meandering FMQ pattern
02-04-2010, 06:22 PM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Rural Small Town Ontario
Posts: 1,474
Originally Posted by Rymer
thanks ladies!! I got my quilting foot tonight and I made an attempt....do you have any idea why this is happening? here is a picture of the front and back. any clue? I have a Brother XR52, so I don't lower the feed dogs, I have a plate that covers them.
02-04-2010, 06:23 PM
#12
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,194
Hi Rymer - I have a brother XR-52 also. I do lots of FMQ on it. I'm not an expert but have had the issue you show on the back. I would rewind a new bobbin, change the needle, rethread, make sure the bobbin case is clean (I recently cleaned mine out using the manual as a guide and it was not hard). I also set the stitch length at 0 and don't use that little plate. I found it caused some drag on the quilt. I use one of those silicone slider things with a hole for the needle that covers the feed dogs but you could use a thick piece of vinyl too. Another thing I learned is to try and find the "sweet spot" where your hands and machine are going at just the right rhythm. I don't always get it, but I know it when I do. I have found this machine not to be fussy on what kind of thread I use. Good luck! Will look forward to more pictures.
02-04-2010, 06:39 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 130
Originally Posted by Stitchnripper
Hi Rymer - I have a brother XR-52 also. I do lots of FMQ on it. I'm not an expert but have had the issue you show on the back. I would rewind a new bobbin, change the needle, rethread, make sure the bobbin case is clean (I recently cleaned mine out using the manual as a guide and it was not hard). I also set the stitch length at 0 and don't use that little plate. I found it caused some drag on the quilt. I use one of those silicone slider things with a hole for the needle that covers the feed dogs but you could use a thick piece of vinyl too. Another thing I learned is to try and find the "sweet spot" where your hands and machine are going at just the right rhythm. I don't always get it, but I know it when I do. I have found this machine not to be fussy on what kind of thread I use. Good luck! Will look forward to more pictures.
02-04-2010, 07:10 PM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Pine Grove, California
Posts: 2,816
Having taken a class in FMQ (and failed miserably, I might add), I found out the hard way it is important to use quality thread. I was using my old stand-by---Coats and Clark. The thread continued to break constantly and the underside of my quilting attempts looked like yours much of the time Our teacher said better quality thread would not break because the fibers were longer. Coats and Clark uses short fibers so they can give us better prices.
And, my machine balked when I took her home and refused to sew. I found out my whole bobbin area was plugged up with short pieces of red thread that I had used in class.
Good Luck
I for one am becoming good friends with my long arm quilter for the time being
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
And, my machine balked when I took her home and refused to sew. I found out my whole bobbin area was plugged up with short pieces of red thread that I had used in class.
Good Luck
I for one am becoming good friends with my long arm quilter for the time being
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
02-05-2010, 05:41 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Raleigh, MS
Posts: 1,038
I don't have that same Brother but did sew on a Brother CS6000 for some time. It would do that same birdsnest nastiness from time to time. I have no idea what would cause it but cleaning and rethreading usually solved the issue.
A few things that really helped me get started with FMQ'ing was;
1) Set my machine at a max speed I was comfortable with. I didn't have to worry about keeping it at a constant speed with the pedal only partially pushed down. With my Brother there were only three speed options so I had to learn to like the middle speed but my Bernina has a very wide range of speeds so it's much easier to work with.
2) Practice on fabric sandwiches. Yes paper and pencil is cheaper but it isn't the same movement you use with quilting. With quilting the fabric is your paper and the needle your pencil. I guess if you had a way of having your pencil stay stationary and you moved the paper that would better mimick quilting but the best practice is going to be actual quilting.
3) The gloves do help. I didn't use them at first because I thought I would be aggravated by not being able to "feel" the fabric but that wasn't as big of an issue as I thought it would be. It does take a little getting used to but you'll get used to it quickly and like I said, they really do help.
4) Map out your path of quilting before you start. For example, I just finished a pinwheel quilt. I started in the center and did one square at a time. I did the 4 center squares and then from there started going around them, moving out a row each time I finished a row. (Does that make sense? I hope so.) That way no areas got left or forgotten.
5) I know not everyone does but I start in the center. I'm not the best at basting yet and can't guarentee that my backing is pulled as much as it should be. By starting in the center and working out I push out any wrinkles or folds I might have in the backing.
Okay, lots of rambling, I hope something I said will help! :) Good luck!
A few things that really helped me get started with FMQ'ing was;
1) Set my machine at a max speed I was comfortable with. I didn't have to worry about keeping it at a constant speed with the pedal only partially pushed down. With my Brother there were only three speed options so I had to learn to like the middle speed but my Bernina has a very wide range of speeds so it's much easier to work with.
