I think it would be wise to visit a Bernina dealer to look at your machine. Try and make an appointment so that the repair person is there when you arrive. It does sound like threading problem to me. The arm on my Bernina bobbin isn't threaded unless you are making a buttonhole. Get out the manual and check to see if the top thread is threaded correctly and the thread tension is set correctly. Also, you could try a new spool of thread. I've had some thread that would break no matter what, but it's worth a try. But if the repairman said he had it sewing correctly, it's be worth your time to take the machine back to him and have him watch you thread and sew fabric in front of him so that another pair of eyes might be able to see the problem.

I didn't read all the posts but what I learned on my machine is it won't sew with bad thread. You have to buy Mettler, YLI, Sulky, Superior and others I might not have mentioned. You can't use Coats N Clark and any hand quilting thread. I've bought beautiful thread from Keepsake Quilting but it was for hand quilting or some other machine. It would not work in my machine. Good luck. I hope your Bernina is fixable if it's not the thread. Let me know if I helped at all. I'm still a beginner so I'd be surprized if I hit on the problem.

Learning-As-I-Go wrote:
Thanks for sharing the link, it's awesome. I'm sure yours will be too and look forward to see it

Learning-As-I-Go wrote: I understand exactly what you mean - you don't want to end up with a copy of a quilt that everyone else is copying. believe me it, it is very easy to add your own stamp to a quilt, sometimes subtle, sometimes way out obvious - just look over the variations we all developed for the Laura Nownes sampler quilt - some of the pictures are only on the thread so you have a bit of a marathon to catch up though

Limbania55 wrote:

Those are beautiful!

here is the link to the one that I saw....mine will be similar, but different

And, I didn't notice --- it was called Starry Night and is meant as a tribute to Van Gogh, so I didn't just imagine that part!

http://store.heartsongquilts.com/stores_app/browse_item_details_photos.asp?Shopper_id=7776913624557776&Store_id=811&page_id=23&Item_Id=2281&Photo=One

Also, I do want to clarify a bit -- I don't think there's anything wrong with following a pattern, even doing the same color-way; I think I'd be likely to do so for a gift for someone, and I definitely agree there is much -MUCH- to learn from following patterns, etc. It was just a big leap for me to do so; I hope that makes sense. But I definitely wasn't meaning to suggest that others (or myself) ought to NOT follow patterns and always only do our own creations/designs.

Thanks for the link, Limbania - they are awsome, added to which, the designer Cara Gulati, has just been a guest on the TQS shows Definitely a good learning design/kit

Ditto here Lois!
I like a creation of my own if i'm making a quilt for someone special. I've noticed that even though I love bright jewel toned fabrics the BOM's I got are mostly earthy, low key colors, sometime with a country, rustic or primitive feel which is the decoration I like best in a home but, those are not the fabrics that grab my attention at the shop so, there's almos no civil war or 1800 reproductions in my stash. But even with a BOM, things can be tweaked a little bit or find a few fabric substitutes to make it my own

I was intrigued by your description of Radiant Suns and googled it. Found the designers website and her gallery of quilts made by her students, here: http://www.doodlepress.com/student-work-det.php?cat=Radiant_Suns_Workshop :shock: Amazing how just changing the color pallet gives a new look and feel to each of them. I hope you will be showing us your own version

I agree too Lois.

Nicely stated, Lois. I completely agree!

loise98 wrote:
Lois, this is perfect! Thank you!!!

I definitely do not mind following a pattern; you are right, so much to learn! and it is so very helpful for just like you said, I don't have close access to classes either. It is more, for me, not wanting my quilt to be identical to someone else's, thus why I like to at least play with the color a little bit. But you make a good point, if my eye is drawn to it, it's for a reason and perhaps I ought not mess with a good thing. What is the saying? If it's not broke, don't fix it! Very true statement that applies here -- thank you for reminding me of that.

Good to have you back. Just a note on buying patterns or kits for that matter. I love when I am able to do original work and I believe I have made some fairly special pieces. However, I do not limit myself to my own original work. I have learned so much by following the pattern and direction of someone who has done this kind of thing a lot longer than I have. Its one way I learn new techniques. If I am absolutely in love with a kit I will buy that too. When I am drawn to something like that it is often because the designer knows something about putting colors together that I haven't quilte figured out yet. There are times when I've just wanted to be working without having to do lots of thinking. The hum of the machine, the feel of the cloth and relaxing with the process somehow prepares me for the next piece of original work. I do not have close access to many quilting classes and so I look at patterns and quilts a bit like a class. I learn from them all. Doing that stirs and simmers my own creative juices.

Sounds like an all-round good haul. Glad you had a good time and got to visit a few quilt shops and I hope your machine gives you years of trouble free sewing.

Oh, I didn't see this earlier and answered in poor Betty Jo's Architecture Challenge thread, LOL! So, will answer here as well....

