The Bernina is Back in Action !
Click Images To Enlarge:
I went into town yesterday and brought Bernie home from the repair shop.
I highly Recommend Rich's Sew & Vac.
I learn something from the technicians every time I go in there.
Your machine is only as good as you are.
This is what I learned:
I use adhesive spray to baste my quilt sandwiches together.
In the last 18 months I have had more than 40 quilts under the needle.
That is a lot of adhesive being pushed down into the bobbin housing.
I also neglected to bring Bernie in for her yearly physical.
So....you could say I brought all this on myself.
No......I don't plan on giving up adhesive sprays.......ever.
Here is the advice the technician shared with me:
Titanium Needles
The adhesive does not stick to them as readily as regular needles.
Therefore, the bobbin housing will remain cleaner.
Every 20 - 40 hours of Machine Quilting...
Take apart the bobbin housing, clean out all the debris and any adhesive, place a drop of oil, then put it back together.
Here is the best part:
Regular Needles cost $1 each
Titanium Needles cost $2 each
Titanium Needles last 5 - 8 times longer.
They are also stronger, and perform better during high speed free motion quilting.
Which means, they create a nicer stitch on the surface of your quilt.
Now that I have Bernie back in my clutches, I am going to set her up in the Thread Shed and let her stretch her legs today...
The Pink Coneflower images are from my trip to Yakima this month.
Please enjoy using them in your personal art work.
I am always happy to share beauty...
CLICK HERE to read the first part of this post
May Your Bobbin Never Be Full of Adhesive,
LuAnn
Thank you for sharing about a good needle for our machines. I am pretty bad about even changing my needle but I will buy some good needles next time I am in town. I enjoy your blog so very much! Awesome fabric!!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThe more you know, the better your quilting will be.
Average needles have about 8 hours of machine quilting life. (that is actually stitching time).
Titanium needles have 40 or more hours of machine quilting life.
They are also stronger, so the shaft does not bend as easily during high speed free motion quilting, which results in a better stitch on your quilt surface.
I have seen a slow motion video of a regular needle during high speed quilting, and it is amazing how much it bends, which is hard on your high synchronized sewing machine.
I hope this information comes in useful for you in the future.
LuAnn in Oregon
Great advice. Thanks for sharing. It never occurred to me that the spray adhesive might cause these problems. I don't quilt as much, yet, but I'll be taking my baby in for service soon.
ReplyDeleteHi LuAnn,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love your blog, energy and photos.
I took my Bernina in yesterday for its annual maintenance and mentioned the adhesive spray issue. My techs also suggested changing needles frequently, but I did not know about titanium needles. Are there different sizes for different thread and fabric types?
Thank for your blog and info, how about more more pics of Suzy and the animals?
Titanium Needles come in all sizes.....I buy a package of every size so I always have the right needle for the job.
ReplyDeleteIf you look on the right side of my blog, scroll down to the LABELS section. Everything there is listed A to Z. To view the Cattle.....just scroll down and click on Cattle. To view Suzy.....just scroll down and click on Suzy.......same for the Horses, Chickens, etc. All of the blog posts about each topic are there!
Have Fun!
LuAnn in Oregon
Thank you for this post regarding the titanium needles for free motion quilting. I will be buying some this week! My Bernina dealer has told me about them but your post is much more informative!!!
ReplyDeleteColleen