Teeler

I finally put my darning foot and plate on my machine yesterday, and practiced some FMQ. I think I actually might like this! After trying some meandering and loop-dee-loops, I used my clover pen to mark the fabric to try following a pattern. I hate to say it, but I must be the president of the I-D-Ten-T club, because I kept losing my place when the direction shifted (I liken it to trying to highlight a textbook going left-to-right if you're right handed or right-to-left if your a lefty). I couldn't see the pattern beyond the shank/needle/foot.

I was keeping a decent speed with my pedal (it wasn't a pretty site if I was going too slow), but keeping my speed AND my place on the pattern was becoming a problem. Any tips?

Buckeye Rose

Practice, Practice, Practice....is the only tip I can give you.....following a drawn pattern is harder for me than just winging it! LOL ;0

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

My darning foot was a closed metal circle. I cut it in half so it is now open. It has helped me see where I'm going much better, but I do still get lost at times. I've also drawn my lines with arrows on them so I'd know where to go next.

Teeler

Ooo- Just found this. Heard of several ppl (incl. Lisa above) who had cut their closed-toe foot (link)...
And maybe...I'll have to check into getting this for my machine. (picture)..hope it's compatible with it... it's at the same link.

http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/how-to-modify-a-quilting-or-darning-foot.html

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Tartan

If following a pattern/line, I keep the line in front of the needle. I actually prefer working without a pattern but going freehand with the blocks landmarks as my guides.

nativetexan

it can be a bit difficult when you go backwards. for following patterns, do your best. and a darning foot that is open toe helps this a lot.

JulieR

As others have said I have cut my FMQ foot so that it's open in front, but what really helped me is as Tartan said, keeping the line in front of the needle. Sometimes that means stopping more frequently to reposition the quilt, but it makes a huge difference in my outcome.

By the way, there was nothing silly about that question!!

Jan in VA

A little trick.... try "following the line" like you would drive a car. In other words, you look way up the road to see what's ahead rather than looking immediately off the hood of the car to see the road when you steer the car.

In quilting, know where the line is going and take your fabric that direction rather than expecting your needle to hit exactly on the line behind or to the side of the needle. Look ahead at the line rather than the needle.

Jan in VA

crazythread

I do the same as Jan in VA. Look way ahead like when driving. I am new (started last year) to FMQ and having issues also. One being able to follow lines in a pattern. I have a babylock symphony machine and can set the speed of my sewing. This helps. I can concentrate on moving my hands at a constant speed. This way I am able to keep my stitches smooth and neat. Practice - practice - practice. This is everyone's advice but I have found that I can only really advance my skills when working on an actual quilt. My practice pieces look great but everything changes when I actually try to put my quilting on an actual quilt top. fitting stitches into a specific shape and backgrounds is a different story. So by the time I have mastered FMQ I probably will have several quilts "hiding" in the bottom of my quilt cupboard....

franc36

I do the same as Jan and crazy thread, look ahead. Actually, I am far better following a pattern. I really enjoy SITD with FMQ. I am hoping with lots more practice, I will be comfortable with FMQ without lines.