Hi , 

Do you have quilts that just won't lay or hang straight? I shared a tutorial a few years ago on quilt blocking, and today I have a simpler technique for quilts that just need a little bit of help hanging straight. Check it out in the video below:

You can steam your quilt edges before or after squaring the quilt edges, and before or after binding. It's entirely up to you! 

I've been using this fabric steamer for a few years and it's so nice to pull it out, steam blast my quilts a bit and have them hang 90% better on a wall. It's not foul-proof however - make sure to watch your heat and steam settings and play with how close you get the steamer to your quilt top.

Hanging pretty quilts is definitely on my mind this month, but I'm going to wait to share more details right now. Let's just say... something big is brewing for LeahDay.com!

Happy August Sales!

August means back to school shopping and a return to normal schedules for my family. It also means some really great deals on Grace Qnique longarm machines and the Little Rebel - which are being bundled this month with a huge accessory kit - valued at over $1200 in quilting supplies:

I actually didn't have space for all of the accessories to fit together in one image. Here's a complete list of what you'll get in August with any Grace Company machine:

• 16-Pack Finesse Thread
• 360 Wonderfoot - This is like having a walking foot on your longarm!
• Q'nique Laser for Q'nique Machines
• Gracie Laser for Little Rebel Machines
• Horizontal Spool Holder
• 2 packs of Bobbins
• Cutting Mat Combo
• Cutter Combo
• 3-piece Hopping Foot Kit - This includes an open toe foot, ruler foot, and microstippling foot
• Free Motion Starter Kit

Please note - If any accessories are out of stock at the time of your order, they will ship at a later date, separately from your machine.

Which Longarm Machine Do I Recommend Most?

If you're thinking about a longarm machine, it can be hard to know how to best compare one machine to another. What is the difference between the Qnique 19X and the Qnique 16X - other than 3 inches of space?

I get this question a lot, which is why I made this video last November. Learn about the 3 key features on a longarm and what to check first before investing in your first machine:

Just in case you're short on time, the 3 features I recommend paying the most attention to are the:

• Size of the longarm - Yes, that 3-inch difference between the Qnique 16 and 19 is a big deal. That's the difference between quilting a 12 inch block in one go, or having to split your design in half.
• Speed - Pay attention to the stitches per minute (SPM) for the machine you're checking out. 2000 SPM will likely be fast enough to keep up with you, unless you really have a need for speed. Our Qnique 19X Elite and 21X Elite can both do 2600 SPM, which is extremely fast, even for me!
• Accessories - This was kind of a bonus tip at the end of the video, but it really is important. I can't count the number of times quilters have asked me if Qnique feet can fit Brother or HandiQuilter machines (sorry, they can't). Make sure to check that the brand you're purchasing from offers accessories for the methods of quilting you'd like to do including pantograph quilting, ruler quilting, and computerized quilting.

One final tip - please take your time when purchasing a longarm machine.

Purchasing a longarm quilting machine is a big investment in time, money, and space in your sewing room. It is NOT the right time to purchase your longarm quilting system if any of the following is true for you:

• I'm in the middle of a renovation and my house is a mess.
• I'm in the middle of a life crisis and can't think straight.
• I'm in the middle of a move, downsizing, or about to have a new baby.
• I don't have time to clean my sewing room and make space for a big piece of equipment.
• I don't like putting equipment together and the person that does (my husband) is sick or disabled.
• We're going to have the perfect space for this system in a few months, but it's not ready yet.
• I plan to leave my equipment in boxes for more than 30 days before using them.
• I'm going on vacation and I can't be home for delivery.

Why is it a bad idea to leave your equipment in boxes for more than 30 days? Because your Grace Company and LeahDay.com warranty begin when your system is delivered, not when you actually open the boxes and begin setting things up.

I've experienced all of the examples above as a longarm quilting machine dealer. I've seen many quilters leave their longarm machine in a box for months or years before setting it up. Please don't purchase until you have the time, energy and mental bandwidth to build this equipment and begin quilting with it.

It's also a good idea to build your longarm quilting system yourself. Something about attaching the bolts and screws, installing the encoders and the nuts on your quilting frame can help you feel more comfortable and less intimidated by your machine.

So you have the whole month of August to think about our Qnique longarms and decide if it's the right time for you to dive into longarm quilting and get lots of accessories to play with too.

I've just recently published a new Beginners Guide to Longarm Quilting, which includes lots of tips on setting up your machine and getting started quilting with some fun designs. If you're interested in a longarm machine, make sure to read this page entirely and watch all of the videos too.

That's it for this week my quilting friend. Let me know if you have any tips or tricks for getting your quilts to hang straight. I'm planning to hang at least 6 quilts this week... and I can't wait to show you where... more on that surprise soon!

Let's go quilt,

Leah Day