What is the perfect sewing machine?

9 / 18 / 199 / 18 / 19

Does the perfect sewing machine even exist? I know this is a hot topic for anyone who is a quilter or sewist. A good sewing machine is often one of the most expensive tools we own and the most important tool in the sewing room. Today, I’m going to give you The Perfect Sewing Machine Checklist (speaking from a quilter’s point of view).

The Perfect Sewing Machine Checklist from The Crafty Quilter will help you find the sewing machine that is just right for you. This is one of the most important (and expensive) tools in the sewing room!

I’m on the hunt for the perfect sewing machine. And I’m not sure it’s out there, so I thought I would chat with all of you about it. While I was writing this blog post, I began to imagine what my DREAM sewing machine would look like and thus, The Perfect Sewing Machine Checklist was born! But first, let me tell you about my current sewing machines and why I’m searching for something else.

My sewing machines

I currently own FIVE sewing machines. I have a Bernina 770QE and a Bernina 440QE. I still love my Bernina 440, but I upgraded to the 770 when I wanted a larger throat (harp) space, but I couldn’t part with my original 440.

My Bernina 770QE is a wonderful sewing machine, but not quite perfect. - The Crafty Quilter — My Bernina 770QE

I thought I had found the perfect machine when I bought my Bernina 770QE in 2015 (I paid $5,000). This is a great, high-end sewing machine that has a lot of power and potential. It has integrated dual feed (IDF), a larger bobbin capacity, a stitch regulator for free motion quilting (that I don’t use) and lots of other features that I appreciate. It creates a beautiful stitch and it can handle thick seam intersections and just about anything else I “feed” it. I LOVE that I can change the settings on any stitch to any length and width I want. I can get a blanket stitch or zig zag stitch to the exact size I need with no limitations imposed. I don’t know of many machines that allow you to do that. It also has a fantastic walking foot and it’s so easy to change to a different foot when needed.

However, my particular machine turns out to be quite temperamental. It has an upper thread sensor that intermittently tells me my thread is broken when it’s not (and it won’t let me continue sewing until I re-thread the machine). I recently discovered that you can turn off the upper thread sensor which is a simple fix. I also had to replace the mother board; fortunately it was still under partial warranty.

I also own a Juki TL 2010Q. I bought this sewing machine for $800 in 2013 (I think) specifically for free motion quilting. It’s a solid, mechanical, straight-stitch only machine. It’s also great for piecing. I have it set up in my sewing room as a second machine so that I can have two “jobs” going on at the same time. In other words, I can use one machine for piecing and have the other one set up for quilting. It feels so luxurious to have that ability! The drawback is that I can’t use it for machine applique or anything that requires the needle position to move.

I love my Juki TL 2010Q for some things. — Juki TL 2010Q

I have an Eversewn Sparrow 25 (no picture) that I use for my class machine. It’s lightweight and portable, so I can take it to and from the quilt shop I teach at. It’s a great little machine for the price (I paid $360 in 2017) and it has served me well. Even so, I might upgrade this machine soon to one that has more built-in features.

My last machine is a Singer 401A that belonged to my mom. This is the sewing machine that I learned to sew on in seventh grade. My parents gave it to me six years ago, and it lovingly sits in my grandmother’s original sewing cabinet which is now located in my sewing room. I have more of an emotional attachment to this machine. I know it can still stitch beautifully and I should use it once in a while. Some day.

With all of these sewing machines at my disposal, what more could I be looking for? The industry leaders are taking advantage of new technologies and I’m completely enthralled with the laser guide beam. I’ve only seen this on the Babylock Crescendo, but I believe it’s available on other brands and models. This guide beam can be used in place of drawing diagonal lines for HST’s and stitch and flip squares. It can also be moved to create a specific seam allowance or to guide a seam for other purposes. I feel like I would use this function ALL the time. I know you can buy a separate guide beam and attach it to any sewing machine, but it seems like it wouldn’t be as precise or adjustable.

The Crescendo also has a sensor pen that can be used to tell your machine exactly where you want your needle and stitches positioned and where to stop. This would be really useful for machine applique. I also like that it has a manual presser foot lever as well as an automatic pivot function. I’ve never owned a Babylock machine before, but I’ve heard good things about them. I recently test drove one and I liked how it performed. This is not a sponsored blog post, by the way.

