janjanq

I've tried a product called "Borders Made Easy"
They are rolls of paper about two inches wide that have stitching lines printed on them. They have a light temporary adhesive (like Post It notes). You just stick the paper on the border and stitch on the lines and then remove the paper. They come in various widths and designs. http://www.quiltingmadeeasy.com

Oops! This reply was intended for a different post. Sorry!

Ellen 1

OK here is the solution: As Tartan said in her comment. “Sidelight”. I use this with my longarm, I turn out all the lights near my machine, EXCEPT for the sidelight. The light coming from the side instead of the top of the quilt top “shadows” the quilting and enables you to see where you have prior stitches. The sidelight idea would work on a domestic also. It all is dependent on where your light source is coming from. Try. Placing your light behind you machine head. If that does not work because of the size of your quilt, etc, etc. try moving it to a different place until you find the good spot. The little LED’s under the head of the machine are good for piecing but do not help as much with the quilting. :-)

For those of you that are longarmers, Jamie Wallen has a YouTube demonstrating how to make the sidelight. I use my sidelining on almost every quilt because I like to blend my threads. Depending on the fabric, I cannot see the previously quilted area very well. Prior to the sidelight, I would run my hand along ahead of the machine to “feel” where I had already quilted. I no longer have to do this. Hope this helps.

Ariannaquilts

Maybe the fabric your using is just too busy?? I just used muslin or light colored to practice on and even when I did finally do the first quilt I was able to see all my flaws but hey ho just kept on plugging away.

Ellen 1

Here are a couple examples of without the sidelight and with the sidelight. Think of the sidelight like looking at your quilt laying on a bed with the bright sun shinning in and then later in the day when the sun if off your window.

Bobbielinks

As mentioned, try putting a light to the side and letting it flow over the sandwich instead of light coming down from above. I have a black light which was suppose to help see white on white stitching; but it does not do the job. When I need to stitch on busy fabrics doing free motion, I clamp a "trouble light" on the side of my Gammill frame and let the light "wash" over the sandwich which shows me the indention of where I have quilted.

TheCloser

Me too, lots of lights.