Mine is an "old" HQ16, too. My frame is TERRIBLE. The poles droop so badly.

I think part of my problem with meandering (not stippling, shudder!) is that it is too dense. I am not one for heavy quilting. I have seen what I think are beautiful quilts but I think the quilting is too dense and distracts from the quilt.

I finished it in about 30 minutes more but I have three places were I looped over the thread and there is a small wrinkle in the batting right in the middle of it. Sigh....Each one is a learning experience!

I also may have problems with it because it requires me to look at the quilt and I don't like a lot of light and sometimes can't see where I have been quickly enough. I think it is just not for me in large quantities. It had been a year since I had done a quilt with it and hopefully it will be a couple years before I have to do it again!

Thanks for your comments and support.

Mary

Try putting on some music and meander to the beat of the music. It might help make you enjoy it more. I've heard that a glass of wine before quilting helps you relax - never tried it but it might also help. Keep you mind on the precious little baby who will be using your quilt.

I had the 'where do I go next?' issue. I was always meandering myself into a corner. I finally got a white board and practiced while watching TV. That helped a lot.

Are there 2 kinds of meandering. The small type in specific areas. And the large type which. Goes all over the quilt top. I prefer the second large type and using music or a tv program are great. I made a scrappy quilt and quilted it to the sound of a tennis match. It looked just right for the quilt because it ended up being. Large swoops from one side to the other in starlight curved lies .

I only do meandering on quilts that I can't figure out any other way to quilt them...and most of the time won't just meander, but do meandering with loops, swirls, stars, flowers...anything to make it not just a meander.

Alleyoop, I do use my mp3 player to help keep me steady. Wine might be a good idea and though it was 5:00, it was a.m. and I really think that is a little early for wine!! LOL

PaperPrincess, I keep practicing feathers and other things on pieces of paper but not meandering. I did practice this morning while I was waiting on my husband to leave for work. It probably helped it look okay but it didn't help me with the exhaustion of the job!

Meandering is what I mostly do too. I seem to get into trouble when I try stippling.

I love doing and the look of the large stipple I do on one of two of my DSM. I can't get the hang of the small stipple. It would draw the quilt up too much for my liking. I don't like a densely quilted quilts either. Different strokes for different folks.

Good luck getting it finished in time.

My last finished quilt I did loop de loops with hearts, seemed to go faster than stippling. I feel freer doing loop-de-loops than trying to remember with stippling not to cross over the lines.....