Using Pantograph Patterns on your frame

This is a message that Kathy posted to one of her Machine Quilting Groups that I wanted to share on our Blog.

Can anyone give me any hints on following a pattern (where to start, direction to go etc.) I can't seem to be able to see the starting point and direction or how to make it flow smoothly. Tammy


Tammy,
With a pantograph pattern, I was always taught to move from the
Right to the Left. This is opposite from the way you would normally
read or write. This makes your quilting machine move in a 'forward'
direction. Your tension will probably be much better by moving in this
direction as often as you can. It doesn't mean that you can't move
'backwards', but to constantly move that way is like going in reverse,
and that's when I find that my threads could pop or skip. (I do suggest
that there is probably no right or wrong way, but this is just the way I
was taught years ago, and it's worked great for me.)

First, after your quilt is attached and ready to quilt, you want to
put your needle down into the quilt at each corner of the quilt, so that
you can place your blue tape (or however you mark each side of the panto
so that you'll remember to stop) at each side of the pattern. Twist and
turn your laser light so that you won't go off your quilt and into the
leaders, etc. I also move the machine along that top edge of the quilt
(while looking at my panto) to make sure none of the parts of the panto
run off the quilt. (I often only quilt half that panto on the first
row, especially if it's an interlocking pattern, so that I don't have
empty spots on the quilt top edge.) Move your panto pattern around
inbetween these two marks so that you can center the pattern or how you
want the pattern to look on your quilt.

So, when you're standing behind your machine, start at the right
side of the pattern, and follow it all the way to the left of the
quilt. Then, I put my needle down in the Red dots on the pattern that
say "top of pattern", and gently roll my quilt. I slide the Pantograph
Pattern so that the 'bottom of pattern' dot will be at the approximate
spot where the laser light falls. With the needle still in the quilt
(be very careful here so that the quilt doesn't rip or tear - gentle), I
get the quilt ready for the next row by getting my quilt tension right
and attaching the clamps, etc. I slide the panto pattern until the
laser light exactly hits where my next red dot is, and this will offset
or align the panto pattern correctly. Then, I quilt the 2nd row.

On panto patterns that don't have 'top' and 'bottom' of designs, I
make my own by deciding the appropriate distance between the pattern so
that it doesn't look like I've made 'rows' of quilting. I put my 'Dots'
on the top and bottom of each design (sometimes I have to put the panto
over the top of itself so that I can see exactly where I want the offset
to land.) I want the look to look like it's all one continuous design
on my quilt, without obvious lines where there is no quilting. Some
patterns are very elaborate with lots of crossing of the lines of
quilting, and most of these either have an arrow to follow so that you
move in the right direction, or they have a different color where the
lines cross so that you don't mistakenly move in the wrong direction.
Also, on many patterns, when you unroll the pattern and put it on your
frame, you want to be able to read the words and directions that may be
printed on the panto, and many of these show you with arrows the
direction to quilt (and it's usually from the right to the left while
standing behind the frame.)

That's probably as clear as mud, I know, but the machines do run
better if you try to feed fabric through them the same way as if you
were sitting at your domestic machine, in a mostly forward motion. I
always quilt a panto from right to left, and never follow it back the
other way. This can get your quilt to zigzag (how do I know this?), so
aligning your quilt and panto with each row, makes your quilt come out
perfectly in the end. Remember that quilts have a lot of variation in
the size through the center, the different fabrics used, the grains and
bias, etc. This means that each row will be different from the last
row, and I usually treat each new row as if I were starting the quilt
all over, aligning the laser light up where I need it, etc. I don't
want my panto patterns to 'shift' unless I want them to on purpose.

I do about 95% custom quilting, but sometimes a panto pattern is fun and
can enhance a busy quilt. I find it fun for a change, and can really
listen to my books on tape or CD as I go along, and don't even realize
that I've finished my quilt so quickly. I don't have to think nearly so
much when I use a panto pattern.

Happy Quilting!
Kathy w/ gam classic 7 years - almost 1800 quilts

Quick note from Lynn

Hi,

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can concentrate on quilting and all the fun that goes with it. We have a lot to say, and find it difficult to decide where to post our comments. There will be a combination of articles and post on Yahoo groups, this Blog, and our web site. I will have more later on, we appreciate everyone that reads what we have to say.

Thanks,

Lynn

Why I like the Juki TL-98Q for Machine Quilting

New Juki TL 98 Q Makes Quilting Easier!

The Juki TL 98Q is our top pick for the best sewing machine for the Grace Machine Quilter or the Little Gracie. The improvements over the previous Juki TL 98E are totally awesome. The new "Q" offers a larger bobbin case area that makes changing the bobbin easier than on the 98 E. One of the things I like the best is that there is now a telescoping thread guide. This new guide is especially nice when used with the Little Gracie, since there is not a thread guide built into the carriage like on the GMQ.

