Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
FMQ - What am I doing "wrong"? >

FMQ - What am I doing "wrong"?

FMQ - What am I doing "wrong"?

Old 03-17-2013, 06:33 PM
  #11  
Power Poster
 
BellaBoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
Default

Most everyone that has fmq on vintage mechanical machines have a good experience. The 301 is the best I've ever used for it. It's just so limited in space. I am happy with my Brother 1500, all mechanical machine with wide throat space. I can do a great quilted feather but have trouble with round circles.

Last edited by BellaBoo; 03-17-2013 at 06:45 PM.
BellaBoo is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 07:09 PM
  #12  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
ArchaicArcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Not Here
Posts: 3,817
Default

Originally Posted by PaperPrincess View Post
Sounds like all you need is practice. You've already identified one common problem: going too fast on curves will cause imperfect stitches. While it is theoretically possible to get perfectly balanced stitches (between the top and bobbin thread) it's not always possible.
This is good news I will also stop trying to "tweak" the tension. I'll treat it like a decorative stitch then, and just make sure there's no evidence of the bottom thread on the top. Most, not all, but most of my sudden turns are me realising, or being told that the pillar of the machine will not move out of my way. That's definitely something I need to keep a better eye on.


Originally Posted by Tartan View Post
With my FMQ, I like my stitches to be as even as if I am using my regular foot with the feed dogs. I figure my FMQ is successful if my stitches are evenly spaced, no thread pookies and the back should look as good as the front. If you've mastered all that then don't worry about problems you don't have.
Originally Posted by sewbeadit View Post
Just practice some people learn it very quickly and some don't apparently you did. Good for you, now just stitch stitch stitch.
Mastered is a strong word,... but I will stop "borrowing trouble" (as DH's grandpa used to say) then and just practice my butt off.

Originally Posted by franc36 View Post
Wow! I wish FMQ was that easy for me. You are fortunate.
I watched a video from Patsy Thompson, she said that it almost required you to think "backwards"... you're moving the paper, not the pen. I just I'm just naturally "backwards". Boy that explains a lot, not just quilting either.
ArchaicArcane is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 07:20 PM
  #13  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
ArchaicArcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Not Here
Posts: 3,817
Default

Originally Posted by JulieR View Post
Sounds like you're taking to FMQ like a duck to water! The more you stitch the better you'll be, and the more you'll be able to spot areas you'd like to improve (which is true of everything in life). Meanwhile, enjoy the process, and your success!
I put it off for so long, then when I started trying it and didn't have the problems I read about, I thought "I must be doing this wrong"... Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

Originally Posted by hopetoquilt View Post
Some of the problems are exaggerated to sell products and some are greater on certain machines. Polyester thread is supposed to be easier to quilt with but I found it harder. I bought the bobbin genies and use them but don't see much of a difference. I am not a great FMQ expert but aim to improve drastically when I am off from work this summer. Use whatever works for you.
I had wondered about the "selling products" angle. Strangely, I did do a lap quilt and used a cotton thread, and I didn't see/feel a difference while doing the FMQ. I used a 15-90 for that one, and if I compare to the work I was doing on the 301 last night, and for that matter, the work I did on the Pfaff 6122 right at the beginning, other than consistency, I can't see a difference in the stitching. Where would I notice problems with either the poly or the cotton? Tension? Snapping? I know that poly is more elastic than cotton...

Originally Posted by DogHouseMom View Post
it sounds like you're not doing anything wrong .. FMQ is just one of your natural talents!!
Thanks DHM! I've never found straight lines to be easy (can't draw or cut one with a ruler, but I'm getting better), so the cutting/piecing part of quilting bordered on stressful. I guess I just figured it would all challenge me equally.

Originally Posted by BellaBoo View Post
Most everyone that has fmq on vintage mechanical machines have a good experience. The 301 is the best I've ever used for it. It's just so limited in space. I am happy with my Brother 1500, all mechanical machine with wide throat space. I can do a great quilted feather but have trouble with round circles.
I had wondered if it had anything to do with the vintage machines. Does that have anything to do with the "auto" tensioning that a lot of the newer machines have, do you think? I was playing with the 301 last night, and realised an hour in that I'd forgotten to set the stitch length to 0 and lower the dogs. What a forgiving machine. I do agree with the throat space. I made a lot of weird angles by crashing into the pillar, and I had a much harder time using the "grips" than gloves because of the limited throat space.
ArchaicArcane is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 07:33 PM
  #14  
Super Member
 
pumpkinpatchquilter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,384
Default

I'll tell ya what, the bobbin washers for one thing don't seem to be necessary if you have a bobbin spring already in your metal bobbin case OR if you have plastic drop in bobbins. Backlash is when little unsightly loops form on the back side of your stitching - usually when using a metal bobbin in a metal bobbin case. Bobbin springs keep the bobbin from continuing to spin after you stop. I find I have more backlash issues on my long arm than any of my sewing machines...but that's the whole "bobbin washer" deal. I have a cheapo Walmart brother that I do beautiful heirloom quilting on and never an issue with backlash.

