Introducing SS Tabitha

and what I have been up to….

The SS Tabitha was installed on Saturday, June 1, 2019! SS is for Simply Sixteen, the Handi Quilter machine, and since this machine resides on an island and had arrive via the  ferry to get here, I thought I’d name her like a ship. The other part of her name is from a reading, a few Sundays ago in church. Tabit

Tabitha is a name from the bible and means gazelle or grace. Grace was always one of my favorite names and I figured I would be quilting gracefully like a gazelle in no time! What struck me titular time was the mourners showing Tabitha’s work to Peter, and that seems to be part of the reason she was raised form the dead (at parFor those who want to know or be reminded the story of Tabitha follows:

What I love about this machine:

• I can attach the quilt either with a leader system or a clamp system
• It is stitch regulated
• Handi Quilter is an awesome company and there support is so good.
• It fits!!! My room is 10′ x 10′
• Its on rollers so when I don’t need access to the window (see first picture) I can move it back
• I can do free motion without struggling with the quilt
• I can use rulers
• I can use pantographs
• Once, I understand her (my rule) I will add the Prostitcher which means many more options for panto/designs and I can customize.

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This is the room as you go around from entering the door. The design wall and longarm are on your left, the iron board straight ahead, the sewing station on the right and the cutting statrution as you head out the door. It is tight. My computer had to go to live in another room, just across the hall. But, I can’t believe it all works and quite comfortably. There is some storage, but not much, probably a good thing.

Meanwhile, I have been struggling editing PDFs on my mac…just can’t find the right program. Adobe is pretty pricey when you aren’t making money on this work, so I don’t have access to it right now. I’m working on finalizing the pattern for my block release on July 2nd. Oh, and I ran out of a thread to finish a quilt….that close…so now I wait for mail (no Superior thread in the nearest towns).

I did finish my 2019 Monthly Color Challenge block – Patterns by Jen.  I love the oranges, not one of my go to colors.  There could have been a bit more difference, but it was what I had in Island Batik – my theme for this 12″ blocks – so I went with it.

One of my high points this week was finishing the top of this beauty.  She needs to be quilted.  This is from a star I made last year and keep threatening myself with producing the patten for it.  You can read all about the original here.  I designed it in an EQ8 class and I am thrilled with it.  It too, is done in my favorite Island Batiks.   This is one of my quarterly goals to finish this quilt, I am nearly there so we will see if it happens.

My giveaway a few weeks ago, did produce a winner – Beth T. – and she requested 5″ WOF strips in blues and greens. They will be off to her soon. So, I hope everyone has a great weekend. I can’t believe next week is the 4th of July! Time has flown.

Linking Up:
Friday Foto Finish
Finished {or not} Friday

Coming Up:
Sew Let’s QAL Block 9
Finished Star
Dream to Quilt (one day I will get to this)

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