I've got to brag! After all the help I received from y'all about FM quilting and the trouble I was having breaking needles - with your help I came to the conclusion the problem was ME! I have been properly rehabilitated and can now FM quilt.

After being properly rehabilitated, I was able to help not one, but two people at work!

Vicki brought the machine she bought her DD FIFTEEN years ago to the office. I brought machine oil and grease, brushes, thread, 3 different bobbins, fabric, needles, etc. with me. We met at the break table during lunch. (Perk - she provided lunch!) I cleaned and oiled the machine, she had a bobbin so I showed her how to wind it, change the needle, thread the machine, etc. The problem with the machine and the reason her DD packed it up and put it back in the box, the thread stitch was sitting on ZERO. So...I fixed it. I'm smart like that.

One of the commissioners' (I've known him forever, he was 1st DHs BFF) told me his wife got her 40-year old machine out (he gave it to her for their 2nd anniversary) to do some mending and couldn't get it to work. She bought new needles - still wouldn't work. It would not pickup the bobbin thread. He asked her if she had the needle in correctly. She said that it wouldn't fit but one way. I told him to take it out, turn it 180 degrees and put it back in. This morning he was pleased to announce that it worked after he did that.

I have redeemed myself! And it feels GREAT!

LOL

You've got good reason to be pleased with yourself.
I'm proud of you, too. But not surprised at all.

Keepyou, that is a wonderful thing you did for 2 people! It is always nice to be able to help someone with their machine and get them back into sewing even if its just mending or hemming. Now Sherry, I do have to tell you...only since you asked...that hat does actually make your butt look a tiny bit bigger although I wouldnt have noticed if you hadnt pointed it out.

Nice job KYIS, Maybe you'll have a new sewing buddy??

Can you come show me how to thread my serger?! LOL!

I might be an exercise in futility, though. My friend, who doesn't even own a serger, borrowed it & taught herself how to thread & use it. She tried to show me...the lesson stuck for 2 seconds...here sits my serger again, silent... We're growing old gracefully together!

Yea, Sherry! Here's a gold, er . . . pink, star for you .

Starry, what kind of serger do you have? I have a Baby Lock Imagine and it is not too difficult to thread--I have a ritual for it . Only had trouble threading it once and it was because some linty fuzzy stuff got into the threading path. Maybe you should thread it with some nice, neutral thread and never unthread it again .

To rethread your serger, cut off the thread that is in there above where it starts going into the machine. Tie a new thread to each of the old threads and pull the old thread through. You can pull all the way through except threading the needles.

Thimblelady - If I had a different color hat, do you think that would help?

quote:

Originally posted by Lisa - TX:
Starry, what kind of serger do you have?

It's a Bernina, with nice color paths for each thread. So it leads you right into the dark recesses of the machine...and then strands you there!

It's an intelligence test, and I flunk every time -- makes my brain ache!

quote:

Originally posted by Meme quilts:
To rethread your serger

Ah, but there's the problem -- you have to THREAD it in the first place to be able to REthread it!

Sometimes I ~think~ I have it, but I'll sew an inch & it'll be blatantly obvious that I messed up somewhere. Darn machine...

We'll charter a bus...everyone with a serger will board the bus as it makes its rounds. StarrySky, in the meantime, will be cooking and stocking her freezer so we'll have something to eat when we get there.

One of us should be able to help her.

StarrySky, Got Chocolate?!

Or...go get that friend to rethread - or take it to a Bernina dealer to rethread.

Then do as Meme posted...never ever just pull the thread out of its path...and pray for no thread breakage!

quote:

StarrySky, Got Chocolate?!

Yea, but this month, you gotta come in costume & ring my doorbell after dark! It'll be easy to recognize you -- you're the one in the big hat with the big butt!

Someday, I'll just have to have a showdown -- Me vs. Serger -- see who wins. If all else fails, I will swallow my pride & march back to the dealer in shame & embarrassment.

These things should come permanently threaded to a BARREL of thread, so you never have to mess with them. LOL

This message has been edited. Last edited by: StarrySky,

Oh, I cant use my serger either. Its way easier just to zig zag over the edge of the seam.

Yes, Sherry!!!! A slimmer color hat would help soooooo much. Why didnt I think of that. You are brilliant! You are such a fashionesta and I should have picked up on that by seeing your "put together" look.

I thought about getting a serger, but now I'm not so sure. Thought it would be an easy gift from DH, but would I use it enough or be able to thread??? Might be rethinking this idea. Pat

There's a brand that threads itself with puffs of air, right? Baby Lock?

I LOVE my Baby Lock Image. The key is to get an automatic threading one with self adjusting tensions. Big bucks but worth every cent of it.

My first one had neither and I spent as much time rethreading & trying tensions on it as I did using.

You normaly need to thread a serger in s specific order. Don't ask my why, but if you don't it won't work. Get your instructions out and follow then exactly. If you mess up one of the prevciously threads when doing a later one, all need to be started over in the proper sequence. I got so good at rethreading, I didn't even need to look at the manual.

Even with the autmatic threading, i still tie on the threads and get out the namual if one doesn't go thru.

Good luck... Chris

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cksvett,

Way to go KYIS! Two gold stars for helping two people... Chris

One of the good things about have my - ahem - photo as my avatar is that people know me wherever I go. No one at COF Branson had an trouble at all!

I'll bring my trick-or-treat saddle bags and see ya!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KeepYouInStitches,

quote:

Originally posted by KeepYouInStitches:
I'll bring my trick-or-treat saddle bags and see ya!

Oh no fair -- we don't cater to those kids who hold out TWO bags and expect us to fill them both!!