The more you do the more you'll become familiar with what to look for. Another thing that hangs some people up is thread. When you switch from polyester threads to cotton threads you generally need a different size needle and not everyone grasps what a HUGE difference a size 10 needle will make with a thin poly thread.

Sounds like you were fortunate to have a good combination of needle and thread off the bat and the stitching part comes naturally!

**Edited to add ** Another note on the bobbin washers. The looping and issues some of the "big name" quilters like Leah Day or Sharon Schamber have also come from using high speed machines. Sharon uses a Juki that stitches up to 5000 stitches per minute - that's faster than my APQS long arm. Backlash and sketchy tension seems to be more of an issue when you start stiching at high speeds like that.

For what it's worth! Have fun!!

Last edited by pumpkinpatchquilter; 03-17-2013 at 07:36 PM.
pumpkinpatchquilter is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 10:00 PM
  #15  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
Default

Not everyone has issues when they first start. Sometimes they show up after a while with different materials or different fabrics.
justflyingin is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 10:03 PM
  #16  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
ArchaicArcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Not Here
Posts: 3,817
Default

I thought all bobbin cases had "springs".. the tension spring is what you're referring to, right? I haven't found one yet that was in good condition that didn't.... All of the machines I've been using are metal bobbins in metal bobbin cases, with tension springs...

I will use a different sized needle next then to see what happens. I've been using s 90 / 14 universal. I will have to look to see if I even have a size 10.

Considering that the first machine I ever tried this on (A 290C, self winding horizontal bobbin, aslant, - talk about stacking the deck against yourself - a couple of years ago) almost went out the window, it's more than a little surprising that this would be "natural".

OK,.. I didn't even think about the bigger machines. I saw tutorials with LD using a Bernina or a Janome or something and figured that was a common machine for her.

Last edited by ArchaicArcane; 03-17-2013 at 10:14 PM.
ArchaicArcane is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 10:15 PM
  #17  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
ArchaicArcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Not Here
Posts: 3,817
Default

Originally Posted by justflyingin View Post
Not everyone has issues when they first start. Sometimes they show up after a while with different materials or different fabrics.
So I'm not necessarily out of the woods yet, is what you're saying?
ArchaicArcane is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 10:41 PM
  #18  
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sturbridge, Ma
Posts: 3,992
Default

Frankls I don't get what you are asking. You say nothing bad is happening and you are getting better. So what is it?
I have no crystal ball that will tell you the future or warn you about something that aparantly isn't happening. I didn't even read all the replies since you said nothing is really wrong but you want to know what might go wrong if it ever does.
Holice is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 11:21 PM
  #19  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,811
Default

Enjoy your blessing. It's OK to be good at something.
petthefabric is offline  
Old 03-17-2013, 11:51 PM
  #20  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
ArchaicArcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Not Here
Posts: 3,817
Default

Originally Posted by Holice View Post
Frankls I don't get what you are asking. You say nothing bad is happening and you are getting better. So what is it?
I have no crystal ball that will tell you the future or warn you about something that aparantly isn't happening. I didn't even read all the replies since you said nothing is really wrong but you want to know what might go wrong if it ever does.
Totally fair question. Why I was asking was twofold:

Do you ever get the feeling things are going too well? You're going along, figuring that things are OK, but have a nagging feeling you've forgotten something, or failed to see something, and it might be "big"? Otherwise known as waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The other thing is that FMQ is largely about creating muscle memory. I didn't want to train my brain and muscles wrong then have to break the habits. Better to catch them early.

I heard from a number of people and read on a lot of sites that FMQ wasn't necessarily for "beginners". I haven't completed my first quilt, and I've only made perhaps 3 (very small) quilted items total so far. I'm a "barely has begun" quilter at this stage. There was no reason to believe (I thought) that I would be able to do this without huge investments of time and practice at all. I expected needle shrapnel (it's a big part of my sewing history as it is), and loops and broken thread at the least. I thought there was a good chance I was overlooking a lot of smaller things just because the massive problems weren't happening.

Originally Posted by petthefabric View Post
Enjoy your blessing. It's OK to be good at something.
Thanks PTF, that may well be exactly what it is. Sort of a consolation for the years of not being able to draw or cut a straight line... I'll take FMQ over the ability to draw a straight line any day.
ArchaicArcane is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bearisgray
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
65
02-01-2024 09:04 AM
quiltingnd
Pictures
51
03-25-2013 07:47 PM
Sunnie
Main
103
10-06-2011 02:20 PM
nance-ell
Main
8
08-21-2011 09:01 AM
Kellie G
Main
92
11-17-2010 11:44 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter