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As I have rambled down this quilting journey, I have discovered a few things along the way that have made my quilting life easier. I thought I would share those with you today over the next couple of weeks. Please check back for each section and let me know in the comments what your favorites are in each section too!
Machines:
I have three different machines that I sew on. All of them are Brother Machines and I like each of them for their own reasons.
My work horse machine. Brother PQ1600S High-Speed Straight Stitch Sewing & Quilting Machine This machine is the one I do MOST of my sewing and quilt piecing on. It only does one stitch but does it very well and it is incredibly fast.
I like the throat size on this machine and the extension table that comes with it. The extension makes sewing and piecing larger quilt pieces and blocks much easier. it also helps when you are quilting those larger quilts to hold some of the quilt up off your table. This Brother sewing machine is also heavier than most machines, so it is harder to push around and doesn't move when you are sewing. This does make it harder to travel with because who really wants to carry around a 20lb sewing machine?!
2. This Brother sewing machine (XR9559 model) was my first machine and it was a perfect first machine. My lovely husband got it for me
after I had been hand piecing and quilting for 3 years. I was wanting to expand the types of quilts I could do and that required getting a machine. This little work horse pieced and quilted over 60 quilts of varying sizes but included a KING-SIZED T-shirt quilt. Quilting that sucker on this machine was the reason I got the machine referenced above...this little machine is great, but it is light and moved around so much while I was quilting larger quilts that I ended up fighting with the machine AND quilt.
I like this machine because it has lots of fun stitches!
3. My Brother Embroidery Machine is my most recent add to the group and has only been used a few times since I purchased it.
I got a really good deal on this embroidery machine and have so many fun ideas in my mind for it, I just lack the time to be able to do everything that is on my list.
As I develop my embroidery skills, I'm hoping to offer more services to the community at large. The catch to this machine is the hoop is only 4x4 inches, so all of the designs are relatively small. I'm also hoping to start offering custom made quilt labels to those out there that would like them.