Struggles with Machine Quilting

I decided to try to hurry and sandwich together my brother's quilt, machine sew it, and mail it off to him before I move out of state. I wanted to use the quilt rack one last time before tearing it down.

I managed to recall how to connect everything from memory. Usually, when a few years pass between quilts, I have to view the tutorial tape, which is on VHS, and our tape player is broken.

I forgot how fussy my Brother quilting machine can be. The only thing about it that is easy is winding the bobbin. However trying to pick up the bobbin thread is another deal. It usually takes several attempts of readjusting the location of the bobbin thread tail before the top thread can pick it up.

Then when you start quilting, there is always this deep thump, thump, thump, which is a telltale sign that the thread is getting bunched up underneath the quilt. You have to rip everything out, pull all the excess thread off the bobbin, and start over.

I spend a good half hour just adjusting and readjusting the thread tension on both the bobbin case and the machine before I can get a decent stitch. Unfortunately, because half of my backing is black and half of my backing is white, and I'm using black thread, I couldn't see that the tension was way too loose until I looked underneath the quilt rack at the black on white thread.

Now I remember why I've been spending the past year hand-quilting my Storm at Sea quilt, because I hate using that machine.  I also know why it takes a whole village to sew an extra large bed quilt.  I just hope I finish the hand-quilting project before I die.

My brother's quilt is a complete mess, but because I have to tear down the quilt rack and box it up to move, I don't have the time to rip all the thread out, buy a new spool and start over. My brother is not picky. I'll just apologize for my lack of talent, I guess. It's the thought that counts, right?  When it comes to quilting, I'm just happy if I can complete a single project.