I'm discouraged :(
05-22-2011, 09:22 AM
#82
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,326
I also have a Janome QC6260 and it lets me FMQ fine. I did recently have a problem with thread nests underneath and traced it to a burr - a scratch - on the bobbin case and another burr on the needle plate. They weren't big - just enough to catch up the thread when it tried to stitch. Other than that it's been smooth sailing - after the learning curve.
Try watching some videos from Leah Day's site - freemotionquilts.blogspot.com.
I use the darning foot - if it's not close enough to the fabric, you can lower it by adding a wound up elastic to the top - between the top of the spring and the top bar. Make sure the pressor foot is down (I forget this all the time.) Definitely take your bobbin thread up to the top of your fabric before you start.
I have my speed bar set at medium - that way even if I press the pedal to the metal - it only goes so fast and no more.
Make sure you have a good bobbin with no burrs or rough spots.
Use a large enough needle - at least a 90/14. That way the thread doesn't take as much friction going through the fabric.
Check what thread you're using. For practise - use a good cotton all purpose thread or a poly/cotton mix. Don't use the fancier 40 weight threads when you're learning. They are thicker and take a bit extra care to get the tension and the speed right. Some of them are quite soft and prone to breakage.
When you're practising, use plain fabric with no seams. Sometimes the seams if they're thick can break your thread.
Start from the beginning.
Read the manual.
Set the thread tension that's good for straight stitching.
Do some FMQ straight lines, then try slightly curved lines before you try circles and swirlies.
When you do circles, pay attention to when you're pulling the fabric backwards under the needle - if you pull too hard you'll put tension on the needle and it may bend, or break, or be just enough out of alignment that the stitch won't form properly.
And as people have said, practise, practise ,practise. If you're still not improving, try taking a class or two - perhaps you have picked up a habit without knowing that is causing problems.
Hope you find something in here that helps!
Try watching some videos from Leah Day's site - freemotionquilts.blogspot.com.
I use the darning foot - if it's not close enough to the fabric, you can lower it by adding a wound up elastic to the top - between the top of the spring and the top bar. Make sure the pressor foot is down (I forget this all the time.) Definitely take your bobbin thread up to the top of your fabric before you start.
I have my speed bar set at medium - that way even if I press the pedal to the metal - it only goes so fast and no more.
Make sure you have a good bobbin with no burrs or rough spots.
Use a large enough needle - at least a 90/14. That way the thread doesn't take as much friction going through the fabric.
Check what thread you're using. For practise - use a good cotton all purpose thread or a poly/cotton mix. Don't use the fancier 40 weight threads when you're learning. They are thicker and take a bit extra care to get the tension and the speed right. Some of them are quite soft and prone to breakage.
When you're practising, use plain fabric with no seams. Sometimes the seams if they're thick can break your thread.
Start from the beginning.
Read the manual.
Set the thread tension that's good for straight stitching.
Do some FMQ straight lines, then try slightly curved lines before you try circles and swirlies.
When you do circles, pay attention to when you're pulling the fabric backwards under the needle - if you pull too hard you'll put tension on the needle and it may bend, or break, or be just enough out of alignment that the stitch won't form properly.
And as people have said, practise, practise ,practise. If you're still not improving, try taking a class or two - perhaps you have picked up a habit without knowing that is causing problems.
Hope you find something in here that helps!
05-22-2011, 09:25 AM
#83
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 331
Thanks to all who have replied and all your encouragement. I feel so much better now, knowing I'm NOT the only one out there who has problems with FMQ. Can someone tell me what is the easiest overall quilting pattern to do for a start? I've been to Leah Day's website but find most of hers too complex for me to manage. Think I will have to resolve the thread tension problem first, then keep practicing that pattern, till I'm confident to do it on a real quilt. I'm sewing a table runner now and would really like to try some FMQ. Thought it shd be manageable since the size is small.
05-22-2011, 09:29 AM
#84
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 331
Originally Posted by tjradj
I also have a Janome QC6260 and it lets me FMQ fine. I did recently have a problem with thread nests underneath and traced it to a burr - a scratch - on the bobbin case and another burr on the needle plate. They weren't big - just enough to catch up the thread when it tried to stitch. Other than that it's been smooth sailing - after the learning curve.
Try watching some videos from Leah Day's site - freemotionquilts.blogspot.com.
I use the darning foot - if it's not close enough to the fabric, you can lower it by adding a wound up elastic to the top - between the top of the spring and the top bar. Make sure the pressor foot is down (I forget this all the time.) Definitely take your bobbin thread up to the top of your fabric before you start.
I have my speed bar set at medium - that way even if I press the pedal to the metal - it only goes so fast and no more.
Make sure you have a good bobbin with no burrs or rough spots.
Use a large enough needle - at least a 90/14. That way the thread doesn't take as much friction going through the fabric.
Check what thread you're using. For practise - use a good cotton all purpose thread or a poly/cotton mix. Don't use the fancier 40 weight threads when you're learning. They are thicker and take a bit extra care to get the tension and the speed right. Some of them are quite soft and prone to breakage.
When you're practising, use plain fabric with no seams. Sometimes the seams if they're thick can break your thread.
Start from the beginning.
Read the manual.
Set the thread tension that's good for straight stitching.
Do some FMQ straight lines, then try slightly curved lines before you try circles and swirlies.
When you do circles, pay attention to when you're pulling the fabric backwards under the needle - if you pull too hard you'll put tension on the needle and it may bend, or break, or be just enough out of alignment that the stitch won't form properly.
And as people have said, practise, practise ,practise. If you're still not improving, try taking a class or two - perhaps you have picked up a habit without knowing that is causing problems.
