I am having a tough time with my free motion too..... I am going to get "The Slippery Slider".....that looks like it might help.

Gloves! I use some rubber coated that my husband got a work. I don't even try to FMQ without them. Also, to practice, I made a sandwich of a fabric with lots and lots of designs on it - and tried to outline each. It makes you slow down and pay attention. Writing names or words on your sandwich helps too. Relax, slow down and enjoy.

Go on line to free motion quilting. They have videos. Here is what I set up. Drop feed dogs. Run machine at med. speed. Move hands slowly and consistantly. Use a size 70 or 80 needle. Good luck!

I just started quilting a few months ago (self taught and FMQ was the one thing I feared most. I began with SID and really wanted to learn how to FMQ. I watched Leah Day's video and followed her directions. She said not to be afraid and just go for it and by the time you finished a quilt, you would know how to do it...she was right. I just practiced for a short time on small squares and one day just decided to take a small quilt and begin. I was really nervous, but it turned out good. Also, in my experience, having more than a dozen machines,they are different and some of them FM better than others. I also followed advice from this Board, which is absolutely wonderful...everyone is so supportive. You will learn...just don't give up.

I'm just starting to learn FMQ, but I haven't tried it on a quilt yet. I've got sandwiches made and need to start practicing on those. One tip I read was to have a glass of wine before you start! Now, I don't drink, but I think the point is to get as relaxed as you can. I liked someone else's idea of humming. I might try putting on some songs I like and singing along. Maybe that'll take my mind off the worries I have. We're all in this together! Ten years from now we'll all go back and read these remarks and say can you believe I ever thought FMQ was hard? It's a piece of cake!

Gripper gloves are sooo helpful! I won't FMQ without them!
Be sure your feed dogs are down. Give yourself permission to not be perfect - It's like riding a bicycle- you will get the rhythm and it will become easier.

There's a website I go to where you can see new FMQ designs. I think the name is Leah Day. I'm trying to learn FMQ and at first it is very herky jerky. I can manage to write my name and go a little (leaves, swirls, etc) but nowhere near ready to do it on anything special. Just keep practicing. That's my goal for 2011.

Lynn

I feel your pain! I just starting piecing quilts about a year ago and actually quilting them a few months ago. I agree with all of the comments, especially the slowing down, practicing, and starting small. I just finished quilting 8 lap quilts (all different) and each one was better quilted than the last. I also used stencils to mark and stitch on different areas of the quilt. Then I would fill in around with free motion meandering. You don't have to stitch exactly on the lines, they will disappear or wash out if you use the right products; but often the eye will hit the perfectly formed hearts, feathers, swirls etc. and the whole quilt looks good. The most important thing for me in the beginning was the color of thread on the fabric. As a beginner, it was important to me to not have the actual stitches show much just the puffing. I learned to use a lighter translucent color thread to match the fabric. Happy Quilting!

The first time I tried FMQ, I did just what you're doing . . . made a few samples and then did it on a Downy quilt. (I hate practice that doesn't turn into something real, and so I did it on a Downy quilt.) First, I set up my laptop next to my sewing machine, and then I watched tutorial after tutorial from this blog:

http://www.daystyledesigns.com/365difficultymain.htm

I watched the tutorial, then decided if it was something I could do, then I did it. I did something different in every block. It worked out fine. My designs didn't always look anything like hers, but they weren't bad.

Finally . . . I was very forgiving of my work. If you expect too much from yourself on your first try, you'll get discouraged and give up. That would be a shame because you would be depriving yourself of the experience you need to become really good at it.

I'm not an expert, I'm not even very good at it, but I just keep trying. If I don't like the look of what I end up with, I look the other way.

I 'am having a hard time to, so while I practice on scarp 3 layers thick, I hand quilt my good quilt's for now. Scared in Buffalo NY.
Also all this snow gives me lots of time to stay home and try.