Free Motion Quilting
 

I'm teaching myself -- or trying to -- to free motion quilt. I have the machine for it....or so it says...a Brother Innov'is 450Q, with the darning foot (which I have not yet worked up the nerve to "break" as Leah Day suggests doing), and have, I think, worked out the tension so I don't get eyelashes. I've set my stitch length to as near zero as possible: 02.

But, boy, am I bad at this! My circles are wonky, I am apparently incapable of stippling, and I can't do pebbles either. I can meander fairly well, and oddly enough I find creating swirls fairly easy, and can make a series of "waves" (that look like cresting ocean waves) that are consistent. And I think I have the speed pretty well understood. A big help was a video by a guy named Rob (right?) who said big stitches were usually caused by slow machine speed and fast moving fabric. On my next attempt I realized he's right. But the line of stitches themselves still sometimes look peculiar, not neat and smooth and precise as I see in the videos. I assume this is a speed problem and I'll get better. I hope, anyway.

The biggest aggravation is the jerkiness that I feel while moving the fabric. I've watched two dozen videos and in all of them the fabric appears to move so smoothly; I see none of the jerkiness or resistance that I'm experiencing. I've sprayed a silicone spray on my machine bed, without much noticeable difference, and have now covered it with wax paper, which is somewhat better. Haven't yet invested in a slider but may in future....if I decide I can actually do this. Right now I'm somewhat obsessed with it. I can't master it but can't leave it alone. It doesn't help that I am a long time amateur artist (I draw and paint)....so feel I should be better at this!

Any tips or hints or suggestions -- or encouragement -- by those who have been where I am?

Is the quilt supported?? Because if the quilt is hanging off the table, that could be drag. You need to support the quilt to your left and behind your machine.

get the slider and the gloves. best investment I made. It will get better.

I found a huge difference between the hopping foot, which I think you are using, and the gliding foot, which is what happens when you "break" the foot a la Leah Day. Although, I bought a FMQ-ing foot that went with my machine, that glides over the surface of the fabric. I also found the slider does make a big difference and I can't work well wihtout the gloves. I cut the index fingers off so I can still work wihtout having to take the gloves off to do things like re-thread my machine etc.
For me, each type of FM I do has a speed that is perfect for it. When I do pebbles, I go at a different speed and move the fabric at a different speed than I do when I do meandering. It's all personal preference.

You're way ahead of me with the spirals. Those things are my downfall...cannot do them, but I'm still trying!

Watson

I agree about the slider and gloves. I actually bought a non-stick oven liner from Wal-Mart. I had to make a cut out for my needle and add some grips to the back (I used that puffy shelf liner, but in strips, and attached to the back). Made a big difference for me! My makeshift slider can wander some, so thinking about getting the actual slider since it has the tacky back. I feel like I finally have some semblance of control, so trying to branch out from meandering. Time/practice really does make a difference as well.

...and don't forget that you should STOP any time you feel uncomfortable and need to readjust the quilt or your hand position. That's my biggest issue. I feel like once I start I have to keep moving no matter what.

I sooo want to be able to free motion quilt also. I think I need to try one of the "non hopping" feet. That hopping really is a distraction to me but I don't want to re-vamp the darning foot that came with my Janome. I'm thinking I should buy a generic darning foot that will fit my machine & try to make it into one like Leah Day's foot. I need so much practice.

Get a drawing pad and pencil and doodle those designs that are wonky. As you practice on paper, you will develop muscle memory and it will become easier to do those designs with the machine.

I think that everyone has one or two free motion designs that come to them easier than others. I couldn't do loops for love or money, but it was easy for me to stipple. Try several designs, then concentrate on the ones that are easiest. You can then branch out to others once you have the basics down.

This is HUGE. Also, just plain stop quilting when you get tired. I can only fmq for an hour max before I and too tense to do it smoothly.

Also, you didn't mention whether you put your feed dogs down? Make sure to put those bad boys down and if your machine doesn't support it, then tape a playing card (preferably the joker) over the feed dogs.

How big is your quilt? Practice with a small quilt or mini. Big quilts are tough.

