I’m teaching a friend to FMQ (free motion quilt) on a small Janome 2011 basic (with many stitches) machine. She bought the special foot for FMQ. We worked with it for about 10 hours and haven’t been able to get it to consistently FMQ on it. We’re using cotton fabrics after a bad foray into polyester. We’ve tried lots of threads, tension adjustments, new needles etc. I’m a bit of an expert in tension so feel pretty confident we’ve got that right. It works beautifully when doing piecing.

Has anyone had experience FMQ on this or the 2012 machine? Any hints?
is this a lost cause? Should she buy a new machine for FMQ ( see next post)

Thanks

perhaps a larger needle

Perhaps explain a little more as to what is happening, or not happening!

Not consistently FMQing, doesn't really tell us much, to help diagnose and help you.

Big mess of threads on back when FMQ. Machine works fine when straight stitching in the regular way. Rethreaded top and bobbin, changed needle (and size) and thread used, adjusted top and bobbin tension. Feed dogs up and down.

i think this may not be a good machine for FMQ. I’d like to know if anyone has been successful in getting this machine to FMQ. It may not make sense for us to continue troubleshooting.

thanks

Are you pulling the bottom thread up to top when you start and stop? Holding the bobbin thread to the top when you start locks the stitching and prevents the thread nest. Is the FMQ foot working right? (going up and down?) I had a foot on a travel machine that was a struggle to get on and never worked well--my DD had the same machine and foot and no problem.

We’ll try holding the thread. Haven’t done that. Foot seems to be hopping fine but it’s not specifically made for that machine. Not sure if there is one .

Are the feed dogs up or down? Be sure and try it both ways!

I have a similar model and I think it should work - other than the limit in the throat size. I haven't done much FMQ so I don't have any tips. I do have a Juki though and think it'll work much better for quilting.

Lots todo. Have you ever successfully used this machine to FMQ?

I have a DC 2014 and haven’t used it in years, but cannot imagine it would be good for FMQ. Too small of throat space to really get hands and quilt moving around under. It isn’t very powerful either.