While you were posting this I was sitting on the sofa with my dry erase board on my lap practicing drawing designs sideways. :thumbup:

OK, 24 hours later, and here's my status with this...

This is kind of HARD! I've been doing pretty well with FMQ with the machine stationary and moving the fabric; feeling pretty confident with it...but this is a whole different ball game...

I'm having a couple of problems (besides lack of coordination):

1. The machine doesn't move very smoothly on the tracks; the wheels seem to have some uneven "resistance", not to mention the little bump where the two pieces of track meet. Is there some kind of lubricant that one is supposed to use on the wheels? Or just keep everything clean? (This didn't come with any instructions...)

2. I'm getting "eyelashes" on the back of the quilt in varying degrees. This doesn't happen with this machine when FMQ, so I must be doing something to affect it, but what? I'm going give the machine a thorough cleaning, rethread it again, check the tension, and try some different thread to see what I can figure out too.

Help!

I checked for any indication that the "eyelash" problem I'm having is related to this, but it doesn't seem to be...

I am still a little unclear on this though, and hoping you can explain a little further. When doing a design that includes loops, circles, feathers, etc. I seems to me that for part of the design the machine would be going left to right, and the other part (half of a circle for instance), I would be going right to left regardless of which direction I am traveling over-all.

Thanks

I've heard you have to do this with sewing machines that have been converted to quilting machines...the needle gets deflected away from the hook and the hook can't grab the thread from the needle to make the stitch. Makes it a bit more difficult to quilt. A machine that is designed to quilt only doesn't have this problem, probably built differently in the hook area, so quilting in any direction is easier. You may be able to adjust the timing of the machine to help with this. Also, if you go very slowly when going backwards, the needle may not deflect so much and you can get the hook to grab the thread to make the stitch.

You lucky quilter. Have fun with it. congrats.

Try cleaning the wheels and rails with rubbing alcohol - that's what I use on my LA.

When you have a problem with the thread on the back, your tension on the top is off - eyelashes would mean your top thread is too loose compared to your bobbin tension. Loops on the top mean your bobbin tension is too loose. Weird that it's backwards...but that's what the experts say! Superior Threads has some great educational information on their website about it - http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/

I only do fmq, large stipple or meander on my table top Juki TL98Qe and I go frontwards, backwards, left to right and right to left and about the only time I break a thread is if I hit a thick seam or move the quilt too fast.
Good luck and enjoy.

Good luck!!

I clean my rails and use a powder graphite bought in the local hardware store on them. That keeps things moving nice.

eyelashes on back are you "speeding around the corners, circles" As hard as it is, try to slow down as you make your curves, especially if you are getting the eyelashes on the curves. This should improve the eyelashes.