Hi ,

The weather has turned crisp and cool and I pulled a sweater today without even thinking about it, which makes me smile. Of course, it’ll be hot enough I'll probably be back in a t-shirt by noon! I love this season as the leaves begin to change and pumpkins are found on every corner. 🎃

Last week I went searching for fall themed fabrics and found these pretty fall fabrics on Amazon. I decided to piece another fast 4 patch quilt, but this time with 5 rows of 5 blocks to create a square tablecloth quilt. It still needs a border, but I had to get it on my table today!

Click Here to find the free 4 Patch Quilt Pattern - so easy and fast to piece in just a few hours.

I pieced this quilt top it all in less than 5 hours using my new Singer 4411 sewing machine, most of it standing using the Eleanor sewing table.

Have you ever sewn standing up?

Of course it is easier to sew standing if your sewing machine has a start / stop button like the Little Rebel. Using the foot pedal on the Singer 4411 requires me to balance my weight on one foot while pressing the pedal with the other.

I stand and sew for many reasons:

• My back hurts when I sit too long. I manage chronic back pain these days and alternating both standing and sitting time keeps me out of pain.
• When standing and sewing, I'm more likely to move and press the blocks and keep moving with the quilt construction. 
• Standing makes spontaneous dance parties easier! Betty loves to sew and dance to ABBA's greatest hits.

5 Tips for Sewing Standing

Whether you're piecing a new quilt top or free motion quilting, it is possible to stand and use a sewing machine, whether you're using a foot pedal or start / stop button on the machine. Here are 5 tips to get you started:

1. 🤏 Start Small - Don't stand and sew for hours your first time. This will feel a little uncomfortable so plan to sew for 5-15 minutes, then move or switch back to sitting and sewing.
2. 📕 Stabilize the foot pedal - My Singer 4411 has a very lightweight foot pedal that wanted to slide around on the floor. To help it stay put, place a book or binder underneath the pedal. You could even tape the foot pedal to the floor using masking tape over the cord if needed.
3. 🦶 Sew barefoot - This has been my habit for as long as I can remember. I just can't feel the foot pedal with a shoe on! If it's chilly in your sewing room, try wearing thick slippers like these. They have sticky dots for traction, not a full sole which can limit your feel of the pedal.
4. 😆 Hang your toes off the end - Do you control the speed of your sewing machine with your tiptoes? Try placing the thick pad of your foot (right below your big toe) on the top edge of the foot pedal. This makes your toes hang off the top edge, which might feel a little weird, but the speed control this can give you is amazing.
5. 🔄 Switch feet often - When operating a foot pedal with one foot, you will have more pressure and weight going to the opposite hip. This can cause back pain, hip aches, leg twitches, and more.
   
   Wait, wasn't the point to stand and sew to lessen back pain? Yes, and standing is a solution, so long as you keep your body in balance - stitch 5 blocks with your right foot on the foot pedal, then switch and piece 5 blocks with your left foot. This way you don't continuously put extra pressure on one foot and hip.

Are you ready to give standing and sewing a try? You can play with the technique by placing your sewing machine on your kitchen counter or the table you use for cutting fabric. 

I personally like my standing sewing machine up high - between 38-40 inches from the ground. The only limit is the length of your foot pedal cord.

Unfortunately the Eleanor sewing table, which is designed with an electric lift to go from a comfortable seated height to high standing height out of stock right now. If you click the "out of stock" red box on the page, you can sign up to get an email notification when it's back in stock. 👍

September Savings - Qnique 19X Elite & 21X Elite Longarms

There's just a few more weeks to take advantage of our awesome sale on Qnique 19X Elite and 21X Elite Longarms! Click Here to check out these machines.

These are the biggest longarm machines Grace Company offers, designed for quilters who want speed, space, and professional results at home.

Our two largest Qnique longarms are very similar:

• Both machines have huge 7-inch touchscreens, making it very easy to select the stitch regulation mode and adjust your stitch length as desired. 📱
• Both machines feature bright LED lights around the needle. You also have the ability to dim the lights to your comfort level. 💡
• Both machines can take up to 2600 stitches per minute (SPM). ⚡

With all of these similarities, how are these machines different?

The Qnique 21X Elite measures 21 inches between the needle and motor. So the arm of this longarm is 2 inches longer.

This might not seem like a big deal. However, as you'll find in this video, that extra 2 inches of quilting space can make a BIG difference when it comes to quilting for speed and maximum creativity! 🚀

I hope you enjoyed this video and have learned more about the key features to understand about purchasing a longarm machine. Things like the size of your longarm and the speed it can stitch are fixed - they can't be changed or upgraded later.

It's important to plan for not just the style of quilting you're wanting to do today, but also think about how you're wanting to grow with this craft. 🌱 

And my bonus tip in the video is SO important - Accessories are important!

Grace Company is a cut above the rest with our affordable accessories, compatible with all Qnique longarms and the Little Rebel sewing machine. ⭐

Click Here to find all of our Qnique longarm machines and check out the sale on the 19X Elite and 21X Elite through September. ⭐

That's it for this week, . I'm off to sew a border on my tablecloth quilt, or maybe just piece another row of blocks to two sides. The joy of quilting is both options work and there is no wrong answer.

Let's go quilt!

Leah Day 💖