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I agree with everyone about practice...practice...practice....but there is one thing I would add. Not only put on music, but sing along. When you are singing, you automatically breathe. You are probably holding your breath which is also causing you to tense up your shoulders and neck.
Since I can't carry a tune, I use my iPod and warn my DH that he may want to leave the area!!!. :-D |
I just did my FMQ and its not easy, but stick to it. Practice is the key. Also, take a break so you don't get frustrated. Mine is not perfect, but am happy I actually started on it.
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Originally Posted by carolaug
What happen...just try and have curvy lines and do not have the lines touch. Don't be afraid to take many breaks. Very important to be relaxed...a glass of wine...LOL here are some videos that you may find helpful http://www.thriftyideastoday.com/201...-quilting.html
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Try drawing a pattern of stippling or your design of choice on tissue paper and pin it to your practice piece and try to follow the lines. At first it is practically impossible but soon you'll get the hang of it. If you get frustrated quit for the day and try again later.
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Relax, play some music and take your time. Keep practicing. I spray-baste my quilts so I don't have to stop to remove pins or smooth out wrinkles and I wear lightweight rubber-coated gardening gloves while I'm guiding my quilt under the needle. Have fun with it and you'll see improvement each time you try again :)
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Oh, I can so identify with your dilemma. I am still stitching in the ditch or outline stitching, but did try some hearts on a rag quilt and it worked very well since I was only working on one block at a time. Let's both keep trying. Am going to join the quilting guild in my town and get someone to let me watch them for a while. Maybe that will help.
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Originally Posted by feffertim
Just tried my first attempt at FMC today (on a practice piece) What a disaster, how in the world do people do this. I don't think I will ever get this. I have the books too. Couldn't even do stippling
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Keep practicing. Get some old fabric and just go at it. You are a WV girl and you should have a lot of "grit in your craw"; therefore, I know you can do it. PM me if you need some personal encouragement.
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The main thing is to learn to coordinate your machine speed and the movement of your hands. It seems so hard at first but then suddenly you're getting it. Don't give up.
Do you have your feed dogs down? And be sure to set your stitch length to 0 and your presser foot pressure to 0 if you have this control. Be sure to practice on quilt sandwich practice squares. And please, please wear a pair of Machingers! Very helpful to keep control of your quilt sandwich Dana |
Originally Posted by meemersmom
You really will get the hang of it. Just keep at it. My first practice piece started out a disaster, but ended up kinda okay. I could definitely tell where I started and where I finished...LOL!! Next couple of pieces went great. Now, I'm trying to FMQ (just stipple) a queen sized quilt, and I have been thru 4 pkgs of needles -- I keep breaking them, and I can figure out why. Have rethreaded, changed needles, checked/adjusted tension, quilt not caught on anything, etc (I even tried another machine!!!). The needle keeps hitting the throat plate and breaking. So, I put it away for now, and will try again another day.
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