How to Use This Blog

Since we have lots and lots of videos here, you will need to know the best way of finding what you are looking for. Each post has the video(s) of the topic it is about. Sometimes there will be more than one video that is a continuation of the previous one. These videos will be posted together within the same post. To find what you are looking for, either use the search box or the list of categories posted in the right column.


The IQ system is constantly evolving, so please keep in mind that some of the older videos may show features that have been replaced by newer ones, or buttons that have changed position or names. However, the videos have not been removed because the methods demonstrated are still valid.



Friday, June 27, 2014

Re-starting a pantograph after shutting down iQ.

Here I'm showing how to re-start a panto after shutting down. The key is to answer yes to the question,"Do you want to save the needle position?" when you shut down. This is so helpful for any type of quilting, edge to edge or custom, when you need to find where you were before you shut down.
If you have to shut down mid-way through a row, save the needle position where you stopped and you'll see that place when you start up the next day. The target will be exactly where you stopped so you can do the initial alignment to that place. When you get to the sew quilt page, iQ will go right to that place to start stitching.
In the video my machine moved to the right instead of to the left for the start of row 3 because it was moving to the saved position of the needle, which was at the end of row 2. I had set up all the rows of this pantograph with stop to cut threads as the transition so iQ wanted to get back to the saved needle position so I could cut the threads. Ofcourse, I didn't need to do that.

Zoltan has an excellent suggestion to help with this process. Before shutting down, place a piece of masking tape or something similar on the quilt under the needle then drop the needle to make a hole in the tape. Answer yes to the do you want to save your needle position question with the needle over the hole in the tape. Do not advance the quilt so the next day when you start up, you can align the saved needle position, which is the red target on the screen, with the hole in the tape.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Motor movement monitoring or Trace

This feature allows you to see exactly how the motors are moving your machine as it stitches.  It is a great tool to use when you see a poor stitch out. Turn on this feature and watch the trace. If the trace line doesn't match the pattern on the screen, the speed and details probably need reducing. However, if doing so doesn't improve the trace, then the motors themselves should be checked. Look at the sensor wheels first to make sure they are running in the correct position. If they have o ring's, check for cracks.
NOTE: IGNORE THE START OF THIS VIDEO - WE NO LONGER NEED TO TURN ON THE TRACE IN PREFERENCES.

Dwell

In this video I show the effect that dwell has upon the stitching. The dwell button is found in the ribbon on the sew quilt page. Turning dwell on makes the machine pause momentarily at the dwell points of a pattern. It can give greater definition to a design. However, if you are having trouble with thread breakage, turn dwell off.