Libbi wrote:
Of course we wish you luck; however, I think you've got that covered.

Some answers...

This quilt is a keeper. It was especially requested by my DH--in November 2009! :shock: What a dreamer . Of course I haven't worked on it exclusively for a year. He had to help me put the quilt sandwich together and now he feels guilty about the "it needs to be bigger!" nagging he did. He is being helpful as I manouver it for quilting.

It actually took me about 3 days to construct the back. I made 3 1/2" strips as if I was making a 9 patch with a light block in the center. I have the Bernina V6 software and used Quilter to plan the blocks. I had calculated 110 9 patch blocks but had to add another horizontal and vertical row to provide extra for the backing.

I have finished all the in-the-ditch quilting to stabilize it and used a decorative stitch to quilt the sashing. Now I am about to do some in the hoop quilting in the blank and pieced blocks before I do some free motion in the Santa applique blocks. Wish me luck!

Okay Libbi, how long did it take you to piece the back????? Just wondering if its worth the time compared to buying the fabric, or use the pieced back for another quilt. I know that means more quilting..... Oh the decisions!

Libby, what a beautiful quilt and am amazed at all those little squares. I love Santa's and have quite a collection of them and have a few Santa applique's that I have earmarked for a Santa quilt someday. Now...are you gonna keep this one, or is it a giveaway? Thanks for sharing the pic. Sandi in FL

Oh, wow!! Libbi that's a huge quilt to do on a domestic! Great excuse to buy the 830!!
I know what you will be working on for the next few weeks! Have fun!

Yes Margo, I am doing so as we chat...this is my first (and probably last) bed sized quilt and it is a super king. One of the reason for splurging on the 830 was the king sized throat so I'd better do a good job. Here's a photo of the top but this photo is missing the two 1" red borders separated by a 1 1/2" green border and a final 5" border. I intend to do some in the hoop quilting, decorative stitch quilting and some free motion. It IS going to be finished for Christmas 2010. Wish me luck!

Thanks for the picture, Libbi! What a great way to use up fabric and save some money at the same time! Will you quilt this one yourself???

Margo...proof positive. This is the back. It would have taken 7 1/2 meters of fabric for the back. At 26 CHF per meter (about $1 to 1 CHF) I decided to make myself cazy and use up my collection of Christmas fabrics to make a pieced back. This quilt is csting fortune at the price of fabrics and supplies here in Switzerland. :shock:

Holey Moley Libbi! :shock: I wanna see some pictures!!!

It was actually 1056 3 1/2" blocks

I loved my 630 too and if I didn't have to trade it in to get the 830, I would have kept it. You're a lucky lady.
I am also at a loss about the fuss with the 1/4" seam on the 830. I use the 34C or D to gauge the seam by lining up the cut edge of the fabric with the edge of the foot but I only have to click it over 4 steps to the right. Four steps to the right doesn't cause the needle to swing over to the left to use the cutter. Even if I did move the needle all the way to the right, that little swing of the needle to engage the cutter (it's really not a locked stitch) doen't ruin the seam--it pops rigt out. I know this for a fact since I just completed piecing 156 3 1/2" blocks to create the backing for my Christmas quilt!

I have both the 630 and the 830... love them both to pieces but I still do all my piecing on my 630, unless it's a long seam (sewing rows together) where I might wish to use the dual feed. I much prefer to do all my "regular" sewing on the 830, but I'd rather piece with the 630.

Like Libby, I have never found it a problem.

I too went from 630 to a 830 ad I really don't find the wider feed dog a problem for piecing. I do prefer to use the single plate but that doesn't affect the width of the feed dogs. I set up my quarter inch foot and begin to sew on a "starter" scrap of fabric and then chain piece as much as I can. You can also adjust the pressure of the pressure foot if necessary. There is a big "to do" on the 830 Yahoo groups about the accuracy of the 1/4" but the fuss is beyond me since any difference is miniscule an will be consistent throughout the piecing. But then my quilting style does not tend toward pieced quilts and I probably wooble as I sew without the guide anyway.