FMQ on a regular machine
 

I'm in awe of all of you who are able to FMQ a full size or even larger quilt on a regular sewing machine. With the weight involved, how are you able to keep it continuously feeding through? How do you deal with the bulk? I find it difficult even doing FMQ on a lap sized quilt, in spite of using all the bells and whistles which are supposed to help with the friction issues. I have a quilting frame and setup, but it's in storage and inaccessable at the moment, and it'd be nice to use my small machine for some tops I've made recently. Thank you in advance to anyone who might have some expertise in this area!

I now have a longarm, so that's one solution. But before I got a longarm, I quilted in sections. Marti Michell's book, Machine Quilting in Sections, was what got me started, and I found that it worked great. She explains several different methods in her book and shows examples of why you would use one method on one quilt and another method on a different quilt.

Make sure the quilt is supported all the way around, if your table is not big try setting up another table or even your ironing board to help support the weight. It is impossible to get nice even stitches if half your quilt is dragging on the ground.

go to Leah Day's web site. she has a FMQ quilt along plus a lot of other things on her site. she'll answer all of your questions.
http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

Definately quilt in sections!!!

Ironing board to my left to support the bulk of the quilt, lights on bright, and pedal to the metal! I am still relatively new to fmq, but I have stippling down pat...LOL. I smooth out a section, quilt, move quilt and smooth out, quilt, etc, etc. It definitely takes a while, but so much cheaper than taking to LQS to be long armed.

My machines have a 9" throat and I don't have a problem quilting on them. I've probably quilted about 93 quilts crib size to queen or maybe even larger. I just do a large stipple or meander. Desire to do it is all I needed.

I hear of quilting in sections, plcing batting on only a part of the quilt and adding as you go. Haven't tried it though

I found the biggest help was going to walmart and buying the "stickest" pair of gardening gloves I could find. I also work in sections!! Practice Practice Practice!!!!!!!!!!! Try adjusting an ironing board or another table to the proper height and have it sit on your left (right handed) so your project is supported. Hope this helps.

I use Jaws from Quilt in a Day to hold the bulk of the quilt that goes in the throat. You simply roll the quilt & put the Jaws around the quilt. I bought both sizes & they are large enough to hold a queen size quilt. Great product.[ATTACH=CONFIG]311742[/ATTACH]