Let Me Introduce . . .

Ruthie 2! 

She was an early Christmas present according to my hubby.  Pat went wild and traded in my old long arm, Ruthie, and bought the newest NV by Nolting.  Here she is! Well, here she is before she was mounted on my frame. 

Mike, of Memory Lane Quilting, and his wife, Bonnie delivered and set her up today. 

Here are the two long arms -- the old Ruthie was taken off the frame. (Hum, she's hanging upside down on a holder in this picture.)  Ruthie 2 is waiting in the background. Rutihe 2 is 24" while Ruthie is 18". And what is cool, Ruthie isn't going to be sitting around in a warehouse.  Someone bought her right away.  She'll be stitching away, doing her best, for another quilter.   

 A few changes had to be done to the frame before the new one could be loaded on the frame. And then she was put on the frame.  Here Mike is teaching me what the buttons on the pad do.  That's the blue pad on the head of the machine. And, wow this machine has some cool buttons.  The black tablet on the right is the computer that drives the machine to stitch out patterns. 

Here's what it looks like from the front. It will take me a few quilts before I figure out what all the buttons do and to look at the right tablet to start the electronics instead of starting the machine to hand guide quilting. 

So once she was up and operational I had to figure out which quilt was going to be loaded and quilted first.  I didn't want a huge quilt to start out with.  I didn't have any backings ready for baby tops.  I didn't want to start with a customer's quilt. So I pulled a charity quilt out and got it loaded.  Here's the first row of quilting.  I'm going to be reevaluating the speed and stitches per inch settings. But I'm thrilled with how well she stitches.  And, she's smooth.    

I have a number of my own quilts to do, quite a few charity quilts as well as customer quilts. Unfortunately it is now getting to be concert season. A rehearsal and a concert are scheduled over the weekend. I have to wait until Monday before I can finish quilting this quilt.  And then Christmas is sneaking up on us.  I still have doll dresses and ornaments to make.  So my quilting time and piecing time will be limited. But I'm excited to be using Ruthie 2.  (Did anybody notice I said I would be playing on Ruthie 2 on my goal list on Thursday? Big hint about what was to come!) 

Today I'm linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?.  Take a break this weekend to see what others are working on in their sewing rooms and studios.

Happy Quilting Alll! Bonnie