Free Motion Quilting with Rulers: Parrs Reel Ruler Foot Video Review

After posting the video from Wednesday's post, I realized I had never posted my video review of the ruler foot from Parrs Reel Ruler. Silly me! The blog post version, A Ruler Foot Alternative: Parrs Reel Ruler, was posted in December.

My final verdict on this foot is that I really, really, really wish they had made the foot a standard 1/2 inch in diameter. That makes spacing a big issue and it won't work with rotating rulers like the TopAnchor Quilting Tools. I also am not wild about it being a hopping style foot, but that does have advantages when it comes to bulky seam intersections. The hopping isn't a deal breaker. I wouldn't choose it over my Janome foot, but that's me. The price is approximately $75 US, including a sew slip mat and ruler, not sure about shipping. Wish it could be bought with just the foot. It comes in low 'reach', high 'reach', and Bernina version. I don't like the rulers. You have to cut your thread to take the ruler on and off the project- no groove for threads to slide out of the center.

Now I am off to care for my little guy who has pink eye and strep. Why did I ever send him to daycare? Besides sanity and a need to work. Poor fella.

Free Motion Quilting with Rulers: Star Template

It's been a while since I've posted a new video and that's a shame because they've been pretty popular and I've been sitting on this footage for a while. Shame on me.

I'm quilting a six inch star, using a specialty template from Top Anchor Quilting Tools. These templates are so fun as they yield a great uniform shape, without marking.

I accidentally used the template upside down on the anchor post, but it works just the same, though right side up would have allowed me to line up the registration lines on the template more accurately.

I didn't put any sandpaper dots or other non-slip aid on this ruler and had no issues of slipping. Though if I had those dots or in this case "sandpaper anchors" on the template, I bet I would have noticed sooner that the template was upside down!

Aren't these cute? I haven't yet stuck these to my templates, but I suspect that the irregular, angular shape of these anchors will help grip the quilt top better than an equivalent rounded sandpaper dot.

Now I am off to get more quilting done! Gotta finish!

Sunday Surfing

It's a gloomy spring day here in Virginia. Everything is still gorgeously green, but our plans to have a cookout at a nearby state park have been derailed. Yesterday was sunny and kind of hot, but today is a little too cool and damp.

Sundays like this are a great time for surfing the web, and I've been saving a few links to share with you. Since the pic below is all I've managed to quilt this week, I'm so glad I can share others' work with you!

First, since I've shared how I'm trying to Finish more projects this year, I thought I'd share this Craftsy post about how to get more sewing done. Pretty sure I need to actually do some of these, not just read about them.

I love Johanna Basford's art and it looks like I'm not the only one, she's even been on TV news lately! Over at Quilts On Bastings, Karen's made a quilt based on one of Johanna's drawings. It's so pretty, go take a look!

Abby Glassenberg always has thought provoking and inspiring things to say about the creative process, especially for those who are trying to create a business from what they do. She confronts the idea that we need some sort of perfect studio to really become super creative and applauds the work done simply where we are.

Lastly, Margaret Solomon Gunn has an awesome post on the process behind her latest show quilt, Bouquet Royale. So many wonderful pictures of her gorgeous work. Margaret is one of my quilting heroes and I wish just reading her blog and articles in Machine Quilting Unlimited was enough to pick up some of her meticulous piecing and quilting skills!

Enjoy your weekend!

Sewing Machine Foot and Accessory Storage

One of the things I miss about my Janome 6600 is the accessory box that came with it. The 6600 is a flat bed machine so there was no little storage area built into the machine bed. This is usually built into that part of the bed that is removed to access the free arm on many machines.

The Janome 8200 does have a wonderful storage compartment on top of the machine and built into that removable part that exposes the free arm, but since my machine is set into the table with that part off, it's not too handy for foot storage. I could set it next to my machine and use it, but since it's not attached to my machine, it is difficult to open the compartments (Yes, plural. There's great storage on this thing!) without dumping the contents around.

So I emptied out the storage compartments and moved it all to a great little container I picked up in the crafts section of Walmart. It's got one large compartment and 4 long narrow compartments. Plus each compartment can be subdivided with the provided divider pieces. (The brand name is Creative Options and the model # is 3650N Made in the USA by www.planomolding.com)

I left the large compartment as is, so it could hold which ever needle plate I'm not using (Love being able to change out the needle plate with the press of a lever!), Even-feed foot, extra bobbin case and other larger bits. I subdivided the smaller areas to best fit my different feet (those that didn't go on top of the machine) and some extra bobbins.

You can also see in the first picture that I use the spool area on top of my machine to hold the current pack of whatever type of needle I'm using and my screwdriver. I bought the optional cone thread holder for my Janome 8200 and use it for most of my threads. (Love it! Though it isn't as compact as the 6600 for travel.)

Janome makes a very nice accessory and foot box for its MC15000 model and they've made it available separately. It is nice for anyone with Janome's 9mm wide machines, having space for each available foot. But it's too bulky for what I want. My clear box sits in a narrow spot on a shelf within arm's reach of my machine.

What do you do for storage of feet and accessories? I admire what I think of as the Barbie's closet from Bernina, which holds feet and accessories so neatly. I know many quilters use boxes like mine, or a small tackle box. Plus plenty of people make do just fine with the compartments built into their machines. There are some machines that have quite ingenious built-in storage too.

I'd love to hear what works for you as it may be just the thing to work for somebody else! Please make sure you leave me a way to contact you if you are a no-reply blogger, especially if you ask a question.