FMQ ...stuck!
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 2,679
#14
As others have said practice practice practice. There is another class on Craftsy Ann Peterson. I can't remember the name, but she starts you right from the beginning and you finish a wall hanging when you are done. Here is my first piece with her. I had not done much fmq before. The only other I had done was Leah Day.
thank you for the encouragement! i have been watching Leah and practicing for hours! And ya know what? Once I followed her advice to RELAX and unclench my jaw, my quilting looks MUCH better! I have an overachiever complex, and i think I should be able to FMQ after a short time, and should be able to do feathers, etc. Huh. Reality check. My meandering and loopy loops look much better, and considering I am using bright green thread on muslin, its not too bad for a beginner!
#15
One day, you will get it. Just keep practicing. Some people learn quicker than others. But don't give up. Keep practicing on small things. You can also doodle the pattern you are trying to quilt on paper or a dry erase board. You will build a mental memory for it and it makes it alot easier to quilt. I bought a big dry erase board just for it. My mom bought a dvd to watch and it was by the pajama quilter. She is kinda fun to watch. I just spent time watching youtube videos.
#16
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 233
I am trying FMQ for the first time also. The first try was really doomed from the go. As I keep working with it I can see I still need tons of practice. But my thrifty mind can't get around using all that fabric and thread just to dispose of so,,,, I made some into small bags and other projects using quilted fabric. I am practicing on wallets for My 3 DGDs living in Malawi, Central Africa... If the quilting isn't perfect they will still like the wallets!!
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Fox Valley Wisconsin
Posts: 1,920
I am a self-taught quilter, and did OK with my machine quilting, but it wasn't until I took a class from Diane Gaudynski that I really learned what I should be doing, and I got so much more comfortable with FMQ after the class. Whether you take a class from a teacher in person, or on-line, I would encourage you to take a class somewhere. It does take a lot of practice though to get proficient at it.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 865
As others have said practice practice practice. There is another class on Craftsy Ann Peterson. I can't remember the name, but she starts you right from the beginning and you finish a wall hanging when you are done. Here is my first piece with her. I had not done much fmq before. The only other I had done was Leah Day.
#20
I agree with everyone else here...practice, practice, and practice some more!
If I had anything to add it would be to make sure you "press down firmly" with your hands while FMQ'ing as this gives you more control.
FYI, GLAD brand Press n Seal is amazing stuff! I would recommend that you use a marker that is similar in color to your chosen thread for the following idea, since I used a red permanent marker and could see a VERY faint...I repeat, VERY faint pink tint in a few places, so maybe use Crayola washable markers or something similar?
I printed out a motif I wanted to use, laid a clear cutting board from the dollar store over it, taped it down over the printed motif, then smoothed a piece of Glad Press n Seal over it and used a marker to trace the motif. Pull it off the cutting board and smooth it onto your block and stitch over it, then tear it off! I don't use this all the time, in fact I just recently used it for the first time on a quilt that was making me nuts. It works, AND it produces fantastic results! lol It also doesn't move until you pull it off, and you can do more than one block at a time and it's still in place no matter how much you move the quilt around.
If I had anything to add it would be to make sure you "press down firmly" with your hands while FMQ'ing as this gives you more control.
FYI, GLAD brand Press n Seal is amazing stuff! I would recommend that you use a marker that is similar in color to your chosen thread for the following idea, since I used a red permanent marker and could see a VERY faint...I repeat, VERY faint pink tint in a few places, so maybe use Crayola washable markers or something similar?
I printed out a motif I wanted to use, laid a clear cutting board from the dollar store over it, taped it down over the printed motif, then smoothed a piece of Glad Press n Seal over it and used a marker to trace the motif. Pull it off the cutting board and smooth it onto your block and stitch over it, then tear it off! I don't use this all the time, in fact I just recently used it for the first time on a quilt that was making me nuts. It works, AND it produces fantastic results! lol It also doesn't move until you pull it off, and you can do more than one block at a time and it's still in place no matter how much you move the quilt around.
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