I want your life - but do you really, all of it?

I always laugh when someone tells me they want my life. I’ll admit, it’s pretty okay. But, it’s messy, just like everyone else’s life.

I suppose what they are referring to is, my highlight reel, my Instagram or Facebook life. That life that I love posting about because it brings me joy or happiness. And because no one wants to see a picture of cat puke that soaked my sock when I stepped in it in the dark.

I’m glad that I can give people something to work for, or long to creat for themselves. But hopefully these few examples give you an idea of how people look at your highlight reel, and why we can’t take offense, because we all do it.

For instance, I posted a cool picture of honeycomb. Someone said…that’s so neat. I wish I had your life. That’s fine, but does that mean you want the 2 hours that it took to take care of my bees that one day; the lifting, sweat, trips back and forth with equipment, bees buzzing around my head, the money I invested in the bees…That part? Or, the part where I took a picture of honeycomb, with no bees around me?

I posted a picture of my longarm quilting machine. Someone said, “I wish I had your life.” That looks awesome. Which part do you want? My going to bed at 12 and getting up at 5, to get my work done, so I have time to quilt. Winding numerous bobbins, carrying a bolt of batting, maneuvering backing, pressing, picking out wrong stitches, stretching out sore back and neck muscles, investing in a machine instead of a new car, questioning whether I chose the right thread or quilting pattern, troubleshooting when my machine goes berserk; those things? Or, taking a picture of a quilt on a longarm?

You went to France? “I want your life.” 20 hours one way, because the plane turned around, sore body all over, sitting next to someone with a cough for 8 hours, days of pre-planning and packing and changing flights; that part? Or, taking a picture by the Eiffel Tower?

I sit by my window and watch the birds early in the morning on our acreage. “I want your life.” The bird-watching part, or mowing for hours, pulling ticks off, controlling erosion, defending plants from deer, being alone-far from town, wind that blows the mulch away, paying $120 for the appliance repairman just to make the trip out here to look at our humming fridge; those things? Or, the part where I’m sitting for a bit to watch the birds?

See? We often see one thing, think that would be a great life, and forget or block out the parts that we don’t want to think about. There’s a whole lot of behind the curtain work that goes into living, no matter what.

I hope you think of this, next time you see something on Instagram and wish that was your life. Would you be willing to take on all of that life, or just that cute picture of a baby grinning in the early morning?

You friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter

Can you sew over pins?

Can you sew over pins? Yes, you can.

Should you sew over pins? I’ve talked to a few technicians in my day, and they all say, no.

Most of the time, if you sew over a pin, slowly enough, the needle will move the pin aside if it hits it. But, if it’s a thicker pin, the needle might hit just right and dull the needle. Or, worse, shatter the needle; little bits flying into your machine, around your table, possibly in your face.

What about using the super fine pins? Most of the time, with those, if a needle hits it dead on, the pin will bend. (Bye bye pin, needle is still duller, even if it didn’t break.) It’s also a very sad day, when that super fine pin bends enough to be forced down into the machine. And, I’m told, that happens. Then, that devil-may-care attitude about sewing over pins, will cost you a service call and time without your machine!

Ultimately, it’s your machine, pins and needles.

But, when someone comes to sew at my house, or if I’m teaching them to sew, I teach them the very best habit of simply pausing the machine a stitch or two before the pin to slide out the pin, and continue sewing. As an experience sewer (I really don’t like the term, sewist, so I’m going to use sewer and you just have to know that I’m pronouncing it as one would, when referring to sewing,) I can slow my machine without stopping and remove a pin. But, what’s the hurry, really?

I have throw away a lot of bent pins and sewing machine needles that go thunk, thunk into the fabric, after I’ve hit a pin. I’ve had to take my machine in, to get out the extra bits of broken needles. It’s really as simple to remove the pin as you sew, as it is to sew over it and remove it later.

Do yourself a favor, and make it a habit not to sew over pins!

Your friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter

Mask or no mask - can we just be friends

It occurred to me, as stores start allowing more shoppers, and churches start opening their doors again, one of the most divisive topics, will be to mask or not to mask.

And, this post isn’t about which one is right. I have my own opinion, as I am guessing you do too.

But, how do we stay friends, if we don’t agree?

The same way we do if we don’t agree on other topics. Respect that everyone is right from their own perspective. You have your trusted experts, I have mine. They might not agree either.

I don’t have answers. Just a reminder that as we move back into more social situations, don’t lose friendships over opinions or perspectives on face mask usage.

You will have friends who are adamant on everyone wearing masks. Love them.
You will have friends who think it’s overkill. Love them.
If a business doesn’t require mask wearing, and you feel they should, don’t shop there, or shop online.
If a business requires you wear a mask to come inside and shop, then respect that or shop somewhere else.

It’s pretty simple, really.

I believe there are far more dangerous things that could come out of Covid19, than sickness, if we don’t look at them head on, and decide how we want to respond as human beings.

