Tools of the trade

There are so many tools that one can adorn their quilting room with. I have chosen to post a few that are the bare bones necessities


Hopping foot/ Ruler foot

To use rulers for longarm quilting, you’ll just need to make sure you have the right foot for your machine, which is called a hopping foot. A hopping foot, or ruler foot, has a taller base to rest against the edge of the ruler. Whether you are using now or next week it can be left on your machine and you are not required to remove it. The hopping foot is on benefit for people that have heavy seems to overcome, and like to have the availability to be able to switch back and forth between ruler work without replacing the foot. To understand how this works the post on ruler work demonstrates the foot in practice


Ruler Work  Supplies


 https://www.thegadgetgirls.com
https://www.ericas.com/quilting/tools/templates_framequilting.htm
http://www.lovetoquilt.com/longarm_quilting_tools/quilting_rulers_and_guides_and_templates_.htm
http://www.quiltswithaheart.com/long-arm-quilting-supplies.html


Please note that these are just a few to give you an idea





Micro Handles

Perhaps this is not a true necessity but when one is performing intricate fine movements in stippling or the like ... free hand quilting. They give you a lot more control for doing your minute free hand designs and your hands can rest gently on your quilt top as you are guiding your machine adding extra control. Some find that the positioning of these handles are more ergonomic to their stance, of course this depends on how tall they are and at what height their machine is at. I for one would have to use a stool to sit on and see my quilting area and have better control of these handles.Most posts that I have read those that have them love them........... Hmm maybe next year.........LOL


http://www.finishingtouchesquiltingstudio.com/apps/videos/videos/show/17376803



Laser Lights

The Bailey comes with a laser light that is used for following pantographs. The batteries are readily available - I bought mine for a pittance on Ebay. The laser attaches to the Bailey with the long arm supplied and can be adhered to the top or the bottom of the machine, It simply is attached with the provided wing nut. My experience and I do a lot of pantographs is don't tap it, the arm the laser is on , even though it is secure can be jostled unknowingly. And then you hope you have registration dots to get you back on track . Perhaps I am the old one that is not so delicate!

Some people use the Grace Laser light that they may have already had on a previous frame or machine. It can be secured to the carriage handles of your machine. There are many sites that you may purchase the laser- for convenience I have attached this site to simply let you see what the laser is and how it is attached to the carriage.


http://www.finishingtouchesquiltingstudio.com/apps/videos/videos/show/17376803

I want to add a PS on here. I saw a long arm machine that had extra lighting added to the harp. It was very simple. Led lights purchased from the Dollar store and adhered with mounting tape to the harp area. battery operated and push to turn them on. They would shine down onto the quilt and might be something more applicable to the sit down model. They look much like the puck lights you can buy for your kitchen to adhere under the cupboards, also they come in a longer strip with about 5 light bulbs and about 4-5" long. There are all sorts available, it may be something someone would be interested in.



Mirrors

Now one would say why do I need a mirror. If you are like me and I work on a lot of pantographs I like to see what is happening under my quilt on the backside. I have a full length mirror that I purchased and laid it in between the track on my frame, At any time I can view what is underneath. I also trace out pantographs on overhead projector sheets so this give me a see through look and I can view my stitching underneath at all times




Spool Holder



There are many spool holders that you can purchase or make, this one is a simple stand from quilttech. I do not have this particular stand but I have enclosed a pic so that you get the idea. Several Bailey owners have constructed theirs from wood with a wire hangar and velcro it to the top of their machine. The reason that these thread stands are popular is that it keeps the spools thread from getting caught up in the lower workings of the Bailey.

Lets go one step further, you can also have a thread stand that will hold our spool horizontally, same area but it is handy when the bobbin that you have purchased was really designed to unroll when mounted horizontally. This will give you an idea of why and when you would use the horizontal spool holder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In39Jq3wJRI