2) Practice on fabric sandwiches. Yes paper and pencil is cheaper but it isn't the same movement you use with quilting. With quilting the fabric is your paper and the needle your pencil. I guess if you had a way of having your pencil stay stationary and you moved the paper that would better mimick quilting but the best practice is going to be actual quilting.
3) The gloves do help. I didn't use them at first because I thought I would be aggravated by not being able to "feel" the fabric but that wasn't as big of an issue as I thought it would be. It does take a little getting used to but you'll get used to it quickly and like I said, they really do help.
4) Map out your path of quilting before you start. For example, I just finished a pinwheel quilt. I started in the center and did one square at a time. I did the 4 center squares and then from there started going around them, moving out a row each time I finished a row. (Does that make sense? I hope so.) That way no areas got left or forgotten.
5) I know not everyone does but I start in the center. I'm not the best at basting yet and can't guarentee that my backing is pulled as much as it should be. By starting in the center and working out I push out any wrinkles or folds I might have in the backing.
Okay, lots of rambling, I hope something I said will help! :) Good luck!
02-05-2010, 08:51 AM
#17
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 130
Originally Posted by Rachelcb80
I don't have that same Brother but did sew on a Brother CS6000 for some time. It would do that same birdsnest nastiness from time to time. I have no idea what would cause it but cleaning and rethreading usually solved the issue.
A few things that really helped me get started with FMQ'ing was;
1) Set my machine at a max speed I was comfortable with. I didn't have to worry about keeping it at a constant speed with the pedal only partially pushed down. With my Brother there were only three speed options so I had to learn to like the middle speed but my Bernina has a very wide range of speeds so it's much easier to work with.
2) Practice on fabric sandwiches. Yes paper and pencil is cheaper but it isn't the same movement you use with quilting. With quilting the fabric is your paper and the needle your pencil. I guess if you had a way of having your pencil stay stationary and you moved the paper that would better mimick quilting but the best practice is going to be actual quilting.
3) The gloves do help. I didn't use them at first because I thought I would be aggravated by not being able to "feel" the fabric but that wasn't as big of an issue as I thought it would be. It does take a little getting used to but you'll get used to it quickly and like I said, they really do help.
4) Map out your path of quilting before you start. For example, I just finished a pinwheel quilt. I started in the center and did one square at a time. I did the 4 center squares and then from there started going around them, moving out a row each time I finished a row. (Does that make sense? I hope so.) That way no areas got left or forgotten.
5) I know not everyone does but I start in the center. I'm not the best at basting yet and can't guarentee that my backing is pulled as much as it should be. By starting in the center and working out I push out any wrinkles or folds I might have in the backing.
Okay, lots of rambling, I hope something I said will help! :) Good luck!
A few things that really helped me get started with FMQ'ing was;
1) Set my machine at a max speed I was comfortable with. I didn't have to worry about keeping it at a constant speed with the pedal only partially pushed down. With my Brother there were only three speed options so I had to learn to like the middle speed but my Bernina has a very wide range of speeds so it's much easier to work with.
2) Practice on fabric sandwiches. Yes paper and pencil is cheaper but it isn't the same movement you use with quilting. With quilting the fabric is your paper and the needle your pencil. I guess if you had a way of having your pencil stay stationary and you moved the paper that would better mimick quilting but the best practice is going to be actual quilting.
3) The gloves do help. I didn't use them at first because I thought I would be aggravated by not being able to "feel" the fabric but that wasn't as big of an issue as I thought it would be. It does take a little getting used to but you'll get used to it quickly and like I said, they really do help.
4) Map out your path of quilting before you start. For example, I just finished a pinwheel quilt. I started in the center and did one square at a time. I did the 4 center squares and then from there started going around them, moving out a row each time I finished a row. (Does that make sense? I hope so.) That way no areas got left or forgotten.
5) I know not everyone does but I start in the center. I'm not the best at basting yet and can't guarentee that my backing is pulled as much as it should be. By starting in the center and working out I push out any wrinkles or folds I might have in the backing.
Okay, lots of rambling, I hope something I said will help! :) Good luck!
02-05-2010, 12:51 PM
#19
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,194
Hi Rymer - if you put silicone slider into the search bar you will get lots of topics on the mats. Maybe it is something you would find useful, but, if you put the stitch length to zero and leave the little cover off the feed dogs you might find that is just fine too. Maybe we should start the XR-52 club!
02-05-2010, 01:56 PM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Raleigh, MS
Posts: 1,038
I did mean to mention in my earlier post that on my Brother machine, I didn't cover OR lower the feed dogs. I read in many places where it wasn't a big deal to leave the feed dogs up and sometimes it actually helped the machine keep it's tension settings better. So I left them up and couldn't tell any difference.
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