My perfect sewing machine includes a sweet granddaughter (2017)

So…. I’m not sure that I’m willing to give up some of the things I love about my Bernina for any of the new features of a different machine (especially that guide beam). I can’t ~~sneak~~ add another machine into my sewing room, so I would have to give up something. Somebody really needs to come up with the perfect sewing machine that has it all.

The perfect sewing machine check list

In my opinion, the perfect sewing machine (for quilters) would have the following features:

Large throat (harp) space
Guide beam
Large bobbin capacity
Separate bobbin winder
Automatic thread cutter
Automatic needle threader
Automatic tension
Knee lift or hands-free presser foot capability
Needle up/down
Speed control dial
Integrated dual feed system
Excellent walking foot in addition to IDF (above)
Intuitive operating system (ease of use)
Excellent stitch quality
Powerful motor
No limits to stitch length and width settings
A variety of blanket stitches (I love to applique)
Mirror imaging capability
Extension table
Good lighting
Stitch regulator for free motion quilting
Easy to use bobbin system
Ability to adjust the pressure of the presser foot
Affordable price tag (since I’m dreaming)

I’m sure I didn’t think of everything. What would you add to the list? Do you have a sewing machine that you love? Please share in the comments so we can all learn from each other.

If you would like more information about this topic, check out my Sewing Machine Advice, Sewing Machine Advice Part 2 (make sure to read the comments there, too) and 7 Tips for Buying a Sewing Machine.

Thanks for reading and may we all find the perfect sewing machine to suit our needs!

Giveaway winners, a coupon code & thoughts on tutorials

9 / 12 / 199 / 12 / 19

Today I get to announce the winners of the Happy Little Things BOM and the UFO & WIP Challenge for August, plus I have a coupon code from Purple Hobbies and some thoughts to share on video vs. written tutorials. That was one long sentence, but keep reading!

Giveaway winners

Let’s start with the giveaway winners. For the Happy Little Things Block of the Month, number 39 (out of 241 comments), was randomly chosen as the winner. That belongs to Linda B., and when asked whether you prefer video tutorials or written tutorials, Linda said, “I prefer written tutorials…but I watch video tutorials also! I just have to start and stop them often!!!” I’ll share more thoughts on that topic at the end of this blog post. Linda will be receiving a Designer Thread Box from Aurifil. Congratulations!

For the August UFO & WIP Challenge, out of 47 entries, #46 was randomly chosen. That belongs to Verna A. who made a beautiful, pink baby quilt. She will be receiving a prize package that includes a Cherry Pickin’ Table Runner kit by Me and My Sister Designs for Moda, compliments of me and my stash.

Thanks, everyone, for participating in these giveaways and challenges. It’s nice to see what everyone is working on and to hear your thoughts on various topics.

Coupon Code

I mentioned that the sponsor for this month’s UFO & WIP Challenge is Purple Hobbies. Heather has kindly offered free shipping for all of my readers with the coupon code craftyquilter (that’s one word). In case you missed it, the giveaway prize for this month includes five top-selling products from Purple Hobbies that are amazing and perfect for quilters.

Your thoughts on tutorials

I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments from the Happy Little Things BOM giveaway about whether you prefer video tutorials or written tutorials. Let me tell you my thoughts and then I’ll hash out yours.

I enjoy written tutorials and prefer them over videos. I like taking my time, and being able to read the instructions is helpful, especially if there are good pictures to go along with it. I often catch up on my blog reading at night (in bed along with my iPad and Mr. Crafty Quilter). If there is a video, I won’t be able to watch it because the audio will be disruptive. It takes too much effort (and memory) to go back and watch the video later. I also have a speaker on my desktop computer that is linked to the whole house so that makes it prohibitive as well.

After reading all of the comments, I would say that the majority of you prefer written instructions or videos. If you could have it all, then both would be the best option for many of you. Here are some of the pros of written tutorials:

I am left handed and sometimes all it takes is a flip of the fabric in a different direction to get lost. It is also faster to read than watch.
I think it’s so annoying to have to go back and forth on video to see it again.
I prefer written instructions as they are portable and can be taken to my sewing machine.
I prefer written so I can print out and not rely on computer!
I prefer to read a tutorial. Unless a video is short, they take up so much time to watch.
I still prefer written tutorials! It is easier for me to find my place when I am actually making the thing.
Reading instructions with pictures allows me to go slow instead of keeping pace with the instructor.
Video tutorials tend to be too wordy and I find I get impatient.

