Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I made my first attempt at fmq today. Wow, it is fun, but boy do I have a long way to go. How do I ever learn to make the quilt move at the same speed as the machine. Too fast, too slow, I am all over the map. Will I be able to do this?
Changed back to walking foot for my first quilt, but can't wait to practice some more.
All tips appreciated!
I have a speed control on my machine,which helps some. I also put both forearms on the machine table so I don't get so much wiggle. A thimbleful of wine relaxes the shoulders. Music with a steady beat helps. Keep working at it!
I'm a total newbie to FMQ also. I started a few weeks ago. I made a pile of sandwiches and practiced for a half hour each night. Finally I worked up the nerve to do some placemats. Then I did a Linus quilt. This weekend I did another one. My stitches are far from perfect but each attempt gets a little better than the last. I don't do any freehand -- everything is still following a stencil that I pounce on. I don't know if I'll ever have the nerve to do freehand.
Be sure tension is off the presser foot, wear gloves, the ones with rubber nubs works for me, lower the feed dogs. Practice, breathe and relax, if you are tense it will show. Before I start on a quilt, I get out my quilt sandwich and make sure the stitches are to my liking. Try to move your hands and sewing speed together. I have FMQd over 80 quilts, mostly double to queen or a bit bigger on my regular machine W/9" throat . You will get the hang of it with practice.
Another Phyllis
This life is the only one you get - enjoy it before you lose it.
Remember back in 3rd grade and trying to write in cursive?? By the end of the school year it was almost readable. lol, keep practicing and have fun.
piney
It is very doable even on a dinky mechanical machine. It takes practice, practice, practice, and when you get the speed of the machine in sync with your hands you will know it! I know it, even though I don't get there all the time.
I don't try to FMQ without putting on my Machingers gloves. They really help in moving the quilt. Make sure the whole quilt is up at the same height as your machine so there is no drag. I have a Bernina with the stitch regulator and that helps too. Practice is the best thing to get better.
Our LQS shop instructor said ----- "machine goes fast - hands go slow". That helped everyone.
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