VICTORY!

I'm not happy about a pictureless blog, but I just cannot let this go by another day! I showed you my (new to me)HQ16 machine for my frame. Long story short, and not due to anything I did, I am the proud owner of TWO sets of front handles for it. (this HQ16 was originally a sit down model:no handles, only foot pedal. Not conducive to frame quilting.)Mikehelped me over the phone to figure out if handles would even WORK on this machine. I had to wait till we returned from vacation to tackle the last niggling problems. I have learned from MANY obstacles, to just address ONE at a time. 1- return take up pole to original set up (after I took the Max Throat off) 2. attach handles on machine 3 figure out what 'motor stall' message meant (the HQ yahoo group search informed me it meant 'lint in the bobbin case area'. I found an unused new paint brush and TA DA! It WORKS! Our older son was over visiting when the machine actually took its 1st stitch. The look on my face , I'm sure , was of SHOCK! Yesterday I was happily quilting on a practice piece of muslin. I still have some stitch quality to deal with. That will resolve itself with a bit of practice and some tweeking of the tensions, but I'm SO happy! I promise pictures of my practice piece (with all the goofs and bad tension) as soon as I either figure out what is wrong with this camera, or purchase a new one! I'm off to the studio!