Looks like a neat tool. Maybe they will have at quilt show I am going to.

What a great, simple idea. However the price tag is a killer for me. If anyone thinks of a way to do this without the huge price tag, let me know. Thanks for sharing.

Linda

Wow when I saw the video I thought that's what I've been doing just practicing. I also use the cardboard tubes from the boxes of wax paper, foil, etc., to help roll the fabric and the shelving (non skid) helps to keep it in place. you can adjust the non skid as you go along. Instead of that ring that he uses, just get an embroidery hoop and attach the non skid shelving to the bottom.

Thank you love his technique and he has the same machine as me so it makes it much easier to follow.

Uh oh... now I've fallen in love with that Martelli ring and it's WAY out of my price range!!!!!!!! Maybe I can improvise one with an embroidery hoop?

Checked out the Martellinotions.com site for the free motion gripper rings. Wow! Pricy. Great idea, but a bit rich for my blood.[/QUOTE]


I wrapped an embroidery hoop... maybe an 8 inch one, with that rubbery mat stuff that makes things not slip... sort of a open weave plastic stuff.... If you put it on your machine without the foot attached it does a similar thing as that gripper ring. (Then reattach the foot.... Just remove for room to get it under the foot!) Pretty cheap too, and I already had the hoop. Good luck. I think my problem is that I was trying to learn with the bigger patterns, and thought I would then move to smaller ones, but honestly, I think the smaller patterns are easier and maybe you then move UP to being able to do the larger, more open patterns. You have to move the quilt so much more with the larger patterns.

think I am going to try that.... Christine

Thanks for the link. Ergonomics was beaten into me in secretarial school in the olden days, and the exercises to relieve the kinks when they started up. Those positions and exercises have helped me greatly through the years.

Someone mentioned their shoulders just killed them. Try a higher chair, so you arms are somewhat hanging down. This stops you from strunching up your shoulders. If you start getting that pain spot in your neck. Stop sewing. Chin up, move your head to look over your right shoulder and give things a stretch, then to look over your left shoulder and give things a stretch, then (do the chicken stretch) with your head facing forward and your shoulders still stick your chin forward -- same movement a chicken makes with their head when they are walking around. Short chin stick outs forward. Repeat all three a couple of times. If you do that every half hour or so, and have your work at a good comfortable height, it will really help the sore shoulders.

I bought the "fabulous fabric glide"...
http://www.createforless.com/The+Gyp...FbFAMgodKDYAqQ

they are just about the same as the martelli, but cheaper....they have little rubber knobby points on the underside that grip your fabric. I don't use them..they work ok, just like on the video, but I never could get used to not having my hands on the quilt! I was constantly stopping and checking to see if I had a fold or a ripple on the back...I never could understand why they sell 2 in a package! the difference in size is less than an inch...maybe 2 people could buy one set and split the cost..that would make them super affordable!

ROFLMBO I know this is not a funny thing and yes it works but reading it and using this old imagination of a chicken/person doing it just cracked me up.

I am a very short person (almost 5' not quite) and I have had to make my own sewing tables for my machines because in order for my legs not to hurt dangling off the front of the chair it can only be about 16 1/2" to the seat which helps me a lot. So my table top can only be about 25" off the floor for my machine to be at the right height. Yea everyone jokes about it being so short but "It's what works for me" and that's all that matters.

I haven't looked at them yet so I don't know what the price is but it looks simple enough to make out some sort of cheap hoop by adding a gripper surface to it. Not sure how yet but the idea is implanted in my head so I'm sure sooner or later something will pop in there.