Flynn Quilt Frame

About a year ago, I purchased the John Flynn Quilt Frame that you can use with your home sewing machine.  Life just got in the way though, and I did not get around to actually trying it until this past week.  It comes with this little cd to teach you how to use it, and pay close attention to the picture....there will be  a quiz later. (You might want to double click and enlarge it.)

I actually had the priviledge of meeting Mr.Flynn when I purchased my frame and he had one set up and it seemed sooooooo easy!  Famous last words!

So I set all the pieces out, and even attached the fabric to the rollers - I am already to set it up for quilting.  Just have to attach my quilt to the fabric on the rollers.

Four hours later, and I am so frustrated, I can not get the fabric to roll up on the rollers straight.  I finally unsew the quilt from the fabric strips, remove the fabric strips from the rollers, and low and behold.......this is what I discover.....


The fabric that came with the kit was not cut straight!  Now you would think I would have had sense enough to check that BEFORE I attached it to the rollers.  I guess I was just too excited about getting it  on so I could attach my quilts.

I must admit, I did wonder why my fabric was not centered on the roller - but it never ocurred to me to make sure it was the same width on each end.

So after re-attaching the quilt to the rollers for the tenth time, ok I exaggerate a little - maybe 5th time, I am ready to start quilting.

Looks impressive, don't you think? 

Now what is wrong with this picture?  This is the quiz - what have I done wrong????  I struggled with this for a couple of hours as I somewhat meandered the quilting on my quilt.  Then the tension messed up, and I had to take it off, and of course that was it for me.  I set it aside for another day.

It was not until I decided to post on this blog, that I see the error of my ways. Do you see it yet? Look at the picture on the cd again.  Where is that darn role of batting supposed to be?

Yep, that's right, its should be the outside roll, and the quilt backing the inside roll, which would make it sooooooooo much easier to see what I am quilting.  Duh moment here. 

Another thing I learned is that you don't want to do this on a table with curved corners, so I am switching to a rectangular table.  I am going to give it another try as soon as I get off here, so stayed tuned and I will give my final verdict on this contraption.

On a much less stressful note, Spring is just blooming everywhere even if it has been right chilly the last few days.  Here is the dogwood right outside my home,  and here is the makings of my flower bed.  We have some very capable hands redoing the wall around the beds and then they are going to thin out the monkey grass.  The back bed will be turned into a rose bed.  I have been wanting that for a very long time.  There are a few roses in there now that my Dad and I planted together.  The guys had to stop work when it started raining, and it hasn't stopped so maybe in a few days we can see some more progress.

Thanks for stopping by,

Teresa

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