Originally Posted by
Watson
I found a huge difference between the hopping foot, which I think you are using, and the gliding foot, which is what happens when you "break" the foot a la Leah Day. Although, I bought a FMQ-ing foot that went with my machine, that glides over the surface of the fabric. I also found the slider does make a big difference and I can't work well wihtout the gloves. I cut the index fingers off so I can still work wihtout having to take the gloves off to do things like re-thread my machine etc.
For me, each type of FM I do has a speed that is perfect for it. When I do pebbles, I go at a different speed and move the fabric at a different speed than I do when I do meandering. It's all personal preference.
You're way ahead of me with the spirals. Those things are my downfall...cannot do them, but I'm still trying!
Watson
Thank you! This is very helpful. What I see online appears to glide, though it also seems to hop. But they are way smoother than I am, though also a lot more experienced, of course. The foot I'm using came with my machine but I'm going to try to find a glide foot. I have some gloves but they are not machiners, just grippy garden gloves...and are too big. They do help....but I hate wearing them. My hands get claustrophobic, ha! Maybe I'll cut out some of the fingers.
Another question: (I'm full of them!) When you use a different colored bobbin thread, does it show at all on the front...or the top thread on the back? I know it's not supposed to and doesn't on my old standby machine, but does on this Brother. I've adjusted everything I can think of and still see tiny loops on the opposite side. It doesn't matter in what I'm doing now but someday I might want to use different colored threads, and I know the rest of you do at times, so I'd like to know.