Just starting to do free motion quilting and having difficulty keeping my left hand from cramping.

Advice?

I found that I relaxed better (neck, arms, shoulders, hands) when I raised my chair height up a little.

Then my foot couldnt' comfortably reach the foot pedal, so I found something to put it on.

Better solution ... would be to have the sewing machine inserted into a table, which I do with my new machine.

Are you wearing gloves, I found they help alot as you don't need much pressure to guide your fabric. I used some cheap rubbery gardening gloves to start with, which worked fine but recently bought machingers which I love.

Make sure you've got enough room to support the quilt as you move it around. Also, just take it slow and stop every once in awhile to stretch, if you're engaged in a marathon quilting session. :D

May sound strange but relax your jaw - let it drop. Roll your shoulders and let them drop.

quilting gloves help a lot

quilting gloves help a lot

I have found that quilting standing up relieves a lot of body stresses for me. I place my sewing machine on my cutting table and surround it with a styrofoam table to create a large flat surface area (directions for making the styrofoam table on Youtube).

These are all great ideas! I love the suggestion to drop my jaw!! So that's what the gloves are for... Always wondered abt that.

Thanks everyone!

These are all great ideas! I love the suggestion to drop my jaw!! So that's what the gloves are for... Always wondered abt that.

Thanks everyone!