It's a Tiara Quilting Machine

    OK, I got the messages....it was late and time for dinner yesterday when I put out the tease from my iphone----did you know you could do that with the Blogger App?  Anyway, all the boxes arrived a day earlier than expected and it was late in the day when we got the Tiara set up.   It's a sit-down quilting machine.  It is not on a track system.....I still move the fabric.

   Sir Old Man was in his element putting the extra pieces on.....the touch pad screen, and installing the open toe hopping foot.  He "let" me change the needle.....necessary, and fairly easy to do.  The table is already put together....just extend the legs and it is ready to go.   I also got the overlay that covers the table top....it is slicker for ease of moving the quilt top.  

    She comes with a separate bobbin winder......class M large ones.  I figured that out, too.  A correctly wound bobbin is described as very important for good stitches.  I fully expected to have to play around with the tension---top or bottom---when I did the first test run.  That's why I was so amazed.....the stitches were so beautiful, right out of the box with no adjustment needed.  

    So this morning I threw together a little quilt---it will be for Phoebe, the Jack Russell, and it matches Deana's sewing room.  This practice piece is about 30 " by 36".    I just practiced some swirls in the gray areas.  I checked the stitch counter....about 21000 stitches!   I switched over to Isacord thread for this one with no problems and no adjustments!    

 I do not have the "claustrophobia" feeling when using it, and that is a good thing. .  There is good space (I will add side tables for support for large quilts).  The head of the machine is in the back and  I am stitching from the opposite end.  The threading pattern is just a bit different but not a problem;  it will just take getting use to it.  A little learning curve to get use to not having a needle threader :(   I think I will survive.  

 As a side note.....the Tiara is sold by Babylock..... it is the same machine as the Handi-quilter Sweet 16.  

   We need to move this table out of the sewing room and shift the another one around for some temporary cutting space.  Sir Old Man is feeling the pressure to get the cutting/storage table finished!  

So.... thank you my friends, (you know who you are),  who were encouraging and helpful with information about the machine.  I so appreciate it!  Now, if you will excuse me, I have a quilt that is calling me for stitches.  I will come out later, after I play a while.  Happy stitching.