Free motion
09-10-2009, 08:03 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5
Has anyone used the "free motion slider"? ( The FREE-MOTION SLIDER has a pure Teflon® top that simply lays on your machine bed and lets your fabric slide with zero friction — makes free-motion machine quilting easy). You can see it on www.freemotionslider.com. Just thought I would check before I spend the money for it.
Thanks.
Thanks.
09-10-2009, 08:19 AM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
No, but here's an alternative that might work better. (It's something I want to build as soon as I have a little time to do it.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g14govA4pIM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g14govA4pIM
09-10-2009, 08:41 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 317
I just finished my first large free motion quilting project. Before this, I had done quite a few smaller practice pieces, and frankly didn't get the hoopla about using some sort of friction reducing product under the quilt. It wasn't really necessary on smaller pieces, but once I stuffed that quilt under the harp and tried to move the quilt around with my two hands, I truly understood the need!
Since I didn't want to wait for an online order to come in, I found the youtube video where Marguerite demonstrates how to build up her easy quilting table. She uses the clear vinyl table covering material you can buy at your local Wal-Mart, Hancock Fabrics, or Jo-Ann's. I used her instructions to build my folding table up to the bed of my vintage Singer 15-91, then covered the whole surface of table and sewing machine bed with the clear vinyl. It worked just fine to reduce the friction, but I got frustrated with bobbin changes-- I had to remove everything to access the bobbin case. Depending on your bobbin access, you might have to similarly remove the quilt and move the slider out of the way each time you needed to change bobbins.
My other machine, an older Bernina, has a custom insert so it sits flush with the sewing table surface. The table top is made of slippery Formica. My machine is a vintage metal one, so I used Johnson paste wax to buff the machine bed and table. It worked just as well as the vinyl to reduce the friction, nothing else was needed. My hands are small enough to reach under the insert from underneath and change the bobbin without having to remove my quilt. So I switched over to the Bernina for FMQ.
Oh, and just like everyone says, the quilting gloves really help with moving the quilt around, too.
Since I didn't want to wait for an online order to come in, I found the youtube video where Marguerite demonstrates how to build up her easy quilting table. She uses the clear vinyl table covering material you can buy at your local Wal-Mart, Hancock Fabrics, or Jo-Ann's. I used her instructions to build my folding table up to the bed of my vintage Singer 15-91, then covered the whole surface of table and sewing machine bed with the clear vinyl. It worked just fine to reduce the friction, but I got frustrated with bobbin changes-- I had to remove everything to access the bobbin case. Depending on your bobbin access, you might have to similarly remove the quilt and move the slider out of the way each time you needed to change bobbins.
My other machine, an older Bernina, has a custom insert so it sits flush with the sewing table surface. The table top is made of slippery Formica. My machine is a vintage metal one, so I used Johnson paste wax to buff the machine bed and table. It worked just as well as the vinyl to reduce the friction, nothing else was needed. My hands are small enough to reach under the insert from underneath and change the bobbin without having to remove my quilt. So I switched over to the Bernina for FMQ.
Oh, and just like everyone says, the quilting gloves really help with moving the quilt around, too.
09-16-2009, 01:07 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: FL
Posts: 7,084
I think it makes a difference. I have made myself a work surface similar to what's mentioned above, and I use the slider as well. I find that the movement of the quilt pulls the tape up around the vinyl. So I use the slider to cover that part up.
Gloves help too! I use the dollar store garden gloves with the dots on the fingertips.
Gloves help too! I use the dollar store garden gloves with the dots on the fingertips.
09-16-2009, 04:50 AM
#6
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: central Indiana
Posts: 225
I just received mine in the mail Saturday and yes it does make a huge difference.
I have a Janome 1600P-DBX, for free motion quilting you cover the pressure feet with a plate that comes with the darning foot. There is a slight raised area that I thought would bother me with the Supreme Slider. Not so.
The Supreme Slider with a pair of gardening gloves works wonders for FMQ.
If you have any questions about it, please do not hesitate to send me a PM
Julie
I have a Janome 1600P-DBX, for free motion quilting you cover the pressure feet with a plate that comes with the darning foot. There is a slight raised area that I thought would bother me with the Supreme Slider. Not so.
The Supreme Slider with a pair of gardening gloves works wonders for FMQ.
If you have any questions about it, please do not hesitate to send me a PM
Julie
02-05-2011, 12:53 PM
#7
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 38
Hi, I was going to get that slider thing too but did some research too and found that there are some other ways around it. So, if you're like me and want to "save money" I want to save all I can to buy more fabric...lol
Here is what I did.
I bought the clear vinyl and cut it to my sizes needed and covered just about everything with it, from the edge of the sewing machine to the covering of the table and covered my fabric table too and my cutting mat now stays in place, no more moving around the table. It sticks to the vinyl.
I made the mistake of buying the quilting gloves and said to myself, "wow, these are just like gardening gloves" but in stead of taking the quilting gloves back and buying garden gloves I am now using something better. I am using the little "rubber fingers" they are office supply things that I would use in my office for flipping through paperwork. This idea is GRAND! I ordered a box of them now. You get 12 for $2.00 or you can buy them each which is better because then you can try on one for each finger size. Oh, once you try these you'll not go back to the gloves. I use just the first and second fingers to move the fabric around. I am so glad I thought of this idea it works so great. For only $2.00 or like .15-.25 cents each you can afford to at least try it.
I'm a beginner and so I have to start buying all the stuff to quilt and finding shortcuts here and there or like this one... coming up with some of my own ideas makes it affordable.
~"addicted to quilting!"~
Rhonda Kay
Here is what I did.
I bought the clear vinyl and cut it to my sizes needed and covered just about everything with it, from the edge of the sewing machine to the covering of the table and covered my fabric table too and my cutting mat now stays in place, no more moving around the table. It sticks to the vinyl.
I made the mistake of buying the quilting gloves and said to myself, "wow, these are just like gardening gloves" but in stead of taking the quilting gloves back and buying garden gloves I am now using something better. I am using the little "rubber fingers" they are office supply things that I would use in my office for flipping through paperwork. This idea is GRAND! I ordered a box of them now. You get 12 for $2.00 or you can buy them each which is better because then you can try on one for each finger size. Oh, once you try these you'll not go back to the gloves. I use just the first and second fingers to move the fabric around. I am so glad I thought of this idea it works so great. For only $2.00 or like .15-.25 cents each you can afford to at least try it.
I'm a beginner and so I have to start buying all the stuff to quilt and finding shortcuts here and there or like this one... coming up with some of my own ideas makes it affordable.
~"addicted to quilting!"~
Rhonda Kay
02-05-2011, 12:55 PM
#8
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 38
Oh yeah, I forgot I was going to tell too that I tried pledge on the surfaces too and it worked really well, but, I do like the clear vinyl plastic... much more cost effective. Although, I will probably try the slider anyway "someday" maybe :-)
02-05-2011, 01:11 PM
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: home again, after 27 yrs!
Posts: 19,388
i have one but quit using it for now. my quilt kept getting caught on it. my machine sits on top of a table. and even though i had my acrylic table extender around my machine, i still had trouble with the slider. so it's off for now, as it my acrylic table extender.
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