New Cabinets, New Machines + Deco Returns to the Design Wall

Good Morning and Happy February, everyone!  My kitchen and bath remodeling that was supposed to be complete by January 20th is still not done, and we've moved into the home we're remodeling in that our furniture is here and we're sleeping here, but we're not really moved in because there is still so much unpacking and organizing and figuring out where things are going to go, in a house that is even smaller than the last one and also most likely temporary.  I took a break from all of that last night to get out my Deco quilt project (dating back to November of 2021) and arrange the blocks on my design wall.

Deco Quilt WIP, will finish at 102 x 102

My main motivation for getting Deco up on the design wall was so I could physically count how many more of these green and indigo checkerboard-like blocks I need to make.  The directions in the Deco Quilt pattern by Lo & Behold Stitchery involve faster strip piecing construction, but I wasn't able to follow those directions because I decided it would be fun to use 12 different colors instead of 6, and I also decided it would just be easier to to cut all the patches individually with AccuQuilt dies and then sew the blocks one by one rather than figuring out how to adapt the pattern instructions to my custom color scheme.  And now here I am, up to my armpits in the consequences of those decisions as the quilt top construction drags out across three and a half years, four different sewing machines, three different sewing rooms, and two household moves.

Let's Make Blocks That Are Too Small On Our New Sewing Machine!

I traded in my Bernina 790 Plus and my embroidery-only Bernina 700E sewing machines for the new TOL (top-of-the-line) model, the Bernina B 990.  (Two reasons: I wanted to reduce the number of sewing machines I own so I can work more efficiently in a smaller space, and I'm looking forward to playing with some of the new high tech features on this machine).  The first thing I sewed with the new machine were two of these Deco quilt blocks, and they both finished too small because I forgot that I need to sew with a SCANT quarter inch seam (vs a true quarter inch seam).  Well, guess what?  I'm using them anyway and I'll fudge them when I join the blocks together.  So there!

I Cut It Twice and It's Still Too Small

Scant vs Exact Quarter Inch Patchwork Seams

Why this happened: Normally when I am rotary cutting fabrics, I adjust my ruler placement to include the line on the ruler in every cut and that smidge extra accommodates for turn of cloth and the space that thread takes up in a seam.  Having factored this in when I cut my fabric pieces, I can then sew them together with an exact quarter inch seam confident that my finished units and blocks will be the intended size.  But I used AccuQuilt dies to speed up cutting out this quilt, and although the AccuQuilt dies cut everything consistently and accurately (a 1 1/2" strip will be exactly 1 1/2" thick and perfectly straight every time, even if you cut 200 of them with your eyes closed), there is no way to make that little adjustment I like to make to get a strip that is 1 1/2" plus thread width plus turn of cloth.  The Kona Solid fabrics I'm using are on the thicker side for quilting cotton fabric, and there are 7 seams across each of these blocks -- that means turn of cloth plus thread width times 7 seams equals the 1/8" to 1/16" that I lost in the size of the finished block.  That turn of cloth amount was only about a quarter of a millimeter per seam, maybe not even noticeable in a block with fewer seams, but there you go.  I just need to take a slightly smaller seam allowance on the next go.  By the way, this is why so many patterns and instructors tell you to sew patchwork with a "scant" quarter inch seam.  If you cut with an exact quarter inch seam allowance, you need to sew with a scant quarter inch seam due to turn of cloth.  If you want to sew with an exact quarter inch seam and have your pieces come out the right size, you need to add that "scant" extra to your seam allowance when you cut out all your pieces.  And, if you don't care whether your blocks come out the intended size or not, you can cut and sew however you want.  ;-)

Quick Sewing Cabinet Reviews

Bernina's Luxe Plus Cabinet for Bernina B 990 Sewing Machine

When I was looking at this Bernina Luxe Plus cabinet online prior to ordering it, I was concerned about an extension piece that attaches to the front of the table surface just to the left of where the user sits at the machine.  That would be handy for extra support of a large, heavy project, like when I'm sewing binding onto a big bed quilt like Deco will be (if I ever finish it).  But I wanted to keep my presser feet, bobbins, and other accessories that I'm constantly reaching for in the top drawer of my cabinet and it wasn't clear from the web site descriptions and photos whether it was possible to use the other extensions on the left side and the back of the cabinet without using the front extension piece that blocks the drawer.

Bernina B 990 Machine in Bernina Luxe Plus Cabinet by Horn of America

In the photo above, I have the rear and left side extensions up and they are well supported by braces beneath them.  The front extension piece, not attached, does not do anything to support any of the other extensions and it's just sitting on top of the cabinet waiting for me to find a permanent storage place for it in the sewing room.  Other things I like about this cabinet are the tailored storage for the massive embroidery module (on its side in a pullout shelf compartment to the left of my chair) and integrated peg racks for the embroidery hoops that came with my B 990, although these racks are not able to accommodate my additional embroidery hoops that were purchased separately over the years.  This cabinet is made for Bernina specifically for the new B 990 machine by Horn of America.