Leah Day swears by leaving the feed dogs up and setting the stitch length to 0. She indicates she has no tension issues that way. I tried it on my machine, works perfectly. And I don't have to change my tension to go back and forth from piecing to FMQing.

I totally agree with this, the more you practice drawing a design the better it will look when quilting. Jerkiness can often be from hesitation of not knowing where to go where if you draw a design over and over you know the movements. I have a brother and I actually don't mind the hopping foot but also check the height as the thicker the sandwich the more you have to adjust the presser foot height for FMQ. I also agree with the slider( I use a sew slip II) and the gloves. Also having you machine flush in a table creating less drag and this makes a huge difference so keep all that in mind. there are suspender by jenihoop if you have a small table or no flush surface to reduce drag. There are a lot of things that play into the quality of stitching with FMQ. Getting a consistent speed. My problem is when I have to make any turns it is tempting to speed or slow down your hands but if you keep the same machine speed this also leads to sloppy stitches. The drawing practice helps with this so you are unlikely to alter hand speed. One day you will just finally have an AHA moment when you get what is needed to give good results

Oh, right now I'm just doing sandwich squares. I wouldn't subject an actual quilt to what I'm "creating" at present!

Thank you! This is very helpful. What I see online appears to glide, though it also seems to hop. But they are way smoother than I am, though also a lot more experienced, of course. The foot I'm using came with my machine but I'm going to try to find a glide foot. I have some gloves but they are not machiners, just grippy garden gloves...and are too big. They do help....but I hate wearing them. My hands get claustrophobic, ha! Maybe I'll cut out some of the fingers.

Another question: (I'm full of them!) When you use a different colored bobbin thread, does it show at all on the front...or the top thread on the back? I know it's not supposed to and doesn't on my old standby machine, but does on this Brother. I've adjusted everything I can think of and still see tiny loops on the opposite side. It doesn't matter in what I'm doing now but someday I might want to use different colored threads, and I know the rest of you do at times, so I'd like to know.

Yes, I saw that on her intro video (haven't bought the lesson she does). I tried it both ways and the fabric moves better with the feed dogs down. Some say to move the tension way up -- Jenny at Missouri Star Quilt Co. is one -- but when I tried that, it's worse. Someone else said make it looser. Right now mine is about one less than normal and that seems to work.

Thanks, all, for your hints, suggestions, and encouragement!

l teach fmq when l'm in Fla. First, you need to "plan" what you're going to quilt, and practice that on paper or a white board...it builds confidence.lf possible, put your machine into a table,desk, or counter with a cut-out so the surface is flush. Get a slider and some gloves w/grips ( Fonz & Porter ones are inexpensive & come in a couple of sizes). Drop the feeddogs ( l don't care what Leah Day says...try it) . There is a 3 in one floating foot put out by Janome...it has a part you attach to the machine and 3 choices of feet to screw onto it ( a ruler foot, a 'c' foot, and a clear bull's eye.) lt can be adjusted up/down to accomodate tge thickness of your batting with a thumb screw. It'll fit your machine if it has a low shank. As far as the actual sewing goes...practice, practice, practice. Just relax , breath, and do a little every day. By the time a couple of weeks pass, you'll be amazed at your progress!

Try holding only the edge of the fabric on right and left sides with two fingers and moving versus hands flat. I find that works most of the time and relieves stress on arms and neck. I still wear gloves. Practice is the best and you seem determined which is great, it does get easier in time. I have filled a few notebooks to learn different shapes, still not great but getting better. Good Luck

1. Tension at 0, feed dogs down/covered
2. Machine bed flush with tabletop
3. Supreme Slider
4. Machingers
5. Quilt Suspenders
6. Crayola Ultra Clean markers to mark design on quilt top before layers
7. New Sharp Needle with every quilt, size 80 Quilting/Microtex
8. Aurifil thread
9. Sketch out stitch path on paper first to build visual memory
10. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

You don't mention putting the feed dogs down. Try them down it does make the fabric glide better. I followed Leah Day and with one of my machines free motion world following her instructions with another machine it only works smooth
y with the feed dogs down. Also you need plenty of practise with bigger samples as the weight from a quilt and the sheer area to be quilted, stop and starting etc all make new problems. Also marking the quilt and following a pattern makes a new problem.
keep trying it comes eventually.

