FMQ For Absolute Beginners
 

I recently inherited a quilting set-up after the previous owner lost interest (Grace "Gracie" Queen Frame & Juki TL2000Q). I am very much interested in learning free motion quilting. There are SO MANY options and teachers out there. For those of you who FMQ, what is your favorite book, blogger, or teacher you would recommend for a newbie such as myself? 😅

Can't help you with the Grace frame as I quilt on my old Kenmore, but totally envy you!!

I am a vintage collector and user myself! ❤️

I would recommend you google Leah Day. She has some intro videos on her site that will get you started.

You are SO LUCKY!!! :hunf: (Green with envy).

There are lots of good online instructors and books available. Angela Walters is great at teaching FMQ. However, most of the books and teachers end up doing a LOT of stitching... like you would see on show quilts. For me, it's overkill. I just want to get my quilts quilted, not smashed to smithereens by so much quilting. So I take their ideas and come up with hybrids of my own, that involve much less quilting.

The basic 'stipple' and 'loops' are the designs I use most. I have the JukiTL2010Q, but no frame. I just quilt on it like a regular machine. It takes practice to get nice fmq on your quilts. And to get used to how fast to move so your stitch length is good.

One thing I can tell you about the machine is that it's really great until lint builds up in the feed dogs, and then you will have lots of tension problems. To clean the feed dogs you have to remove the foot and unscrew the throat plate, which is a pain. Try and use thread with as little lint as possible so you wont have to do that cleaning as often. Mine goes haywire about every 2 bobbins of thread... but I was using a cotton thread that made a lot of lint. I'm experimenting with other threads right now to see if I can get less lint in the machine.

I agree with sewbizgirl. Just set up a quilt sandwich out of fabric you are not fond of and practice away. A simple meander to me is so much prettier than quilted stiff with close stitching. I have 3 machines and each machine does fmq different. The important part is to dive right in and learn your machine. Congrats on your new set up.

I agree. I have a Husqvarna Viking Mega Quilter on a Grace frame. I just practiced and practiced. usually meander and do loops and have learned a few other things. I don't like the close quilting. I want to be able to cuddle under my quilts.

I am a newbie to FMQ too but I have enjoyed some of Leah Days youtubes that are very basic. I would suggest going to youtube and just searching for beginner FMQ that will help you get some basic ideas and then you just have to put it to practice to develop your style.

COngratulations on the new machine and frame.

That's my issue with some of the FMQ tutorials I've watched. I am not so much interested in an "art project." Not that I dislike art quilts or modern quilts, but I am really just interested in making usable quilts right now. I consider myself an advanced beginner to quilting and piecing. When I was offered this set-up from a family member, I excitedly said, "HECK YES I'LL TAKE IT!" As we began the moving process, I immediately thought, "WHAT THE HECK HAVE I DONE?!" LOL

Thanks to all your responses! Do any of you have any books you would recommend? Or should I just stick with YouTube and jump in?? ��

First advice would be to check out both the Grace and Julie websites to see what information they have. They may have many useful videos and tips. Then check out some of the following people on YouTube :

Leah Day
Angela Waters
Amy Johnson
Lori Kennedy
Patsy Thompson
Linda Taylor
Cindy Needham
Christina Cameli
Anne Peterson


Then try some on your own
When you are ready look into the Craftsy classes and the iquilt classes on machine quilting. I've found most very helpful.

Another quilter who has some good advice is Jamie Wallen. I have used some of his suggestions for my home sewing machine, and I am definitely a beginner level at FMQ

Congrats on your new toy! Just relax, and have fun. After all, it is just a machine!
I saw this video and got inspired. It really fires you up and shows that you CAN do it. http://karensquiltscrowscardinals.blogspot.com/

I practiced on fat quarters. Then I turned those fat quarters into zipper pouches and gave them to friends and family. They didn't seem to mind that my quilting was less than perfect. I also keep muslin on hand to sandwich with batting scraps for warm up and practicing new designs.

Check out APQS tutorials on YouTube. There are lots of other videos there too if you do a search.

Oops, I called her 'Angela Walters' and it's Waters, not Walters...

One thing that will help you more than anything with your movements is to get a doodle pad and draw the kinds of shapes and movements you like. Meander on a few sheets of doodle pad with a marker. In fact, before I try any new design I always doodle it out first to gain my confidence. There isn't a lot of time to think about where you are going next while FMQing, so practice by doodling to get your design set in your head and hands first.

lots of videos here...https://quiltingtutorials.com/tutorials?q=fmq

Wow, this is soooo helpful. Off to check out the teachers!

Totally agree with doodling! I also like to take a picture of my flimsy and then draw directly on it to practice patterns and to test them (I hate frogging -- rippit! rippit!)

Tons of great advice and helpful hints here, I would add:

-Handiquilter has some great videos/tutorials and

- You can put a strip of newsprint or thick packing paper as if it was your quilt by taping it to the end arms of your frame. Then you can tape a marker to the area beside your needle and "practise" free motion quilting.
There is a device you can buy that is meant for similar practise but this is cheaper!

Here is the link to the device so you can get the general idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD6AErE386g

Good luck, and enjoy!

LOTS of good advice here!
I've found what works best for me was to watch as many of the videos as I could and then just practice, practice, practice. I had a lot of old shirts that I cut up and used those for my quilt sandwich to practice. I mostly do squiggles and I try to relax and I just don't care about being perfect cuz in the end no one is going to examine every stitch.

