Loopies !

Well, I have had my long arm machine sitting and staring at me as I watch instruction videos, and practicing on a white board (which I totally stink at ) and I decide, tonight is the night. I am going to just do this.

I have had the backing of the quilt loaded for at least 3 weeks, and the top is just floating on the batting, and I think… I can do this, it is just a practice baby quilt.
I review the steps I have written - check the oil, rethread my machine, make sure the tension is right in the case. Okay all the mechanics are in good working order.
I then slowly stitched the top of the quilt to the batting and the backing. Well, that went well I thought. The tension of the bobbin thread looks and feels good.

I then lay out my pantograph. Yikes ! It looks too easy. Remember, I say to myself, where the laser light beam is will be where your needle is.

I trace around the pattern from top to bottom to make sure that I will not run out of room, and line up my guides on the sides so I know where the quilt top ends.

Okay everything looking good, I think I can start. I sew down each side of the quilt to make sure no lifts and puckers on the sides. I clamp the backing and the batting. I am ready.
I jump in I am off and stitching like a crazy quilter. Wow, what is that noise? Now mind you this is the first time I ran the machine since the tune up in the shop. It just sounds louder than normal. I stop to review, what - it looks pretty good, then I go reach underneath to feel the bobbin stitches and all I feel are loopies!

What ???????? Oh no !! My presser foot was up.
I was so excited and thought it would be great to get one full pass on the quilt, and now I had 2 hours to rip out what only took a total of 10minutes to put in. It was a long night.

I have learned a very valuable lesson here, and one I hope to never forget again. If I decide to quilt, I am going to “put my foot down “and demand myself to do it.
I will let you know how it comes out.
　
Megen