As for the slider...I found in the infant department at WalMart a slider that sits on a high chair tray to make clean up easier. It appears to be the same as my "slider", but I need to cut a hole in it for the needle to pass. It was less than $5. Will let you know how it works when I quilt my Irish Chain this week.

Sounds like you're on the right path. I agree that you need to doodle... a lot... to develop muscle memory. You need to be able to 'see' where your design will go next. I've been FMQ for about 6 years. I was too stubborn to buy the white machingers gloves, thinking they were too expensive, so I wore out a pair of F&P from JAF and then went to rubber coated garden gloves. I recently broke down and spent the $9 on a pair of machingers. Let's just say there's a reason so many quilting teachers wear them... They are wonderful.

The supreme slider really makes a difference, but I find things move more easily when I make a conscious effort not to press down when I'm quilting. A light touch is much more effective for moving the quilt. When I'm tense, I find I'm pushing down too much and it's harder to move the quilt smoothly.

One final note... the size of your practice sandwich... I find it hard to get smooth designs when the sandwich is too small. My preferred size is about the size of a fat quarter. It's hard to move smoothly when it's any smaller. When I teach FMQ, the shop provides the practice sandwiches for class, but they are about 12" square. Very difficult to get much real practice on anything that small. The center 6 inches go smoothly, but the outer 3 inches all around are difficult.
I try to use the same color top and bottom, and the same weight of thread. It helps minimize tension issues, and the little bits of bobbin thread showing on top. Also remember that small dots will likely disappear when you wash your quilt.
Good luck and keep trying. Moving onto a utilitarian quilt will boost your confidence. Each quilt is a snapshot of what you're capable of at the time. Keep quilting and move on. You can only get so far on practice sandwiches.

I FMQ with the feed dogs down and sometimes do an actual grasp of the quilt on both sides. My biggest problem is when I really get going sometimes the quilt catches on the end of the machine extension. I have to be sure a large area is free and watch as the quilt moves toward the needle.

I found that FMQ on the frame is different from FMQ on the domestic machine. In my case, I learned keeping the tension on the loose side is best due to the speed ...my machine does something over 1500 stitches per minute, which puts strain on the thread. The video by Jamie Wallen (hope the spelling is right) has been a big help...he shows how to determine the correction tension in the bobbin (since we use threads of different weights) and then adjust the top tension accordingly.

Bree has itemized some very good information..

Check out this page, this is how I started on advice of another quilter instructor, didn't take long until you have mastered your quilting, and practice doodling on paper - I found the hardest thing was quickly thinking of the next direction to go...

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q...&q=mctavishing

Look at the tutorials on the following -(she starts at the beginning of our sewing then where to go next - right to the end) "https://www.theinboxjaunt.com"

A couple pieces of scotch tape will hold that liner in place and comes right off both machine and liner.

This is something that works for some machines and not others. I have three Brother machines and they all work best at FMQ with the Feed dogs Down.

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The key is "muscle memory". It takes at least 8 hours spread out over time to master FMQ. Don't give up!

Do you mean Rob Appell of Man Sewing. I watch him whenever he has a new video and have learned a lot. Jenny Doan of MSQC has some FMQ also.

I have no advice, as I am also teaching myself to free motion, all I can say, is hang in there. I did a couple of samples, 12 inch to fat quarter size, then I started on a table cloth. That way, I always have proof of my progress, and it is my table cloth. I will use it and will be able to how much I have progressed. I suppose, it is probably 86 or so by 72 or so. That way I know how a full quilt will handle under the machine. It seems that I always break the rules, I even used variegated thread, which I have heard is a big no no, when learning. But I think my table cloth turned out pretty awesome. My husband and family like and I am proud of it. I have never figured out how to post pictures, or I would post on here. Just keep trying and be proud of yourself. I know you can do it.

>>>>My preferred size is about the size of a fat quarter. It's hard to move smoothly when it's any smaller.<<<

This is a good idea. I did make squares measuring about 12 inches and already see the problem you mention. I'm just going to sacrifice some fat quarters -- I have a lot of them! -- for my future practice sessions.

