Print out this diagram and keep next to your machine. It has saved my sanity many times. Especially since quite a bit of time can pass between quilts and I forget the formula. Matching top and bobbin thread is helpful. You probably are always going to see a tiny dot of the top thread on the back side. It just goes with the territory..... You definitely don't want to see it on top, though!

http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/tension/thread-tug-of-war-how-tension-works

JoJo, Thanks. I wasn't thinking...of course one would almost need a third hand for ruler use. LOL. I am planning on buying something next year...I decided I really don't have space for a frame-based longarm. (sigh). So now I'm in a toss up between the sit-down longarm option and the Bernina 830 option. It's taken me a lot of time to get to this point, but I am ready to start trying them all out. I am very interested in knowing how you progress. Talent is part practice and part willingness to try something new. Have fun!. Cheers, BJ

Sewdreamy wrote:
Hi BJ,

The more I've been practicing, the more I'm loving my new machine. It's amazing to me but I really have much more control. This particular machine has a speed control which is pretty darn cool. I've set it in the middle and then press on the foot peddle completely. It helped me hone my hand movement with the speed of the machine faster. Now, I need to get my brain to look ahead farther and r.e.l.a.x.

I probably could use a ruler but think I would need a third arm because I really use both of my hands to guide the quilt. If I used a ruler, I would only be able to use one hand to move the quilt, which I think would be hard. Of course, I've had the machine less than a week and am still learning to walk.... With a framed system, you're guiding the machine instead and using one hand to do that would be easier thus enabling you to have full movement of your other hand for rulers.

Space restrictions and pricing put framed systems way out of my reach so this is the next best thing for me. I also love the table that came with the machine. I tried all of sit down machines available at the present time and this machine was the one that I bonded with the most. I nearly had control from the first practice. Now I just need more talent which hopefully will come with many more hours of practice.

JoJo, I'm considering such a longarm as one of my options when I buy my next machine. You said you are amazed at how different quilting is on your longarm sit-down. Do you like it a lot? Is there a lot more control? Can you use rulers like you can with a frame-sytem? Cheers, BJ

JoJo you will find lots of great info about thread tension on the Superior web site under "Education" : http://www.superiorthreads.com/

Here's just one of them: http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/tension/tension-solutions-properly-adjusting-tension

I have been practicing on my new longarm sit down machine (Tin Lizzie QueenQuilter Eighteen). I'm amazed at how different free motioning is on it compared to my home machine. Obviously, I'm in the first grade right now and trying to learn how to print my name, cross my t's, and generally just relax. The machine came with King Tut and Sew Fine thread. I'm following what was recommended -- King Tut in top and Sew Fine in bobbin, but I still get a tiny bit of the top thread showing on the bottom. I see now in the manual that they recommend if the tiny dots of top thread bother you, you should use the same thread in the bobbin. Hmmm... I thought for sure I could get it nearly invisible but no go -- still tiny dots. I suppose it wouldn't show as much if I used a thread other than King Tut. It seems thicker than my other threads. Any advice from you pros out there will be greatly appreciated.

Now if I can keep my shoulders out of my ears while I'm concentrating and learning, I'm sure I'll get better.