Your friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter

Moms, you’ll miss these days

….when smashing bubble wrap, made everyone giggle.
….when a cut up, day-old donut, was a fancy crumpet.
….when a broken heart could be fixed with a hug and a kiss.
….when an ouchy could be healed with a kiss and a bandaid.
….when the sleeping baby on your chest would calm you.
….when a slight fever meant lots of snuggles on the couch.
….when a wiggly worm was the coolest thing ever.
….

I remember one really tiring month, when the boys had pink eye…they just kept sharing it, and I sat up in a rocking chair, rocking, rocking, rocking…night after night.

I remember another time, when one boy shared chicken pox with his 1 2 year old brother, and then we had stomach flu at the same time.

I remember days when milk spilled and mud was tracked in and there were fights and tears, and wondered why I was a mom.

And one of my older mom friends, whose girls were teens at the time, would tell me, “you will miss these days.” And I would laugh at her. You have to be kidding me. I won’t miss THESE days.

Then, my boys got older, into teenage years, and I missed THOSE earlier days, when worries were overdue library books, scratches on knees, eating their dinner, and being nice to their brothers. And I started to understand what my friend had told me.

Then, my boys became adults, with adult worries of their own, broken hearts, lost jobs, cars breaking down, rent due, big decisions and big consequences. And, I find myself, missing the days of snotty noses and blow-out diapers, and “he’s being mean to meeeeee.”

But, I don’t want to go back and relive it. I don’t miss being covered in puke, or cleaning it up off floors and walls. No. I don’t miss that. But, the feeling afterwards…with a boy, who at that moment, needed mom to fix it, make it better. And making it better, was as simple as snuggling on the couch or bringing a cup of ice chips. That is what I miss; the simplicity, the natural way I slowed down, when needed. A little boy’s arms around my waist, thanking me for making pancakes.

I miss the tenderness, sweetness, simplicity of the days when I had babies and little boys at home.

Your friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter

You’ve never seen a longarm and “Mid-Arm” quilting machine described this way

So, here is my simplistic, real life way of describing the differences in a sewing machine, a “mid-arm” quilting machine and a longarm quilting machine. I keep adding quotes to “mid-arm” because it’s not a specific machine like a domestic sewing machine or a longarm. I explained that in the previous long, confusing post. Hopefully, this will educate and possibly amuse the home sewist trying to figure out what the differences are.
[None of the pictures are mine, they came off the kubota and Chevy websites. I am not associated with either company.]

Option 1: A domestic sewing machine

It does it all, comes with attachments and feet for all kinds of tasks. And, you can quilt with it. All-purpose. There are really big domestic sewing machines now, that have so much throat space, if you are just wanting to finish a quilt or 2 a year, and for the rest of the year, piece quilts, sew other projects from dolls to bags to curtains, and possibly even embroider on stuff, look at a domestic machine.

Option 2: “Mid-arm” quilting machine

A marketing term for a souped up domestic sewing machine, bigger and faster, with no attachments or fancy feet. It gives you more space to quilt and more power in the machine, for less money, than a longarm. A “mid-arm” is a heavy-duty, single purpose machine, but you can sew on it, if you want, sometimes. You just don’t need an industrial machine for most home sewing. (This and other confusing descriptions and differences in what is referred to as a “mid-arm” can be found in my previous post.)

Option 3: A Longarm quilting machine

Longarms have one purpose, to get you from point A to B, from finishing a quilt top to finishing the quilting, in style, more comfortably and with less strain on your body than with options 1 and 2. Simply put, you quilt with a longarm. You load it up with your quilt and take it on long, comfy rides. You don’t piece quilts with it, you don’t sew clothes. You quilt with it. Period.

Well, there you have it. I’ve been told my mind works in strange and interesting ways, coming up with comparisons that don’t really make sense to some, but definitely make sense to those who think like I do.

Have a beautiful day. I hope you do something you really enjoy, even if for a few minutes.

Your friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter

Let’s just get more confused: Long-arm or mid-arm

I collected a bunch of questions from potential long-arm quilting machine buyers on reddit, so I don’t just ramble on and on. Because if there’s one thing I can ramble on about, it’s quilting.

Mid-arm is a relatively newer term, and quite confusing, depending on whether you are talking to a dealer or a consumer. From my understanding, it’s really more of a marketing term, not a specific type of machine, which is why it’s confusing.

A mid-arm machine can have feed dogs or not. So, what that means to you, is, a mid-arm is simply a more industrial, stripped down version of a home sewing machine, with a stronger, faster motor, OR, it’s a smaller longarm machine, that they are calling a mid-arm, which has no feed dogs, for lower budgets. So, are you more confused now? I kind of am, so don’t feel bad!

A longarm quilting machine, is designed to do one thing well; move over a quilt, whether manually or computerized, quickly. It has no feed-dogs, and the needle is in one position. It doesn’t even straight stitch, technically, because unless you or a computer is moving the machine around, it’ll stitch in the same spot forever and ever, amen. You can’t piece quilts with a longarm, although there are some fun projects that you can accomplish, other than quilts, but no one would ever invest in a longarm to piece quilts.

Let’s forget the terms, mid-arm and longarm for a second.

