fmq question
 

Good Morning! When I am fmq and stop to adjust my hands, my needle is in the down position. When I begin again, often my needle (or fabric?) will shift a bit giving me a wonkly line. I've read to take an extra stitch when I start up again and I am holding my fabric securely. Anyone know what mistake I am making or how to correct this? I am using a Juki TL2010Q. Thanks!

Make sure that there is absolutely no tension or drag on your fabric anywhere before you start up again. If the sides of your quilt are hanging off anywhere it will cause your work to shift each time you lift your hands.

Watson

I try to make sure that when I start up again that my fabric doesn't move, it doesn't always work but it's not that noticeable. I'm not sure why it does that, but I do know that it's not because of tension or drag, at least not when I restart.

I have the same problem, and despite everything I do, it still happens. It's not really visible in the finished product, but it just really bugs me.

Awareness is the first step, to correcting the problem. Good for you!

Agree, an extra stitch is not so wrong.
Also, watch that you don't start moving the sandwich before the machine is stitching.
The biggest part to success is always ..... the age-old practice, practice, practice!! :)

Here’s a YouTube video from Helen Godden that might be helpful

https://youtu.be/BcvFkpjONT0

I still have that issue now and then. All above good suggestions. Sometimes it just takes a lot of practice.

even when not doing FMQing, i tend to take a stitch in place when making any turn.

For the most part I don't have this problem too often. Keeping my foot off of the foot pedal when stopped helps a lot.

Practice stopping and starting on a scrap quilt sandwich.
 

After you stop to adjust your hands and you are ready to stitch again, try not to hold the fabric too taunt. See if relaxing your hands makes a difference. Take a stitch or 2 in place and then move the fabric slowly with the speed of the needle going up and down. Try this on a practice sandwich and see if this helps you.

I try to stop in an inconspicuous place so if that happens it isn't as noticeable. By inconspicuous I mean a busy print or possibly in a seam.

I find that when I stop for some reason, sometimes the fabric has shifted as I readjusted it. With the needle in the fabric, lift the presser foot. If the fabric shifts just a bit, that's what I am talking about. That little shift may ruin your pattern. So be sure that the fabric is laying smoothly with no pressure on the needle before you start sewing again.