The machine is a Janome Magnolia 7318 (I think is the number....) and is lovely for a beginner like myself! I had a 2-ish hour class learning to use it which was brilliant. The seamstress/instructor was great and really understood how much of a beginner I was/am, and so really took things nice and slow, made me do everything she did enough times until she felt I had it right, talked me through all the bumps and things, etc. It was wonderful! I've not set the machine up here at home yet (busy unpacking and all) but can't wait to play with it! First I have to get the boys' school things squared away (I have 3 boys, ages 7, 11 and about to be 15, and I home school them....).

I also bought a TON of fabric, and even one pattern/kit/project that I really fought against buying, but home it came anyway. I explained that over in the other thread, but short version here -- I have never done a quilt from a pattern in the same colors as the sample. The first quilt I ever did was a pattern, but the sample was blacks & brights, and I did red/white/blue instead to make it my own. Then since then, I've designed my own and not used a pattern at all (except my Diary Quilt uses traditional blocks, but still). So, to buy a pattern, and templates, and fabrics in the suggested color of the sample and think to myself I'd be making a quilt just like everyone else who walks in and sees that beauty in the shop......it really grated against everything in me. I want my quilts to be my own, not copies of someone else's, so this just was a huge hurdle for me. In the end, though (and now this is not so short a version...), I couldn't see anything else in the shop, though I walked through probably 5 times before giving in, until I bought the pattern and picked the fabrics. I *did* tweak the colors a bit so it will be my own version after all, and I'm contemplating adding a different border as well, and we'll see what happens. It was just one of those quilts that you see it and it doesn't let go of you -- I knew if I left w/o the pattern, I'd spend the rest of my life trying to figure out how to make it anyway, so I'd be better off buying the pattern/templates. But it was a serious stretch for me to buy what felt like a "kit" even though I did choose the fat quarters myself, and even though I knew I'd never forget that quilt, ever. (it's Radiant Suns, but the version I saw was all blue/yellow)

I bought other fabric as well, some for specific projects I have going, some for "just because", one for the Brazil Quilt/sidewalk pattern that I'll work on as part of Betty Jo's architecture challenge, so that was good. I have most/all/more than enough fabric for that already, but after I bought the pattern above, I found a clay roof tiles print fabric -- perfect for the Brazil quilt! So, a little bit of serendipity there I'd walked past that fabric 8 or more times but didn't even see it until I bought the other pattern, that is how distracted I was by the quilt!

I also bought just about everything on my list --- a pack of extra needles in each of the main sizes for my machine/piecing needs (plus I already have one pack each of the 2 main sizes), a case of bobbins (24? I think...?), thread, all the feet and machine accessories I need, rotary blades (6 spares!) (Plus I have a brand new blade on already), some notions and things (velcro, fusible stuff, etc...), glue sticks, and my dear friend Joyce came to visit me in Texas (!!!) and brought me marking pencils/pens, crayola washable markers, binding clips, 1 rotary blade, and a wonderful quilted clutch purse/wallet she made for me!! So, I think the things I left off the list are the slippy stuff for the sliding of large quilts, the grippy stuff/quilting gloves, and books. But, I can get grippy stuff here, I don't have a big enough table/space to need a slidy thing, and I can get Kindle versions of books as needed, plus I do have a couple. So, I think I did pretty well! Too much fabric (ha!!)(one can never have too much fabric!!!) but otherwise perfectly lovely!

I got to visit 3 different quilt shops in 2 states, so that was quite fun! I just missed a Shop Hop in Texas, but as I'd spent all my $$ by then anyway, probably for the best. It started just 2 days before we were leaving, but I had no time/money to go back to shop.

I'll post pics of all of this stuff over on my blog today or tomorrow and come link here for you guys; it is way too much photo to put here, I think. I do think I got a good machine for the $ I had to spend; I emailed my "local" quilt shop several times back & forth choosing, and they helped me choose just the right one given my budget, so I think I wound up with a good machine. And I did get all the feet needed --- a walking foot, a 1/4" foot, an open-toe applique foot, a free motion foot.....whatever feet came with it (button hole, zipper, and regular, I think....) and I think I got size 70, 80 and 90 needles and maybe 1 pack of denim....I don't remember now and haven't unpacked that yet.

Anyway, it was wonderful, my stash closet is starting to look almost full (sorted by project...I have too many projects, LOL!) and I cannot wait to have time to start sewing!

Oh, and I didn't finish the baby quilt yet, but showed the in-progress to the new mom and she loves it and is content to wait for it. I just ran out of time before, then forgot to take part of it with me so couldn't work on it there, either (not that I had time there for that, but....) So now I have until March to finish, so that's good! Though I will work on it soon and try to get it done so I can check that off and move on. Have I mentioned I have too many projects??? LOL! (right now I have the baby quilt, my oldest son's quilt, the diary quilt -- those are all partially done. Then "to be started" I have my Brazil quilt, my 2nd son's quilt, the Radiant Suns quilt -- those have fabric bought or mostly bought, and patterns designed. Then "one day" I have a quilt for my husband, a quilt for my 3rd son, a couch/throw that my 2nd son designed and wants made -- those I have ideas for but no fabric or pattern made up yet. My list keeps growing! Hopefully the machine will help me get through some of this.....)

so nice to be home and welcomed back! I missed you guys!!

Yes, we are