FMQ and Quilting Pattern
 

It appears from reading posts that quilters think FMQ is always done without using stencil or pattern. Am I correct.

Yes to stencil. The pattern is usually in my head.

I would say that FMQ is often done without any premarking of the quilt, but a lot of people also use stencils or mark the quilt in some way.

I have always thought that free motion quilting meant no lines to follow - just moving the machine freely (or the quilt). I may learn something new here today!

I do a large meander or large stipple. All free hand and never use any kind of pattern. I love the look and love doing it. I use my DSM.

i've always been told that free motion means you are manouvering the machine or quilt to stitch- it is not a (computer generated) design...so, if long arm quilting- you take hold of those handle bars & guide the machine you are (free-motion) quilting---you may be following lines but you are still guiding/controlling the machine- same with quilting with a domestic machine- if you dropped the feed dogs, put on a (hopping foot) and are manouvering the fabrics you are free motion quilting---if you are programming a design on a computer/guidance system- and pushing a (start) button and letting them machine stitch out the design you are not free motion quilting.
so you can free motion with marked designs, stencils, panto's, ect. that's how it was explained to me way back when...

I have mostly done meandering, but have stencils for marking the quilt to make a pattern. It takes a lot more work for me at my level of competence to do it that way, but is a goal of mine to make it work. I haven't yet done any markings freehand. To me, FMQ means I will be guiding the quilt, whether meandering or with a marked pattern, with FMQ foot and stitch length set at zero. Feed dogs up or down doesn't seem to affect my outcome.

Holice, I use your stencils all the time for FMQ. Or at least I attempt to. Let's just say some of the designs I end up with are not as intended!

I prefer to lightly draw my pattern onto the quilt with chalk so I have something to follow using my DSM. It's worth the extra time involved to get good results. It depends on what design I'm doing as to whether or not I use a stencil. I find feathers are easier to just draw to fit the space I'm putting them into.

Lisa. It's ok to change the lines.....Thunderbolts don't descend on you head if you change something here and there or even miss the lines.

Holice, Thats what I thought at first, however now I realize you can do anything you want or can to achieve what you want.

Free Motion quilting, IMO, refers to the machine, not the sewn pattern. in other words, there is no top pressure from the foot and no underside pressure from the feed dogs... thus Free Motion

I never use stencils for FMQ....I could stay on the lines, anyway! :D:D:D. Sometimes I do mark dots on the quilt to remind myself where to go next.

I've seen the same. I even saw a person post once that if using a stencil or marking of any kind it is not FMQ.

FMQ only means that the MACHINE is in free motion. It has nothing to do with whether the quilt was marked in any way. The quilter can choose to use a stencil, chalk, pounce, golden thread paper, pencil - or just "wing it".... whatever. But once she/he takes the feeding mechanism off the machine and starts moving the quilt by her/himself ... that's FMQ.

Yup, this is it for me, too. I've done a meander without a stencil, other fillers (like swirls, hearts and flowers) without stencils, and then I've done other shapes with the help of patterns on golden threads paper or chalked in from a stencil. All of that is FMQ for me. If I have to get out that darning foot, it's FMQ!

Thanks DHMom for getting here first and saying exactly what I would have said ... but probably not as clearly as you just did! :)

It's the way the machine is working that is FMQ .... with or without markings to follow!