Tinabug

Ok, I have done very little quilting on my own. I send out my quilts for the quilting. I have been wanting to ask this question for a long time; how do you FMQ? Do you draw the design on the top or do you actually just go at it? I can't imagine just sewing without a design on the fabric. I know, for those of you who are experts, you will be rolling on the floor about my question. But I need to know folks!! There, now it's out there.

mmonohon

I bought this book. It is great for longarmers, midarmers, regular machines and even if you just want to know what your longarmer can do for you. Worth every penny. Or see if the library has it.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide.../dp/157120184X

Ed

Thats a goog question. I'm new at quilting (just 2 or 3 years) And new at FMQ. Being new I draw a design.

Lacelady

I did a lot of drawing on paper first - getting my meanders or stippling how I liked it, and making sure I could get out of an awkward space, i.e thinking ahead so I didn't back myself into a corner. That all helped me with hand/eye coordination as far as I am concerned.

Then I made a couple of Project Linus quilts, and used them as my practice pieces - I was quite pleased with my efforts, and I certainly felt the children wouldn't have minded if there was the odd boo boo in them.

Finally I felt strong enough to tackle one of my own. So my best advice is to doodle on every scrap of spare paper you can get hold of. I even used old newspapers at the beginning.

San Diego Quilter

I love to piece, but used to agonize over how to actually quilt.....where to put the lines, what design to use, etc.

After reading a post from a long arm quilter (thank you to whoever you are!)....I went to Home Depot and purchased a 18 x 18 sheet of light weight clear plastic.....(bind the edges with thin line of blue painters tape so that you don't mark your quilt top by mistake)... Lay this over your quilt and and use a thin line whiteboard marker to try out quilting lines. OMG...this was the best thing since sliced bread!!!

I have since googled "continuous line" quilting pattern, templates, etc. for ideas... If it is intricate, I blow it up on the copier, place it under my plastic.....trace...and then lay it over my quilt.

Have fun with it!!!!

Linda

Covered in Threads

I'm in total agreement with Lacelady. Practice, practice, practice. I've doodle on paper batching the size of the area I'm working in, I've then traced the designs on the fabric and slowly pushed myself past my initial fear and went for it. Most of the first pieces were also on donated quilts and padded walker pouches, all sporting my first attempts at FMQ. Now I just have fun with stippling, feathers, baby shapes, geometic patterns, etc... I've only been quilting about 6 years and the first 2 I would only tie my projects. Glad I had some strong supporters in my quild and now on this board. I'm a lot more adventureous now.

leatheflea

I use a dry erase board to practice designs and quilting layout, comes in handy, I can actually quilt better than I can draw on the board.

Tinabug

Are you quilting on a LA or a standard sewing machine?

fabric_fancy

many well known quilters mark their tops just go to youtube and look at karen mctavish and you'll see her tops are completely marked and she is an award winning well respected quilter.

MadQuilter

Another way to do it is use a patterned backing fabric to do the quilting from the back side. Follow the pattern in the fabric and no marking is necessary.

I recently bought a template for meandering - not feeling it yet to do it freehand. Someday I hope to be just happily moseying along on my own.

Strangely, there is such a thing as shapo memory. When you learn to do the design on paper with pencil, or even drawing the design with the finger on the table, your brain will remember when you start quilting. Go figure!