With age, eyes are one of the first things to be affected. Threading a needle seems like it should be a fairly easy task, well now it is. The new Juki TL 98 Q has a needle threader. No more hunting around for your glasses, or having to strain your eyes, the push lever automatic needle threader easily thread the needle so you can get quilting faster.

The thread trimmer makes it so you don't have to bring your bobbin thread up every time you need to cut your thread. This machine is a speed demon, it stitches 1500 stitches per minute. To tame that speed when quilting, check out the Kathy Quilts speed control box (click here), the box has an on/off switch and speed dial, as well as a thread trimmer button.

The Juki has a large throat area, (called the harp). Large quilts are not a problem with the Juki TL-98 Q. Kathy Quilts offers a three year labor warranty. We do all of our own support, we don't sub-contract out our warranty work, we do it all in house. We actually sew off each sewing machine before we ship it to you. That way we can ensure that it works properly when it arrives at your house. The Juki is just as good a sewing machine on a machine quilting frame as it is off the frame. Any project that needs just a straight stitch machine can be tackled by the new Juki Q.

Now My Machine Frame is Set Up, What's Next?

After you have your new machine quilting frame setup, you might wonder where you should start. Many of our customers are new to machine quilting, so they are some what lost in know where to begin.

This article assumes that you already have your frame set up and a practice quilt loaded on correctly. I will not be covering the correct way to load a quilt here, but Click this link to read about loading your quilt on a Grace Machine Quilting Frame.

When you have a new frame, there is a bit of a break in period to help your wheels 'warm up' or to move smoothly. They might feel a little stiff at first, but will loosen up. The easiest way that I have found to get the carriage, (the place where your sewing machine rests on the frame), bearings to perform properly is to do a lot of scribbles. It is sort of like doing scales when practicing on a musical instrument. You should warm up your machine and frame every time you use it. We suggest every day before quilting. Do this each day by practicing on your practice piece. This will let any excess oil fall onto your practice piece, and let any lint be sewn into the practice piece.

You will always want to start quilting from the end of your frame that has the black cog wheels. You can quilt from the other end, but most professional machine quilters find that quilting from left to right, (if you were standing in the front of your frame where the rails are up against your tummy) gives you the best tension and stitch results from your sewing machine. Your fabric is made to go through the sewing machine in that direction. It is also like when you are sewing with a machine on a desk or table. You feed the material through the front of the sewing machine, not the other way around.

If you do your quilting scribbles (such as loops or stippling or meandering) clockwise direction, with the loops looking like when you have a pen that you have to scribble on a piece of paper to get the it to write. Do a whole row of scribbling clockwise, stop at the end of the row, cut your bottom and top threads, move back to the starting, (Cog Wheel side of your frame), roll your quilt so your next row of scribbles will just overlap the first row. This new row that you are just starting, will be quilted counter-clockwise. The next few rows will be a combination of alternating clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Although this type of quilting may seem rather boring, you are laying a foundation for controling your carriage, that will help you to become a very good quilter. This type of quilting is what is known as continuous line quilting. When you are quilting, you don't always want to spend a lot of time jumping from one block to the next where you have to cut your threads. Continuous line quilting is more efficient and helps you to get your quilts done faster. It looks great, and makes quilting more enjoyable.

As you proceed through your quilt, introduce other elements into your quilting, such as stars, leaves, writing, meandering, stippling or other shapes. Change the size of the circles or loops you are doing. Quilt large circles and then do small ones, do spirals. The key here is the repetition. You just need lots of time on your frame to get use to it and learn how it works.

Even after you have had your frame for a while, if you haven't done any quilting for an extended period, it doens't hurt to do your practice quilting as a warm up, especially after you oil your sewing machine. For quilters that have the GMQ Pro, and have it set up for King length, when there is room, you can use a narrow practice quilt loaded beside the real quilt you are working on. This practice quilt can save you lots of time and trouble, it is always easier to do some practice before messing something up your regular quilt and having to unpick your quilt. Some people clamp on this practice piece with bicycle clamps. Others just hold the piece in one hand while moving the carriage with the other hand. You just need a few seconds to run the machine on the practice piece, but this will show you if your thread tension is right and help run the oil and lint off onto the dummy piece of quilt. This piece can be large or small - just use the scraps leftover from another quilt. Then, set it aside and use it tomorrow. You'll be able to use this piece over and over and over before you need to replace it.

Learning to quilt on a machine frame isn't really all that difficult, but it does take persistance and desire. And Practice, Practice, PRACTICE! With practice, you can become a beautiful quilter. It's really satisfying to see your OWN quilting progress on your OWN quilt.

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Ideas on Quilting

Kathy Quilts is moving into the world of Blogs! We are new to Blogs, but it looks like a great way to share some of the great quilting tips and tricks that have made quilting so much easier.