I wish tutorial videos slowed down a bit and showed good techniques.
12-31-2013, 05:00 PM
#41
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Posts: 421
Um, Illinois, I'm guessing you don't like quilt kits, or machine quilting. That's fine, to each her own. But to say quilters don't select their own fabrics, do a bad job contsructing the quilt and that machine quilting is inferior, is unfair. I love to select my fabrics, I love very challenging patterns and to say that my quilts are inferior because I machine quilt them is,well, a little quilt police for me. The idea is to bring new quilters into our craft and welcome them. If I were a young lady,with perhaps a job and a family, I like I would take advantage of ways to make a nice quilt, but do it quicker. I don't think there is anything wrong with that!
12-31-2013, 05:12 PM
#42
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Maine, Where else!
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Anyone looking at the quilts that are shown on this forum can't complain about shoddy technique or a lack of thought going into the fabric/pattern selections, there are a lot of excellent quilters on here and as far as machine quilting goes, FMQ is an art in and of itself.
12-31-2013, 05:21 PM
#43
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 464
sewmary, that is great you have had suck good luck.
My Babylock Espire can't sew a straight line to save it's life. I have to fight with it constantly to keep the fabric from veering off to the left.
I bough it from LQS 2 years ago as a trade-in and have been treated very poorly by LQS staff ever since (once I made the purchase they wanted, they treated me like dirt and reneged on their promises to get me the missing items--quite a few). It left me a really, really bad taste in my mouth. I'm not very confrontational so I didn't start demanding things or get loud but when I finally realized they were walking away from their promises completely, I did say that I was "very disappointed". I was shopping there at least 3 to 4 times a month building my stash but ever since that moment, I only went in 2 more times. I won't give them any of my business.
My Babylock Espire can't sew a straight line to save it's life. I have to fight with it constantly to keep the fabric from veering off to the left.
I bough it from LQS 2 years ago as a trade-in and have been treated very poorly by LQS staff ever since (once I made the purchase they wanted, they treated me like dirt and reneged on their promises to get me the missing items--quite a few). It left me a really, really bad taste in my mouth. I'm not very confrontational so I didn't start demanding things or get loud but when I finally realized they were walking away from their promises completely, I did say that I was "very disappointed". I was shopping there at least 3 to 4 times a month building my stash but ever since that moment, I only went in 2 more times. I won't give them any of my business.
12-31-2013, 05:46 PM
#44
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Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 947
I've seen some bad tutorials and videos, but in my opinion, the one linked in the original post is not one of them.
Her technique was good. I don't pin strips either -- pinning does not add to accuracy necessarily. Her pressing technique might not be exactly how I do it, but the video was not a pressing demo -- it was showing how to use 2.5 inch strips to make an interesting design. I do think that she could have given a little more time to explaining how she aligned her ruler for the cuts, but since I've done a fair number of quilts, I could see what she was doing, and I'd be able to make the quilt.
To my mind, these videos are not really intended to be an exhaustive training manual for absolute beginners -- they're inspiration and idea generating, and they're selling a product -- the jelly rolls that are so prevalent now. They do a good job of that.
Her technique was good. I don't pin strips either -- pinning does not add to accuracy necessarily. Her pressing technique might not be exactly how I do it, but the video was not a pressing demo -- it was showing how to use 2.5 inch strips to make an interesting design. I do think that she could have given a little more time to explaining how she aligned her ruler for the cuts, but since I've done a fair number of quilts, I could see what she was doing, and I'd be able to make the quilt.
To my mind, these videos are not really intended to be an exhaustive training manual for absolute beginners -- they're inspiration and idea generating, and they're selling a product -- the jelly rolls that are so prevalent now. They do a good job of that.
12-31-2013, 06:42 PM
#46
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I have watched a number of tutorials (Missouri Quilt Company, Elenor Burns, etc.) and while I understand they are trying to fit a large subject (making a particular quilt or focus on one element such as FMQ, etc) into a short video, I wish that they would still show them doing tasks using a good technique.
Specifically, the pressing is usually featured in a very haphazard fashion and usually shows them dragging the iron across instead of "pressing". You also hardly ever see pinning fabrics together. I have a hard time believing that they can keep the fabrics together and run the machine at such a high speed yet keep an accurate seem and not have the fabric edges eventually pull apart towards the final part of the strip. I am still trying to learn good techniques and I would find it very helpful to find a set of videos that shows slowly good cutting, pressing and sewing techniques.
This video in particular shows exactly what I am talking about --http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5WgTyqB8Pc. It is a good video for showing how to make that quilt but you can't honestly believe that that is how she cuts, presses and sews to make a good quality quilt. This is not a slam to that company or any other video maker, as I understand they are trying to present a topic in a short period. However, it does seem like they could add a few seconds to make some of the tasks more realistic. If you know of any good videos I would love to be pointed to them.
