Machine Quilting on Regular Sewing Machine?
#41
9" throat is more then enough....I am a Brother person (only because I have a dealer close by).... They are great machines....I did big quilts on small machines too....Leave the fear behind and jump....you have the right equipment and a bunch of supporters behind you...
Good luck :thumbup:
Good luck :thumbup:
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Snowbird: WI & FL
Posts: 313
Thanks for the website Mimi. I subscribed to their newsletter.
I'm just learning to fmq also so, I'm learning from you all. I don't have any tips to add except I seem to feel more relaxed if I play some music on my I-Pod. Everything just seems to go smoother.
I'm just learning to fmq also so, I'm learning from you all. I don't have any tips to add except I seem to feel more relaxed if I play some music on my I-Pod. Everything just seems to go smoother.
#45
Originally Posted by ssendelbach
I was having the same trouble as you, but here is what I did: I make the quilt sandwich and then cut away the right hand third of the batting only. Use a wavy cut lineand label the top of both pieces of batting. That way you can easily replace the cutout batting when its time. Meanwhile, quilt the center third. You will not have the batting in the throat of your machine as you have cut it out. Turn around and quilt the right side of the quilt. Now, replace the cutaway batting. Whip stitch it exactly in the same place it was before you cut it away. Now you can quilt this third. Easy peasy!
#46
My main tip is that the larger the flat area in back of and beside the machine, and beside you, the easier you'll be able to control the quilt. If you don't have a table mounted machine, you can build up the area with plastic shoe boxes tape, and poster board. Gravity is your enemy and the flat surface supports the weight, making it easier to maneuver. Don't hunch yourself into a tight knot, stretch often, and BREATHE!!!
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,369
9" of space is do-able. i think there are several members who successfully machine quilt on machines smaller than that. my machine quilting is still pretty awful but here are a few things i've figured out as i try to get better. they may not work for you, but they make a difference for me.
1. i roll the part of the quilt that will go through the throat when i'm doing long straight lines. i prop the roll over my shoulder to keep the weight off the machine.
2. if i need to work on an inner section and will need to turn the quilt while i'm "sewing", it's easier if i either scrunch or roll it into a circle around the section i want to quilt. (have you ever seen the paper pouches they use to oven-poach fish on a cooking show? like that.)
3. i had my machine in the bottom right-hand corner of my table. i make sure the space all the way around the table is clear of chairs so that nothing interferes with the movement of the quilt.
4. i try as hard as i can to make the quilt "float above the machine surface. the more weight resting on the machine bed, the more drag there is. if the quilt bunches up too much either behind the machine or to the left, i end up with a "traffic jam". i lose control of the movement and end up with stitches so teeny tiny they are nearly impossible to pick out if it goes too wrong to leave alone.
5. i have not been able to master the skill of moving my quilt around by placing my hands flat on it and sliding it around. even with one of those silicon mats, i can't achieve smooth movement. also, my hands get tired very quickly. so, instead of torturing myself i hold the roll or scrunch up in my right hand while the left is either scrunching some of the excess or it's under the excess, lifting the quilt. (hard to describe.)
6. once i've figured out the best way to hold the quilt, the next critical factor for me is the speed at which i sew. too fast and i not only can't control it but the stitches are waaaaaaaaay too small. too slow and the stitches are huge and the movement gets jerky. (curves become spikes. not attractive. :lol: )
i'd like to believe that my machine quilting would be better if i had a 36" throat. i suspect, though, that it will only improve when i have mastered the art of controlling the sandwich as is passes through and around the machine. until then, i plan to always use threads that match the top and back. that way, the gafooples don't show as much. :lol:
1. i roll the part of the quilt that will go through the throat when i'm doing long straight lines. i prop the roll over my shoulder to keep the weight off the machine.
2. if i need to work on an inner section and will need to turn the quilt while i'm "sewing", it's easier if i either scrunch or roll it into a circle around the section i want to quilt. (have you ever seen the paper pouches they use to oven-poach fish on a cooking show? like that.)
3. i had my machine in the bottom right-hand corner of my table. i make sure the space all the way around the table is clear of chairs so that nothing interferes with the movement of the quilt.
4. i try as hard as i can to make the quilt "float above the machine surface. the more weight resting on the machine bed, the more drag there is. if the quilt bunches up too much either behind the machine or to the left, i end up with a "traffic jam". i lose control of the movement and end up with stitches so teeny tiny they are nearly impossible to pick out if it goes too wrong to leave alone.
5. i have not been able to master the skill of moving my quilt around by placing my hands flat on it and sliding it around. even with one of those silicon mats, i can't achieve smooth movement. also, my hands get tired very quickly. so, instead of torturing myself i hold the roll or scrunch up in my right hand while the left is either scrunching some of the excess or it's under the excess, lifting the quilt. (hard to describe.)
6. once i've figured out the best way to hold the quilt, the next critical factor for me is the speed at which i sew. too fast and i not only can't control it but the stitches are waaaaaaaaay too small. too slow and the stitches are huge and the movement gets jerky. (curves become spikes. not attractive. :lol: )
i'd like to believe that my machine quilting would be better if i had a 36" throat. i suspect, though, that it will only improve when i have mastered the art of controlling the sandwich as is passes through and around the machine. until then, i plan to always use threads that match the top and back. that way, the gafooples don't show as much. :lol:
I so appreciate the experience of those who have gone before. It's invaluable!
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