bri1977

Hi. I have been wanting to learn FMQ for a long time and tried it for the first time today. After struggling with tension problems and thread breakage, I finally got some decent stitches. (I use a Kenmore mini ultra, don't laugh it's been a great machine) One of the problems I am having though is that the stitches only look really good if I am going super fast. This, as you know, makes it harder for me as a beginner to follow a stencil or what have you. I guess I am just asking for general advise, tips or anything else you have to offer. How long did it take you "pros" to feel confident enough to move from the practice sandwich to the real thing? :)

gal288

Unfortunately, only practice tells the tale. It's different for everyone, you'll know when it's time to move to a real quilt. When the stitches are even, thread stops breaking, and you no longer have a neck ache from tension!

Good luck, keep at it, it does come together.How about a pic of your practice piece. Sometimes words of encouragement can boost your self confidence.

LivelyLady

I found moving the quilt slower than the speed I'm using makes nice stitches.

craftybear

Practice, Practice, Practice

Welcome waving from central Indiana, USA :) :)

Kat Sews

I'm not a pro by any measure, but want to encourage you to hang in there. One of the things that helped me (besides practice) was singing while I sew. Usually something dumb like "The Wheels on The Bus".

quiltyfeelings

:oops: double post. sorry

quiltyfeelings

Singing or dancing in your head makes for a nice rhythm. Sometimes when I stipple I end up "waltzing" (with 3 beats) in my head! I will definitely have to try "The Wheels on The Bus!"

bri1977

Waving back from Western Indiana :)

Thanks for the input everyone. Here are a few pics. Sorry the thread is so light but I wasn't planning on sharing them with anyone :oops:

Left is the first ever and you can see the loops on the back. The middle is the second try and the right is the last try. I realize I probably need to use larger practice squares, but all I had were these scraps from other projects.

bri1977

I made this for practice, but I like how it turned out and want to let my daughter use it @ daycare, so I don't want to mess it up.

Kas

You are making lots of progress! Keep going.

I would suggest not doing stippling on your first quilt. Get a continuous line stencil of flowers or something like that and follow the lines. For me, at least, it is easier to follow a line than make nice, even stipples.