Specifically, the pressing is usually featured in a very haphazard fashion and usually shows them dragging the iron across instead of "pressing". You also hardly ever see pinning fabrics together. I have a hard time believing that they can keep the fabrics together and run the machine at such a high speed yet keep an accurate seem and not have the fabric edges eventually pull apart towards the final part of the strip. I am still trying to learn good techniques and I would find it very helpful to find a set of videos that shows slowly good cutting, pressing and sewing techniques.
This video in particular shows exactly what I am talking about --http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5WgTyqB8Pc. It is a good video for showing how to make that quilt but you can't honestly believe that that is how she cuts, presses and sews to make a good quality quilt. This is not a slam to that company or any other video maker, as I understand they are trying to present a topic in a short period. However, it does seem like they could add a few seconds to make some of the tasks more realistic. If you know of any good videos I would love to be pointed to them.
I bookmark lots of MSQC tutorials. froggyintexas
01-01-2014, 09:21 AM
#47
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saratoga, Arkansas
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It sounds like you already know how to press since you can tell that some if not most of the video instructors are doing it carelessly. I agree with you, I always notice this and I think it leaves an impression that you can get by with that. But as you say, when you do it that way, you get bad results. However, I do think if you know which way the grain is and you iron with that you can be a little more laxed. Someone above mentioned signing up for the Craftsy free block of the month lessons and that is an excellent suggestion. Learning the basics correctly saves a lot of frustration later. Good luck.
01-01-2014, 09:58 AM
#48
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Location: The California Hills
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jeanharville--I think you understand me!! I have never considered myself a "perfectionist" --as I do know a few of these and they can be pretty tiresome when they live their entire life like that--but I do like doing things properly (it is an offshoot of my profession whereby you are either correct or wrong--no middle ground). Quilting, as well as other crafts, there isn't necessarily a "properly" but more of a "quality you are pleased with" gauge. I seem to have a high need for my quilts to turn out as good looking as possible. I learned early that the pinning method I was using only gave me well matched seams maybe 75-80% so I worked on that until I found the method to use and that is now given me almost 100% success.
I am still trying to find the pressing method that works for me. My primary problem is that when making a strip set of 3 fabrics--if I press one strip set away from the center fabric and the other set towards the center fabric so that you can lock the seams on these two strips: The latter strip set results in a more narrow center fabric strip than the former. I haven't figured out how to mitigate this pressing error I seem to be making. My only work-around idea at this point is to press seams open when I have this type of a strip set situation.
I am still trying to find the pressing method that works for me. My primary problem is that when making a strip set of 3 fabrics--if I press one strip set away from the center fabric and the other set towards the center fabric so that you can lock the seams on these two strips: The latter strip set results in a more narrow center fabric strip than the former. I haven't figured out how to mitigate this pressing error I seem to be making. My only work-around idea at this point is to press seams open when I have this type of a strip set situation.
01-03-2014, 07:34 AM
#49
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Location: Ohio, just east of Toledo
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She has 3 videos on you tube (maybe more) showing her use of Elmer's glue. My computer is in a differet room than my sewing machine, so I just walked back and forth, pausing the tape, to get what she was showing, and then did it.
My TBI from my car accident means my short term memory is bad, really, bad, so there was a lot of walking back and forth.
I try to make lemons out of lemonade so considered the walking 'exercise'!
01-03-2014, 09:24 AM
#50
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RugosaB--I know exactly what you are feeling. I am on a new insomnia medication now and it has completely wiped out my short-term memory and I'm not sure that is a fair trade for more sleep. Playing cards with my kids, as soon as I placed a card down on the table (face down), I could not remember what card I played!!! I will be thinking one word but say a similar/different word--I told my son to microwave his milk 45 minutes!!! I watched a tv show late yesterday afternoon and at bedtime I could not recall what I watched or one single detail at all from the program.
I watched some of the Eleanor Burns video linked above and had to keep sliding the back bar to rewatch so I could keep track of what I was watching! It is a challenge but we do what we have to do to keep our passion for quilting going. My design wall is downstairs and I do love the walk in between my sewing area and the wall because it is usually the best excercise I get. I only take one block at a time down so at least I don't feel guilty for sitting and sewing so long.
I watched some of the Eleanor Burns video linked above and had to keep sliding the back bar to rewatch so I could keep track of what I was watching! It is a challenge but we do what we have to do to keep our passion for quilting going. My design wall is downstairs and I do love the walk in between my sewing area and the wall because it is usually the best excercise I get. I only take one block at a time down so at least I don't feel guilty for sitting and sewing so long.
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