part, but getting the tension set properly. There are no numbers or settings, just screws and knobs to turn. In my day job I'm a Quality Engineer, you know I have to find a way to measure things. After some research on the internet, it seems that bobbin tension is the key to setting tension on a longarm. I watched numerous videos on how to test it and thought I had it, but I was still getting "flat-lining" on the back of my quilted pieces, which would normally say I had to tighten the top tension, except that was so tight the thread kept breaking. So I decided to buy a TOWA gauge just to be sure, it measures tension in M Class bobbin cases.
I thought I had my tension set quite loose, but it was still too tight. After a few more adjustments, my stitches finally look good. So I basted my
Red Window quilt and started quilting it.
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| I'm using red thread on the top and brown on the bottom. Not seeing much of the wrong color on either the front or back - Yippee Skippee!!!! |
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| The back is dark brown fleece. |
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This quilt is so soft, perfect to snuggle on the sofa. I'm feeling a little better about my
new machine.
Linking up with Marelize at Stitch by Stitch for Anything Goes Monday!
Color Me Quilty!
Pat