What are you hoping to do with this machine you are thinking about buying? Are you going to set up a quilting service as a home business and quilt for others? Do you want to finish your quilts more quickly or with less strain on your body? Maybe you want to do a little of both?

Here’s why I personally chose the longarm that I chose; I had the space, the budget, and I already had a regular sewing machine that I love. I was tired of basting my quilts with safety pins and adhesive spray. And moving and maneuvering a quilt under the needle can have some physical impact on your whole body, as you already have figured out, if you quilt on a domestic machine. Yes, standing at a longarm can also be physically exhausting, so I’ll cover that in another post.

The more I try and explain mid-arm, the more confusing it gets, because it’s not really a specific thing. With a mid-arm, you are going to move the quilt sandwich with your hands. If you are moving the machine, and it’s more petite, then it’s a smaller longarm.

Longarm quilting machines have one main job, quilting.
“Mid-arm” quilting machines can simply be a souped up domestic sewing machine, with a heavy-duty motor, with feed dogs and a wider throat. If it’s being called a “mid-arm” and it has no feed dogs, then it’s a longarm, but smaller and at a lower price-point.

No wonder there are 30 minute youtube videos explaining the difference! Gotta love marketing.

Do you want to stand and quilt, or sit? Do you want to move the quilt around, or move the machine? Do you want to pre-baste, or ditch the basting and load the backing, batting and top, directly onto a frame. You can probably guess my answer to that by how I phrased it!
Why do longarm machines cost so much? Can I recoup the cost of a longarm? How many hours does it take to finish a full-size quilt on a longarm? Is it really quilting if the computer runs the machine? (Oh, please…that’s a question? I’ll answer that now. YES. Sheesh.) Where do you learn how to use a longarm quilting machine? What are other options available if I don’t have the space for a longarm?

Those and many more questions, will be answered in the following posts. Or, I might change out of my Covid-19 quarantine daily outfit, you know what I’m talking about, get real clothes on and answer in a video.

Your friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter

Buying a longarm quilting machine, pt. 2

Part 2 -

So, I had my dream and my motive, and I pulled the trigger for a Gammill Statler Stitcher.

1. We have moved to an acreage, and had a large room next to the garage that we decided would be perfect for a longarm machine.

2. I waited until I could afford to buy it, without needing to establish a quilting business right away to pay for the payment. Why? Because it took all the pressure off. However, I have quilted for a few friends, who pay me the local rate. I was at a Statler Stitcher retreat once, and was amazed that 50% of the attendees, owned this monstrous machine (monstrous in a good way) for quilting their own quilts.

With that being said, I’ll just be really honest about this so you can make your best decision. Because if you are reading this, you are probably considering having a longarm quilting business, either part-time or full-time.

I gathered a lot of questions, which I will try to answer based on my own experience in the next few blog posts and from talking to a lot of longarm quilters.

You do not have to be a quilter to own a longarm quilting business. In fact, some of the most prolific longarm quilters, do only that and do it very well, and have large clientele lists. How can that be?

Here’s the deal. If you LOVE the piecing aspect of quilting, and start up a longarm quilting business, you’ll lose some of your piecing time. That’s one thing to think about before deciding to buy a machine for a home business. My friends who own quilt shops, started them because of their love of quilting, but guess what? They don’t have a lot of time to sew, because they are running the shop.

My longarm quilting machine, the only machine in my house with a name, which is Gertie, is out in a room that gets pretty crisp in the wintertime. I didn’t quilt any quilts between mid-Dec and February. Fortunately, it’s not my business, so I could use that time to piece. This is one reason I chose to have a different business, so I can sew whatever I want, whenever.

Some people think because the machine is computerized, you can set it up and walk away. That’s pretty much not true. I’ve run into the house to grab some water or go to the bathroom when a complex design is stitching, ON MY OWN QUILT, and I know it won’t get far while I’m gone. But, setting your Gammill Statler to stitch and walking away, is like putting your new Tahoe in drive, and going back into the house.

Things happen. Threads break, bobbin thread runs out, the foot might get caught on a thick seam and so on. Best practice, is at the very least, be in the room. If I have a really well-pieced quilt top on the frame, no bumps or thick seams, I can step over to my desk and catch up on blogs, read a magazine, watch a recorded training, or even do my online coaching. I have fitness bands next to my machine, so I can stretch and get in a little resistance exercise. You learn the sounds of your machine, and the more you quilt, the more tuned in you become to possible problems, if you have turned away for a bit.

So, I guess my first question back to you, if you are thinking of starting a longarm quilting business: Do you want to give up your own piecing or sewing time to finish other people’s quilts? Because you will have to, if you want to quilt enough quilts to pay for your machine. I still think it’s a fabulous opportunity to have a service oriented home business, but there is a large investment, and a learning curve, to consider. And time.

In the next blog post, I’ll talk about the time required from my own perspective as a hobby longarm quilter.
Why do longarm quilters charge a minimum, no matter the size?
How much time does it take to learn how to use the Statler Stitcher?

Feel free to pop other questions that you would like me to answer, below.

Your friend,
Anne Dovel