I can appreciate good video instruction, too. It’s not easy being on that side of the camera and it takes a lot of work in post production. However, it’s a great way to see a new technique in action, and it’s a popular choice among the younger crowd. Here are the pros for video tutorials:

I’m a visual/hands on learner, so I much prefer video tutorials, especially if I can be working the project as the tutorial is taking place.
A video is easy to keep in my favorites on YouTube, or to go back in my history to find again.
Since I am new to quilting, I like the videos. So much to learn about quilting so the videos certainly help understand the correct way.
I like video tutorials best. I like to see how they are doing things in “person”.
Videos are great to watch when away from home & missing my sewing room. I seem to remember more from a video.
I generally prefer to read a tutorial, but there are some things for which video is better. It’s easier to learn an embroidery stitch, for example, from a video.
I like videos… I am very much a visual learner and hate to read directions.

Yes, it’s nice to have options. It’s great that there are people who are good at videos. As a blogger, I take pride in the written format, and I think it’s crucial to have good photos to go with them. I will often make a PDF that you can download too, but that takes so much more time.

I have more than a handful of videos that I made in association with The Quilt Show. It was nice to have someone else videotaping and then editing that into a final product. If you search for Julie Cefalu on YouTube, you’ll find me there as well.

Julie Cefalu during video taping for The Quilt Show. — Video taping for The Quilt Show

As in all things related to quilting or crafting, I just need more time! There’s so many things I want to make, and so many things I want to blog about. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a twin or double to do the mundane tasks of life while we create things all day long?!! Yes please.

Thanks for reading today’s blog post. I’ll be back soon with the topic of sewing machines. I’ve been thinking about purchasing a new one, and I’d love to chat about it! I hope you have a great weekend.

Sew Thankful Sunday, September 2019

9 / 8 / 199 / 8 / 19

{I love the idea of “paying it forward”. I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others. I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts. I highlight some great content that I’ve found on other people’s blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site. If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers.}

Sew Thankful Sunday, September 2019 @ The Crafty Quilter includes back-to-school sewing, maple leaves, quilt alongs, organization tips and a great recipe for fall!

I love September. Leaves are falling, apples are in season, and the temperatures become milder. It’s also back-to-school for many of you with children and a great time to organize and plan for the months ahead. Plus decorating for Fall is my favorite! I’m sure you’ll be inspired for all of these things after reading today’s Sew Thankful Sunday post. Enjoy!

Note: If you use Pinterest, please pin from the original source and not this blog post. Remember, you can click on any of the images in this post and it will open up a new tab to the associated link.

Back to School isn’t just for kids! Check out the Back to School BLOG HOP hosted by Sam at Hunter’s Design Studio. You’ll find all kinds of new lessons to be learned for quilters and sewists!

Back to School Blog Hop hosted by Hunter's Design Studio and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday.

2. This Back to School Mini Purse by Minki Kim for We All Sew is a great addition to a child’s backpack. There’s room for a small surprise, a favorite snack or a BandAid (just in case).

Back to School Mini Purse by Minki Kim for We All Sew and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday. — Back to School Mini Purse by Minki Kim for We All Sew

3. Get ready for the Starstruck Quilt Along at Happy Quilting. Melissa has once again designed a beautiful, free quilt design that you can quilt along with. It just started with the release of the fabric requirements and will continue until October 23, 2019

Starstruck Quilt Along by Melissa @ Happy Quilting and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday. — Starstruck Quilt Along @ Happy Quilting

4. It’s the perfect time to make some fall leaves in the sewing room with this Classic Maple Leaf Quilt Block Tutorial by Amy at Diary of A Quilter. She gives you three different size options so you can create whatever you want!

Maple Leaf Quilt Block Tutorial by Amy at Diary of A Quilter and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday.

5. We all have our favorite way of binding a quilt, but I’m always discovering little tips from others that can be so helpful. This was the case when I read The Art of Quilt Binding by Vanessa at Lella Boutique. Her quilt bindings are beautiful and you’ll love her technique for sewing it all by machine.

The Art of Binding by Vanessa at Lella Boutique and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday. — The Art of Quilt Binding @ Lella Boutique

6. I recently discovered the Little Miss Sawtooth Quilt Along by Melanie at Southern Charm Quilts has just begun and is being sponsored by Havel’s Sewing. This will finish up in January, 2020, and it’s perfect for beginners and fun for everyone.

Little Miss Sawtooth Quilt Along by Melanie @ Southern Charm Quilts and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday.

