Making the Move from Tied to Free Motion Quilting
 

I have made quilt tops on an off since my teens (I'm 62 now). I've always tied my quilts but I have become interested in free motion quilting with my faithful Singer 1705. I have ordered a free motion foot and a feed dog cover. I'm going to experiment on some scraps to see if I need the extender for the sewing surface and the gloves. All the videos I watch on YouTube make it look so easy. I bought some Warm and Natural batting for a baby quilt I just finished. My current question is, do I need to prewash the batting? I routinely wash and dry all fabrics.

FMQ takes a lot of practice, practice, practice, in my experience, but there are people out there who are just flat out talented that way, I personally know someone who can't sew or cut a straight line, but she can sure FMQ, me, not so. No, you don't wash the batting before quilting, or before finishing the binding.

Welcome to the QB...I have never washed batting. When I started FMQ I made up a pile of small 12-14” sandwiches to practice on and I find that Machinger gloves help with moving the fabric as you free motion. Good luck and have fun.

Welcome from Michigan!:)

I don't wash my batting either. My dryer has a steam setting that I used to get the wrinkles out but that's all I do.

I agree with Machinger gloves and lots of practice. I also keep some sandwiches around for practice. Mine are about 12" x 18". I've also discovered that you can used them until you've quilted all over and then just stick new pieces of fabric on both sides and use the same piece again. I used them until they get too thick to use easily.

This year I made the move from SID and straight line quilting to FMQ. When reading a post on Bonnie Hunter's blog she was promoting HollyAnn Knight of String & Story and her Free Motion Quilting Academy. HollyAnn had a free 1 hour class on FMQ and well free so I signed up. I decided to enroll in the FMQA that was beginning in September. It is a 3 month class and she teaches 30 quilting motifs, you make a sampler quilt of the 30 motifs (meander to mctavishing and everything in between) and then a wall quilt of your design to graduate. If you don't finish in the 3 months you just keep going and complete when you are able (no extra cost). She is offering her free class again this week, there are different dates and times offered. Here is the link - https://string-story.ck.page/a71490a...5_fcLdFmOwZ-No. I have attached my sampler quilt and my wall quilt to this post.

I have taken classes before and watched various YouTube videos (I love Angela Walters) but this was the best investment and most fun I have had. It was expensive but I realized that I might not ever send a quilt out to be quilted again I decided to enroll. Now all the money I will save can be spent on fabric.

Forgot to answer the question - I never wash my batting before using, I will put in dryer on air fluff to remove some of the wrinkles from packaging.

First off Welcome! Yes, YouTube videos of FMQ do make it look easy. It's not. That said, pocoellie is right that practice, practice, practice is key. I agree that its easier for some people and harder for others. Don't be discouraged at first, just keep at it. You'll do fine. I have found that losing my fear of not being perfect has been really freeing and helped me become better at it. I never wash my batting, but do spray baste so once my quilt is finished and bound it gets washed. Good luck :-)

I never prewash my batting, nor any of my fabrics. I might do a color test on a suspected bleeder. There is no one right answer for that question.

Free motion quilting takes a lot, and I mean, a lot of practice. But although I still consider myself on the low end of the intermediate skill level, I enjoy it a lot. I still watch a lot of videos and practice. The YouTube videos make it look so easy because those folks have not shown you all their hours of practice. Check out LeahDay.com and Angela Walters. They offer a lot of free demos and tutorials.