Good to know that the little dots will probably disappear when washed. I am seeing some difference in practice squares but am still a long way from an acceptable level. Thanks for the encouragement! It's always interesting to me to realize later what I didn't know when I was trying to learn something. It helps to hear others' experiences.

I would suggest the piece be around 20"x20" and just keep practicing it does get better I can guarantee that. The videos are people who have been doing this for a while

Yes. His video was helpful, and I liked his enthusiasm. Also, I love a man who sews! And cooks!

I watched Jenny's video, which is actually her daughter, who seemed very skilled. But her daughter's hair in her eyes nearly drove me to distraction; I could hardly watch what she was doing for wanting her to brush her hair back, lol!

Very helpful numbers from Bree! Can't do machine bed flush with tabletop simply because I don't have that arrangement...yet.....but can arrange for all the others. I'm getting used to wearing the gloves and even the cheap garden grippers I have make a world of difference.

>>>>I found the hardest thing was quickly thinking of the next direction to go...<<<<

Yes! So glad you said this. I was astonished at how flummoxed I felt by this at times. I tried a star yesterday and for the life of me couldn't decide how to do it, though I've drawn probably a million of the kinds children do, over the years. I finally had to draw it with a pencil and then could do it with the machine.

Thanks for the link!

Practice, practice, practice. The more you do, the better you will feel about it. If possible, make some placemats or table runners. The smaller size is easier for you to handle and will help you get the feel of movement and speed.

I might have missed it but I didn't see what size quilt you are trying to work with. Larger quilts may cause drag that some of the videos may not be showing because they are working with smaller projects. I have my quilts fairly well supported but still get drag sometimes.
It sounds like to me you are doing well so far. It may just take more practice to get those designs you would like to use in your free motion quilting.

Sorry but had to share a funny thought. By your way of thinking, since I have tightened screws around the house, I should be a great car mechanic right? Lol. Just be parient with your self, you are learning a completely new skill, and that takes time. How did you drive the first time you tried? See? I believe in You. Hugs.

The difference between good FMQ and not-so-good is lots of PRACTICE. There's no shortcut. Just FMQ a bunch of potholders, mug rugs, quilt-as-you-go squares, or whatever before you tackle a big quilt. And don't be too hard on yourself! Everyone has this learning curve to conquer.

Thanks, madamekelly! Yes, I know.....I do think because I can draw and paint I should be able to do this....and then I remember how difficult it was learning to use paint instead of pencil or charcoal.

I was -- and was not -- prepared for the size of the learning curve. But I'm encouraged by all of you, and by my efforts, poor as they are at present.

Thank you all!

You've gotten tonnes of good advice so far, but I figured I would chime in, too.

There is no quick fix - as others have said, practice is key. However, my FMQ skills have taken big leaps forward with relatively little effort two times, both due to changes in my quilting equipment.

First, when I switched from a hopping foot to a gliding foot, my quilting suddenly became smoother. Seriously, it was incredible what a difference that small change made. "Breaking" a foot, Leah Day-style, should have the same or similar effect if you don't have a floating option on your machine. Since you say you're experiencing jerkiness, I strongly suggest investigating this option.

Second, when I switched from Machingers to using the Martelli gripper ring to move my fabric, my quilting improved again. I became instantly more capable of keeping my stitch length uniform(ish), and my overall control was better. It was especially noticeable in patterns with straight line segments. I was also able to quilt for longer without my hands getting tired and cramped, so there was more opportunity for practice. Interestingly, I didn't realize I was having such a problem with fatigue and cramping until after I started using the gripper ring.

Those were the big things that helped me. I also found that doodling (creating muscle memory) was valuable, and reducing the maximum speed of my machine so that I could "floor it" all the time and be going at the right speed. This allowed me to focus on my hands, without worrying about what my foot was doing.

Good luck! It sounds like you're on the right track. Keep practicing, and you'll get it!

I found slowing down the speed really helped me. You can increase speed and you gain muscle memory. Also look ahead of where you want to go. Follow other hints given on this board too.