Fleece Backing dragging
 

This is the first time I have used fleece as a backing. I read all the tips I could find here on the QB (many thanks!) before I started.

The only problem I have is it drags terribly across the table (HQ Sweet 16). There is a silicone sheet on the table surface, the quilt is not hanging off the table and I have resorted to using fingertips rather than palms down to reduce friction. This little quilt is making my shoulders ache from the tension.

Advice would be greatly appreciated, especially as I have about a dozen charity tops that have been given to me to quilt and each top came with fleece for the backing.

Agree ... the drag from the fleece was wicked when I did my first one.

My solution was to reverse quilt it .... I did the SITD outline quilting I wanted to do.
The SITD wasn't much of a drag issue because I was straight line stitching.
Then I flipped it over to the backside and did all my FMQing filler background work.
Just be sure to do some marking on the backside as to where your outside edges are,
so you do not quilt into no-man's-land that will get chopped off with the binding.

Of course, this method will not work for all fleece backed quilts, as some you will want/need to
actually "see" your pieced work as you do your FMQing.

Good Luck!

Silicone spray really helps! Pick up a can at a quilt shop or online (i use Sullivans). Shake the can and then liberally spray a clean old sock or soft cloth - then apply to the bed of your machine and the table itself. It wont hurt your machine or your fabric (i know some longarmers who swear by actually spraying the backside of the quilt with it although i have not done that). I even wipe the needle down with it once i am done applying it to the machine and the table. It doesnt build up - in fact it wears off eventually, so if you have a number of quilts with fleece to complete you may find that you need to apply it more than once. I usually back my quilts with flannel and using the silicone certainly makes for a much smoother process!

Have you tried spraying a fabric safe silicone spray on the table? It works great for me, I use it whenever I'm doing FMQ, and the couple of times I've had fleece backing on quilts, I still didn't have any dragging.