7. I’m excited to tell you about the nonprofit group, Sew Powerful, and their Sew Powerful Purse Project. I first read about this project at Lindsay Sews, and Lindsay shares all of the details so well, that I think you should start there. Basically, “these handy little bags have pockets to hold reusable feminine care products, which allows girls to stay in school all year long and improve their academic performance.” This project is going on my must-make list!

Sew Powerful Purse Project by Lindsay at Lindsay Sews and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday. — Sew Powerful Purse @ Lindsay Sews

8. The beginning of the school year is a perfect time to whip up a new tote bag. For a great, free pattern check out the DIY Tote Bag with Tablet Pockets Tutorial by Vicky at Vicky Myers Creations. I love how she encourages the upcycling of materials when selecting fabrics.

DIY Tote Bag with Tablet Pockets by Vicky Myers Creations and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday. — @ Vicky Myer’s Creations

9. It’s a known fact that we quilters have a lot going on at all times. So, I appreciated this blog post by Amira at The Little Mushroom Cap on 10 Ways to be more Organised with your Quilting Projects. She has some great ideas here!

10 Ways to Get Organised with your Quilting Projects from The Little Mushroom Cap and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday.

10. It’s apple season you guys! My next baking project is going to include this Caramel Apple Crisp recipe from Jamie at My Baking Addiction. I’m so excited for this!

Caramel Apple Crisp Recipe from My Baking Addiction and featured on The Crafty Quilter's Sew Thankful Sunday. — Caramel Apple Crisp Recipe @ My Baking Addiction

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some Fall sewing, organizing and baking! Thanks to everyone featured today for your awesome inspiration and ideas. Have a great day!

September’s UFO & WIP project & prize sponsor

9 / 3 / 199 / 3 / 19

Hey guys! It’s time to pick out a project to finish for September’s UFO & WIP challenge! You’ll definitely want to play along this month as I have a fabulous prize sponsor lined up for you. Keep reading for more details.

My September project(s)

If you’ve been joining me this year, you must be glad to have some items checked off your UFO and WIP list. I’m going to finish the Modern Plus table runner that I skipped over in July. I need to baste, quilt and bind it.

Modern Plus Table Runner is September's UFO & WIP project @ The Crafty Quilter.

I also need to finish a sample for my upcoming class, Plain & Fancy, which is a pattern by Coriander Quilts that I’ll be teaching at The Granary. I have one block completely finished and the other Dresden blocks are made.

September's UFO & WIP project @ The Crafty Quilter is this lovely block from the pattern, Plain & Fancy by Coriander Quilts. — Plain & Fancy Quilt Block

If you’re choosing an unfinished project for this month based on the All People Quilt UFO Challenge, then you’ll be working on number twelve.

September prize sponsor

I’m really excited about this month’s sponsor and prize package. Heather at Purple Hobbies has generously donated five products from her shop with a retail value of $64!

I’ve come to know Heather through the quilt shop I work at, and she is a very clever and resourceful lady. She has developed some tools for quilters that are designed to make sewing easier and more efficient.

The first tool is the BladeSaver Thread Cutter. This handy gadget uses your old rotary cutter blades to create a thread cutter to use while chain piecing. I love mine and use it all the time.

BladeSaver Thread Cutter from Purple Hobbies

Heather’s Magnetic Pin Cups hold your pins upright so that you don’t get poked! Plus they have a lid so that you can store them safely for traveling to class.

The other products include a Jelly Roll Binding Tool (which I’ve used and love), an adjustable Binding Folder Clip (helps to fold the binding as you iron), and Pinnable Quilt Block Markers to keep your quilt pieces and blocks organized (so helpful).

A big thank you to Heather at Purple Hobbies for sponsoring this month’s UFO & WIP Challenge! In order to be eligible to win, just finish a project this month and add a photo of it to the link up which will be open on September 28 in a separate blog post. Available to US and Canada only due to shipping costs.

I hope you’re having a great week. I’ll be in Lincoln, California, teaching two classes at Sew Katie Jean’s on Wednesday and Thursday. I’m so excited! Happy Quilting!

Happy Little Things BOM Month 2 & giveaway

9 / 2 / 199 / 9 / 19

It’s time for the Happy Little Things BOM Month 2 and a terrific giveaway (now closed)! This FREE block of the month is hosted by Jacquelynne Steves and you can still sign up here to receive each month’s pattern directly to your inbox. Check out the latest information from Jacquelynne about today’s block here.

Happy Little Things BOM Month 2 by Jacquelynne Steves.