Hope you find something in here that helps!
Try watching some videos from Leah Day's site - freemotionquilts.blogspot.com.
I use the darning foot - if it's not close enough to the fabric, you can lower it by adding a wound up elastic to the top - between the top of the spring and the top bar. Make sure the pressor foot is down (I forget this all the time.) Definitely take your bobbin thread up to the top of your fabric before you start.
I have my speed bar set at medium - that way even if I press the pedal to the metal - it only goes so fast and no more.
Make sure you have a good bobbin with no burrs or rough spots.
Use a large enough needle - at least a 90/14. That way the thread doesn't take as much friction going through the fabric.
Check what thread you're using. For practise - use a good cotton all purpose thread or a poly/cotton mix. Don't use the fancier 40 weight threads when you're learning. They are thicker and take a bit extra care to get the tension and the speed right. Some of them are quite soft and prone to breakage.
When you're practising, use plain fabric with no seams. Sometimes the seams if they're thick can break your thread.
Start from the beginning.
Read the manual.
Set the thread tension that's good for straight stitching.
Do some FMQ straight lines, then try slightly curved lines before you try circles and swirlies.
When you do circles, pay attention to when you're pulling the fabric backwards under the needle - if you pull too hard you'll put tension on the needle and it may bend, or break, or be just enough out of alignment that the stitch won't form properly.
And as people have said, practise, practise ,practise. If you're still not improving, try taking a class or two - perhaps you have picked up a habit without knowing that is causing problems.
Hope you find something in here that helps!
05-22-2011, 11:23 AM
#86
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Currently Mosquito (which is outside of Placerville) California
Posts: 752
Originally Posted by vivientan
I've been trying out FMQ for the past year but I don't seem to be improving. First thing first, I never get the thread tension right. I either get loops at the front or the back. I'm using a Janome 6260 and I've tried every single tension from 0 - 9 but nothing works. Even tried varying the machine speed, foot pedal tension etc but still at a dead end.
I find it rather hard to move my quilt sandwich under the machine. Sometimes it gets stucked, causing a huge ball of thread forming underneath! What has gone wrong?
The worst is, I can never get even stitches. They are either too short or too long. Can't seem to be able to move my quilt at an even speed. Even tried drawing out my design from a quilt stencil but somehow, I just can't follow the design! Jagged curves, uneven lines etc.
I don't think I can ever succeed with FMQ, despite trying on lots and lots of practice sandwiches. Maybe I should really just call it a day and stick to my walking foot. :(
Sorry for all these ranting...I need to let off steam!
I find it rather hard to move my quilt sandwich under the machine. Sometimes it gets stucked, causing a huge ball of thread forming underneath! What has gone wrong?
The worst is, I can never get even stitches. They are either too short or too long. Can't seem to be able to move my quilt at an even speed. Even tried drawing out my design from a quilt stencil but somehow, I just can't follow the design! Jagged curves, uneven lines etc.
I don't think I can ever succeed with FMQ, despite trying on lots and lots of practice sandwiches. Maybe I should really just call it a day and stick to my walking foot. :(
Sorry for all these ranting...I need to let off steam!
05-22-2011, 11:54 AM
#87
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 285
Originally Posted by vivientan
Thanks to all who have replied and all your encouragement. I feel so much better now, knowing I'm NOT the only one out there who has problems with FMQ. Can someone tell me what is the easiest overall quilting pattern to do for a start? I've been to Leah Day's website but find most of hers too complex for me to manage. Think I will have to resolve the thread tension problem first, then keep practicing that pattern, till I'm confident to do it on a real quilt. I'm sewing a table runner now and would really like to try some FMQ. Thought it shd be manageable since the size is small.
05-22-2011, 01:02 PM
#89
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,284
[quote=Carol W]
I didn't know that you could keep your feed dogs up.
Leah Day keeps her feed dogs up but then says she uses a glidder/slider and covers them up...so am wondering what the object of having them up is. She also says she gets better stitches this way. Anyone know why? I have a brother embroidery and sewing machine combo, do I need to get just a single hole throat plate, every where I look I read that this is a must. Can I just tape an index card with a single hole in it or do I need the ridgidity of the throat plate? Any help you can give me is much appreciated. Also eveyone is talking about bobbin temsion, my bobbin case does not come out, you just drop the bobbin in, is there an adjustment somewhere that I have missed? Thanks!
Originally Posted by Tweety2911
If your machine sews at an even tension when you are straight stitching then your tension is fine. Are the feed dogs up or down. Personally I keep my feed dogs up it gives me better control. Feed dogs down you can slide your quilt sandwich with more ease. Don't give up! Do you have someone who does FMQ that can show you their technique? Good Luck, keep at it, someday you will be so greatful that you did!
Leah Day keeps her feed dogs up but then says she uses a glidder/slider and covers them up...so am wondering what the object of having them up is. She also says she gets better stitches this way. Anyone know why? I have a brother embroidery and sewing machine combo, do I need to get just a single hole throat plate, every where I look I read that this is a must. Can I just tape an index card with a single hole in it or do I need the ridgidity of the throat plate? Any help you can give me is much appreciated. Also eveyone is talking about bobbin temsion, my bobbin case does not come out, you just drop the bobbin in, is there an adjustment somewhere that I have missed? Thanks!
05-22-2011, 01:09 PM
#90
Super Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Rocky Mountains
Posts: 1,866
I have wondered if I will ever be good at fmq. With that said, I am noticing some improvement but have a long ways to go. I read recently to use your free motion quilting foot but NOT to lower the feed dogs. Not sure if that made the difference with my last attempt, but it did seem to give me better control. I also lower the speed & that helps also.
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