Koala's Artistry Drawer Center for Baby Lock Triumph Serger

I purchased this Koala Artistry Drawer Center less than a year ago for the small spare bedroom-turned-sewing-room in our last new house, and I was using it with the Bernina B 790 Plus machine that I just traded in for my B 990.  I really love and prefer the finish and build quality of the Koala cabinets over Horn's, but this cabinet was a tight fit (and cramped sewing experience) with my B 790 and it physically could not accommodate the larger B 990 machine.  There are sewing cabinets on the market designed specifically for sergers, but I already owned this nearly-new cabinet and wanted to make it work.  I couldn't find any images or reviews online showing a serger in this cabinet (which is why I'm writing about it and including photos in today's post), but I saw that BabyLock Triumph was one of the machine options for the custom acrylic inserts that you can order with this machine.  I was nervous about whether this cabinet would truly be functional with a serger, but decided to order the new insert and give it a try.  I am THRILLED.

Baby Lock Triumph Serger in Koala Artistry Drawer Center Cabinet

I've only ever used my sergers on table tops, never recessed into a cabinet, and I'm really looking forward to having the extra support when serging larger projects or those heavier rayon jersey fabrics that want to fall away from the machine while you're sewing them.  The insert for my serger is L-shaped and only covers the area to the left of the machine and behind the machine about halfway across, but it's very sturdy and well supported by the channel in the Koala cabinet.

Baby Lock Triumph Insert to Left and Rear, Right Front is Unobstructed

Unlike with a sewing machine insert, the serger insert is completely open in front of the machine for accessing the threading ports.  I'm able to sit at center needle position in front of my serger and I can use the knee lift bar to raise and lower my presser foot.  

My Knee Lift Works With the Cabinet Insert!

The Baby Lock Triumph is a new machine, too.  I traded in my Baby Lock Acclaim 4-thread serger and my Baby Lock Euphoria cover stitch only machines for the Triumph, a combination serger/cover stitch machine that can do everything the other two machines could do.  I did love the convenience of separate machines and not having to switch over from overlock to cover stitch mode, but I just can't justify the space that multiple machines take up now that our home is less than half the size it used to be.  So now I've reduced my arsenal of sewing machine equipment from seven machines to five:

1. Bernina B 990: Main sewing and embroidery machine with all the bells and whistles, but too big and heavy to be portable
2. Baby Lock Triumph: Combination serger and cover stitch machine, mainly for garment sewing
3. Bernina B 475QE: My compact, portable machine for classes and guild sewing events, for projects that require more than just a straight stitch
4. 1935 Singer Featherweight 220: Vintage straight stitch only machine, extremely portable and extremely cute 
5. Bernina Q24 Long Arm Quilting Machine with Q-Matic: That machine is mounted on a frame that eats up 5' x 14', not counting all the rolls and packages of batting, the hundreds of cones of quilting thread, or my vast collection of quilting rulers.  All of that lives in a separate quilting studio in another building not connected to the house.  

I'll try to remember to write reviews of my new machines once I've sewn on them for a bit.  As I said at the beginning of today's post, I'm still bogged down with unpacking and trying to figure out where everything is going to go, so not sewing as much as I would like.  

Goals for This Week, Goals for February

Now that I have my Deco quilt back on my wall I can see that I need 14 more indigo and green blocks and 18 indigo and light purple blocks.  I'm not going to throw out any numbers, but I would like to make progress on those blocks so I can move on to something else.  I've done all the machine downsizing that I'm comfortable with, and now I need to focus on "downsizing" the many projects that are taking up space either as works in progress or as project supplies purchased for projects yet to be started!

I also have a sampler quilt on my long arm frame for custom quilting that belongs to my good friend Marybeth.  I completed all of the tedious stitching in the ditch just before the moving trucks came for my furniture and I'd like to carve out some time in my quilting studio to start quilting the border designs.

And of course, I'd also like to unpack my clothes and have them all magically fit into my tiny closet that gets smaller and smaller with each move, and find homes for all of the kitchen wares and small appliances that are currently piled up in my garage.  Have you seen my wooden spoons anywhere?

I'm linking up today's post with my favorite linky parties:

ONE MONTHLY GOAL

Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room

MONDAY

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts  

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs  

TUESDAY

To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt  

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

THURSDAY

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation  

FRIDAY

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Friday at Nina Marie Sayre

Beauty Pageant at From Bolt to Beauty

 TGIFF Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday, rotates, schedule found here: TGIF Friday

SUNDAY

Frédérique at Quilting Patchwork Appliqué

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework