For those of you that do FMQ on a short or mid arm machine, this is kind of cool. Go to a DIY store and buy a piece of foam pipe insulation. Its about $3.00 for about 8 feet and comes preslit along its length. Cut two 10" lengths. Save the rest.

Put the area you want to FMQ under your machine. Pleat a piece of the quilt close to where you are going to FMQ. Insert the pleated piece into the pipe insulation along its length. Repeat for the other side of the FMQ area. I included pictures so you see what I mean. The pipe insulation makes it easier to grab the fabric and keep it taut when you are FMQing. Its a good tip for people who puddle their quilts.

Leftovers are good for the following:
Make a roller for large pieces of fabric like backing - buy an inexpensive towel rod assembly at the DIY store. Remove the rod and replace with a 1/2" dowel that is cut to the length you want. Put the brackets back on and adhere the brackets to a piece of board cut to the length of the new dowel and brackets. Cut the pipe foam insulation to the length of the new dowel and clip over the dowel. Pin the end of your fabric to the insulation and start rolling.

I THINK you could use it as a very portable small quilt frame. Cut 4 pieces of equal length and insert the sides of your piece.

Use as a weight for the bottom of a free hanging design wall. It keeps the fabric straight and makes it easy to roll up if you have to.

Small pieces can be adhered to a base with hot glue and used to store pencils, scissors, etc, by your machine. You can stick pins in it too!

Great idea!

Good idea. Thanks.

what a wonderful idea great for anyone with arthritus in their hands too

Actually thats what gave me the initial idea - I am only 50 but I can see at some point where my hands will start to hurt - and I'm sure not going to give up quilting!

good idea thanks

Good Idea

Thanks for sharing!

Good idea. I'm going to try to find the pipe insulation. Thanks for sharing. :D

Fantastic idea!

Great idea. And thanks for including the pictures too.

ditto!!!!!THANX
dar :thumbup:

ditto!!!!!THANX
dar :thumbup:

Ditto to the umpths power.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sounds like a terrific idea, thanks for sharing!

Gonna try this one, sounds like it will work for arthritic hands!

This is at Home Depot. Good thing I looked - they have a 1 inch one but it is self-seal - for obvious reasons don't get THAT. And I lied - its actually 6 feet for 2 dollars. Can't go wrong with that price for a sewing notion - hee hee!!!!

Armacell Tubolit 3/4 in. x 6 ft. Polyethylene Pipe Wrap Insulation
Model # OEP07838
Store SKU # 419921

$1.18 /EA-Each

Fantastic! My hands thank you.

Thanks for the tip!

I think this is exactly what I have been needing. Thank you so much!!!!

Great idea!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

What a great idea! My hands just don't work like they used to!

good idea, thank you..

Great tip!!!

Thanks

Clever! :-D

Now that's clever. Thanks very much for sharing.

That could be my theme song. :)

Oh my gosh, what a great tip! Sure saves buying those grip things from the catalogs.

LOVE this idea. Could I also roll some of the quilt up on this? Have you tried doing that?

Will have to try...thanks..

Let me know how you make out with it.

If you make the pipe lengths longer I don't see why not. When I pleated the fabric and clipped the pipe insulation over it, as I moved things around, I did roll some of the quilt over the pipe insulation. i guess it depends on what you want to do.

Very clever!

Very clever!

Great idea, I'll have to try it.

Thank you for the main idea, pictures, suggestions for other uses and store info. We're good to go!

Harbor Freight here I come!!!

THANKS!! It looks like a great solution to puddling.