The main thing is to relax and take your time. I don't like to stitch too close so the quilting usually goes pretty fast.

Enjoy!

These are some of my favorites as well. The class that made me attempt feathers is the Cindy Needham class. I did a small wall hanging and surprised myself. I keep trying :-)

Man sewing has great videos for beginners.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...2oJxELoKmCMzX8

I just signed up for Mary Smallegan's free motion quilting class on Craftsy. Don't know when I'll use it but will eventually :). Being a members of the American Quilter's Society also gives you a bit of a discount too and top of sales. Mary's class is designed for your domestic sewing machine - maybe this post will help others.

Only a fool would turn down an opportunity like the one you have. I am very happy for you! I know you'll love this setup as soon as you get over your initial jitters.

A great way to practice is to use preprinted panels or cheater panels...this gives you more design to follow and doesn't require extra piecing to have a quilt top for practice....and you are not afraid to make any mistakes...as it is just practice...they are usually smaller panels also

Let us know how you progress.

Thanks for this link! He has some great videos.

Patsy Thompson definitely...Congrats on your new toy!

I would go with Leah Day that is how I started.

Thank you all so much for the advice, encouragement, and links! I put my big girl pants on today, and reassembled the table. This evening, I believe I'll tackle the carriage and machine, and see if I can get it into position.

I truly am so blessed to have been given this system and set-up. Sometimes, it's good to be the little sister! ��

I wanted to learn to do something besides just loops and meanders. I watched Rob Appell and Angela Waters videos and have been practicing. I loved Angela Waters videos and learned a lot from them. I agree with just making a sandwich and starting in. I wanted to be able to see what I was stitching and didn't have any plain fabric I wanted to sacrifice so i used and old solid green sheet. Stitched with pink leftover thread for good contrast. I'll probably do a couple more "learning sessions" and then start on my quilt. I'm doing the actual quilt in fine neutral low contrast thread so my mistakes won't show as much lol

I love FMQ on my NX2000 DSM. This past year I've been trying hard to get better & better. I study beautiful quilting I find on the web, & try to emulate the parts I like. I watch free tutorials a lot to perfect my techniques. My favorite go-to books are: Dot to Dot, 501 Quilting Motifs by Quiltmakers, Shape by Shape with Angela Walters versions 1 & 2. There's a new one coming out on the 15th that I want to add to my arsenal too. It's called "Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3 by Lori Kennedy with 61 designs & is spiral bound for ease of use. It's on Amazon for pre-order already & you can check out the teasers on what's in it there. I hope this helps. My personal advice would be to make some small projects & just jump in with both feet!! Once you start, it's so much fun you won't want to stop! LOL!! At least that's been my experience! Best of luck!!

I agree that Leah Day is a great FMQ instructor...she also has a few classes on Craftsy that you can purchase to watch over and over. Also, Pat Sloan just released a "beginner" book on FMQing and it looks fabulous.

Check on Craftsy - they have many classes and I would recommend Angela Walters as a great teacher - Leah Day, and Debbie Brown are also my favorites, too.

I like Leah Day and Crafty Gemini on YouTube and on Craftsy I like Christina Camelli and Jacque Gering has two fantastic classes that I just finished on quilting with your walking foot. I've learned so much from her!! Using my walking foot in ways I'd never thought about :)

My favorite is Leah Day.

I also make my practice quilt sandwiches the size that a local animal shelter can use in their cages for the cats. As they said, the cats don't seem to be bothered by any mistakes made and this way I feel I am accomplishing two things, practicing and providing pads for the kitties.

There is a facebook group called Sit Down Free Motion Quilters. Join the group....under files there is a set of lessons taught by Jeanne Harrison. It is called FMQ Sampler. Jeanne Harrison has other lessons but she is wonderful for beginner free motion quilters!!

Thank you for letting me know! I'm in that group, and I didn't even think to check the files in my FB groups. There is a WEALTH of free information at my fingertips!

One of my favorite teachers is Christina Cameli on Craftsy. She has a variety of FMQ classes - Free Motion Quilting Essentials is a good one for starting. She is so easy-going and supportive.

Another teacher is from the Handiquilter group - also on Craftsy, Debbie Brown. Her class Free Motion Quilting with Lines, Curves, and Loops covers all the basics.

One thing to keep in mind is that (to me anyway) there is a world of difference between frame quilting and sit down quilting. So I think you may wish to stick with tutorials that are frame FMQ as opposed to sitdown.

First, you need to review You tube videos on how to square up your backing and top, load the quilt sandwich on the frame, how to advance it properly and ensure you keep your quilt nice and square as you advance. You need to decide if you are more comfortable "floating" your top or securing it to one of the rails (I prefer to secure my top but that is a personal preference).

To me frame quilting is much more natural, I am still moving the "pencil" instead of having a stationary pencil and moving the "paper" which is what sit down FMQ is like. Once you are comfortable with loading the quilt sandwich the best way to get comfortable with your set up is to just practice and play. I definitely got a lot out of doodling and drawing my designs to get muscle memory for the movement. Jump in with both feet and don't be afraid to use this set up. Relax and have fun will get you much further than stressing over "perfection".

That was actually a concern of mine! I probably should review more frame FMQ videos. I found a book amongst all the extras by Linda V. Taylor about long arm quilting. Since my machine is not a long arm, I'm not sure how much of it will apply, though.