Long-Arming

 

My Mom's boyfriend is a retired Electrical Engineer. He is interested in the quilts that I make and was very curious about the long arm quilting machine that quilts them So I brought he and my Mom with me when I brought a quilt to Janet-Lee for quilting. Here they are watching one of the machines at work.

Janet-Lee asked me if we'd like to watch her set up one of my quilts on her machine to see the whole process. Of course I said yes. In the photo above, the backing of my Carnelian quilt has been set up.

Janet-Lee patiently explained every step of the process as she set up the quilt on her machine, wound the bobbins and threaded the machine.

Janet-Lee said once again how my quilts are a pleasure to work with because they are flat and square, the seams on the back are pressed flat and there are no threads popping through the seams on the front. Apparently that is rather rare. "Sometimes I'll put one of Lynne's quilts on the machines when I can't take it anymore," she said to my Mom. 

She explained how she set up the design and told the machine where to start and stop. Naturally there is a lot more than that, which I can't remember, but it was fascinating. Mike was very interested in the mechanics of it, the tension of the thread and what was happening underneath. JL explained it all.

I could have stood there and watched the machine work all day long.

Here's the newest green bird (or bird on a green background). I use a leftover piece from the backing of the Harlequin quilt for the wing. I am also having great fun making white birds. I think I might make a stork or an egret with long legs.  

Hmmm...