My first attempt at FMQ
 

No pic, but I tried it and like everybody says, it is fun!!!

I tried it yesterday, and felt like crying.. I don't know what I was doing.. All the stitches were different sizes, and it looked like crap.. I was trying it on a case I was trying to make for my Kindle.. I ended up changing the foot back. Ripping the stitches out, and stitched in the ditch.. I'm just wondering why I can't fmq with the feet up.. I'm not ready to give up.. Just a temporary set back.. Ughhh
Barri

"I'm just wondering why I can't fmq with the feet up."

Aren't you supposed to FMQ with the feed dogs down? and the presser foot lever lowered?

If your feed dogs are up, you need to set your stitch length to "zero", if they're down, it doesn't matter. It takes lots of practice to get the hang of FMQ. Your machine speed vs the speed you move your project with your hands determines the even-ness of your stitches. You also need to use a darning foot or FMQ foot and the presser foot lever needs to be down. As stated before, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! Try using gripper gloves, keep the weight of your quilt on a side table. You can also go to YouTube and see video tutorials. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

Go online to Leah Day Designs. You will be glad you did. She has lots of free help and videos of designs, etc. You can even e-mail her with a question, and she get's back to you quickly with really good advice. She will tell you want is causing your problems.

It is fun! I took a class at my lqs to get the basics with hands on help and was so pleased. I also us Leah Day Design. She is awesome and very inspirational. Happy quilting.

I have found that having the feed dogs down worked best for me. Keep practicing and don't give up. It takes a "learning curve" and before you know it, you'll just be doing it!!

Presser foot down...feed dogs down, or if feed dogs up, set stitch length to "0". Keep practicing...it will get better.

It really does take PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. I can do it but it still doesn't look as good as the professionals. But I will keep on doing it!

I have resided myself to the fact that I can only do 'squiggles' in FMQ. I use a Juki on my B-line frames and that is the only stitches that I can get to look half way decent. If I try to do it off of my frames, forget it, just forget it! Straight lines with my walking foot are all that I can do on my regular machine.