As I've mentioned here before, I'm exhibiting two quilts this weekend in the Ann Arbor Quilt Show, and I have to deliver them to the venue first thing Friday morning. It is now Tuesday morning, and only one of the quilts is complete! I put the second one (shown above) in the frame on Sunday, and quilted a couple of rows before bedtime. I was planning to finish quilting yesterday and today, which would still allow time to bind it, label it, attach the hanging sleeve, and wash and dry it before Friday. You can probably guess that my trusty Pfaff refused to cooperate; the free-motion quilting foot would not stay centered. Every time I crossed a seam the foot shifted position slightly, and eventually the needle would hit the rim of the foot, jamming the machine and making a frightening grinding sound. I broke two needles before I figured out what was happening, and then I couldn't find a way to prevent the foot from slipping. Buying a new foot seemed like the quickest fix.
It wasn't. I called three shops. The first one, where I bought the machine, was closed. The other two don't carry Pfaffs, but said if I brought in the broken foot they might be able to match it with another brand or a generic. They couldn't. They seemed puzzled that I hadn't thought to order the foot online. I had. But I also thought it would be faster to pick one up locally. It wasn't. So.....
I ordered one online, and paid $50.oo to have it shipped next day air. The foot only cost $24.oo. I couldn't sleep last night for worrying about the looming deadline and berating myself for procrastinating. (See previous post!) It's now 9:00 am, and the foot isn't here. I've never used next-day air, and am not at all confident that I will have the foot in time to finish the quilt. I'll keep you posted!