Happy Little Things Block 2

As one of the participating bloggers, I get to make each block ahead of time so you can see what it looks like in different colorways and settings. My blocks are being scaled down to half size, so my finished quilt top will measure 23″ x 31″ and each block will be 6″ finished. I’m also adding applique words to make mine into a Winter wall hanging.

Mini Version of Happy Little Things BOM by Julie Cefalu. Original BOM design by Jacquelynne Steves. — Mini version of Happy Little Things BOM

Happy Little Things BOM block 2 (mini version) made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter. Original block design by Jacquelynne Steves.

This month’s block is similar to last months, but slightly more complex. Instead of flying geese, you’ll be making (what I call) half quarter-square triangles. These are made over-sized and then trimmed down. I used the Tucker Trimmer I by Deb Tucker’s Studio 180 Designs to trim these perfectly. It’s such a handy ruler to have!

Using the Tucker Trimmer I to trim a half quarter square triangle @ The Crafty Quilter — Squaring up using the Tucker Trimmer I ruler

To trim these with a square ruler, you need to know what the center measurement of the unfinished size is. Since my block is 1 1/2″ unfinished, the center would be half of that which is 3/4″. I placed the 3/4″ lines at the center of the block, and made sure the 1 1/2″ lines were placed at the corner seams. Then I trimmed the right and top edges. After that, I rotated the block so that the trimmed edges lined up with the 1 1/2″ lines and then trimmed the other two sides.

Note: If you’re making the original size, these units will measure 2 1/2″ unfinished, so the center will be at 1 1/4″.

Tips for Trimming a QST with a square ruler @ The Crafty Quilter. — Using a square ruler to trim the unit

These units are easy to make, but matching the diagonal seams when you sew the block together can be a little tricky. The seams I’m referring to are circled below. Visually, you want to see a straight line where the seams connect.

The Crafty Quilter - Matching diagonal seams on block 2 of the Happy Little Things BOM designed by Jacquelynne Steves — Matching diagonal seams

I like to use a setting pin when matching diagonal seams. The setting pin goes through the seam intersection on top and comes out at the seam intersection on the bottom. Notice in the photo below that I pressed my seams open. This made the construction easier and flatter (usually I press to the side).

A Setting pin helps to match diagonal seam allowances - The Crafty Quilter

Using a setting pin to match diagonal seams

The final pressing of this block required a little clipping. Sometimes a seam intersection does not want to be pressed in the same direction as the rest of the seam. You can see below where I clipped in the seam allowance (but not too close to the stitches) so that it could lay flat.

Clipping in the seam allowance helps the row seam to lay flat. Block made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter for the Happy Little Things BOM designed by Jacquelynne Steves.

It’s so much prettier on the front side! This is a super cute block.

Happy Little Things BOM block 1 and block 2 (mini version) made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter. Original block design by Jacquelynne Steves.

Mini Version cutting instructions

The mini version of this block will finish at 6″ square. All of the assembly instructions are exactly the same as the original. Remember, you still need to sign up for Jacquelynne Steves’ block of the month to get the complete directions.

Happy Little Things BOM month 2, design by Jacquelynne Steves. — Block #2, mini version in EQ8

You can download the cutting instructions for the mini version of block #2 here:

Block 2 cutting instructions, Mini Version of Happy Little Things BOM

Giveaway

(Update: This giveaway is now closed.) This month’s giveaway is sponsored by one of my favorite thread companies, Aurifil, and includes a Designer Thread Box valued at $50. The giveaway is open to US and international entries.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment telling me if you prefer video tutorials or written (such as blog post) tutorials. It seems like videos are really popular these days, but I still prefer to read a tutorial.

NOTE: To leave a comment, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of this blog post (not from my home page), and look for the rectangle that says “Enter your comment here”. On September 9, I’ll randomly pick one winner!

Here are the giveaway rules:

To enter, leave a comment telling me if you prefer video tutorials or written (such as blog post) tutorials.
You must comment by 11:59 pm PST on September 8, 2019 (Now Closed).
You must leave a contact email so that I can reach the winner.
There is ONE prize per person per month (in other words, the same person cannot win two prizes within the same month.)
Giveaway is open to ALL.
Winner will be chosen at random.

Due to the high volume of comments, I won’t be able to reply to you (unless there is a direct question), but I will read each and every one. Thank you in advance for your participation and for leaving a comment.

Participating Bloggers

Make sure to visit all of the participating bloggers to see their version of Happy Little Things! You can also enter the giveaway on each respective blog so you have more chances to win.