I have never tried free motion. I cannot draw at all. So my question is do you outline the pattern before you quilt? If so, how, what tool, etc.? I want to quilt stars on the denim I am using for the twins quilts. My new sewing machine will FM and I also have a walking foot. So should I just use the WF and outline a star from a pattern? Please help me as I want these quilts to be very special. A step great aunt (of the twins) is a LA quilter and while I know I cannot compet with her, I want to do the best I can.

I think, I'd trace off the pattern...

Maybe practice on some mug rugs to perfect things before you go to your twin masterpieces!!

Correct me if I'm wrong .. for FMQ, I believe you use the darning foot, and not the walking foot.

You would not use a walking foot for FMQ. You use a darning foot and lower the feed dogs. if you are doing straight lines or gentle curves, then use the walking foot.

I guess I did not make myself clear, sorry. I have both WF and darning foot and can do either way. Wondering which was best for a simple star.

I would use a regular B foot and just follow the outline...
Shape turns with the walking foot wouldn't be your best foot to use...And unless your really good with FM and can regulate your sittches I'd opt out of that one

The problem with using your walking foot to do star is, you will need to turn the quilt several times to do a star outline. If the quilt is small, it shouldn't be too hard to turn. If you use your FM foot, it allows you to do a star without turning the quilt around. It is fairly easy to do the stars with the lines going through the middle (like in grade school) and put a couple of loops and then another star and so on. It would help if the top has squares that you can put a star in each square.

To do straight line quilting, use your walking foot and feed dogs up. To FMQ, you need a FMQ foot or Darning foot and feed dogs down. The whole idea of FMQ is quilting without stencils or pantographs or drawing on your quilt. Do alot of practicing on paper first to get the hang of your design, do it without lifting your pen/pencil. Then make up some practice quilt sandwiches and do alot of practicing on that before going to your quilt. Just remember when you are FMQ.... relax and breath. If you feel like you are getting tense, stop for a while. They say drinking a glass of wine before FMQ helps. I dont like wine. But you get the idea. Most of all, have fun with it. Enjoy!

Tartan had a good point regarding having to turn your quilt with your wlaking foot on. If its a large quilt its a pain, but being new at FMQ may not be the best choice for trying tomake a straight line.