Quilters--can you help me out here?

[minkydog]

I am working on DD17s quilt finally--I've had it in various stages of completion for about 5 years. Well, now she's a senior and I'm determined to get this thing done before she goes off to college! I have always done my tops by hand, but this time I'm thinking about machine quilting part of the quilt and finishing by hand.

So, here's are the questions--

**I have forgotten how to use my needle threader! I can't believe it. I've been sewing since I was 11! Help me figure this out--I can't see the eye of the needle well enough to thread it unless it's as big as a darning needle. I can put the thread through the threader and I've managed to get the threader through the eye of the needle. How do I get the thread from the threader to the needle?

**I have never used a walking foot. I have one that fits, but it came with some kind of extra metal thing. It has what looks like a long silver stick with a wide "foot" attached at a 90 degree angle. What is this for and where does it go?

Thanks ahead of time. I'm going to go out for a bit, but I hope someone will be able to answer my questions. I will get back with you later.

 

[Nette]

I can't help you with the needle threader, but the long stick looking thing is for keeping your quilting lines equi-distant from each other. You basically line up the last row of stitching with the flat end of the stick thing (which should be perpendicular to the foot) and voila, the rows of quilting are magically even.

Did that make any sense at all?

 

[minkydog]

I can't help you with the needle threader, but the long stick looking thing is for keeping your quilting lines equi-distant from each other. You basically line up the last row of stitching with the flat end of the stick thing (which should be perpendicular to the foot) and voila, the rows of quilting are magically even.

Did that make any sense at all?

Yup. I figured it either had to do with spacing or keeping the material smushed down before it goes under the foot. Thanks!

Do you just hold it in place? There's no groove to keep it attached to the machine. (My machine is older than God--a Montgomery Ward.)

 

[lovesmurfs]

If you Google "How to thread a sewing machine" there are a number of videos that come up which show the process.

 

[luv2sew]

The line spacer should have an end that sticks into a hole in the presser foot and then you sew a line of stitching and line up the spacer with that stitching and the spacing size you want to have such as 2" or 4" but that contraption is for sewing straight lines in a type of grid pattern.

using a needle threader if you are using the little alumium kind is put the little wires through the hole in the needle and pull the thread in between the wires and then you can pull the wires and thread through the needle back the way you put the threader wires in.

Hope you can understand this

 

[minkydog]

The line spacer should have an end that sticks into a hole in the presser foot and then you sew a line of stitching and line up the spacer with that stitching and the spacing size you want to have such as 2" or 4" but that contraption is for sewing straight lines in a type of grid pattern.

using a needle threader if you are using the little alumium kind is put the little wires through the hole in the needle and pull the thread in between the wires and then you can pull the wires and thread through the needle back the way you put the threader wires in.

Hope you can understand this

Perfect! I knew there had to be a simple explanation! Thank you so much.