Free Motion Quilting - - -
 

I think people either have knack for it or they don't.

What do you think?

My personal journey started with my walking foot and straight lines till I got really bored and started looking at other quilts then decided to challenge myself. Next came stippling. I knew the basic principle I had hand stipples a piece once. Never again by hand. So finally I figured if it can be done by hand or long arm I can do it too. So my response is if a person wants to they can it just takes practice practice practice. Granted most of my work is wall hanging size a few cuddle quilts but nothing really big due to my machine limitations. Also if you can follow a line you should be able to do at least some fmq. So much for my hmo.

Practice, practice, practice. I've often told so many people that I just can't believe the learning curve on this technique. I took a class and it seemed we were learning to doodle. So I started meandering and I meandered everything because I felt I could almost get that done. Once I got tired of that stitch, I started looking at you-tube videos, bought a couple of books and I just keep trying. It was a real struggle on a domestic machine even though it had an 11" throat space. I bought a sit down longarm and felt I did better on that machine. I'm still learning and its been over 5 years! There is a definite difference between my first table topper which I still use and my last quilt that I gave away and was pretty proud of how that turned out. I'm so determined to make my quilts - my quilts that I'm sticking with it. Also, I found making lap quilts great practice. It seemed small pieces just didn't let me get in enough practice. People that don't quilt or sew don't even know my FMQ isn't up to par and they are happy to get their quilts.

No I think practice makes a difference. I you were to see my work 7 years ago vs. today it's a huge difference. The journey requires a lot of patience. Results take awhile and some want instant gratification. Took me many years for my stitches to look okay and I am still not the best at it but can be if I had more time to practice

I believe that as with all activities we get better with practice. However you have to know what you are practising. It’s not as simple as lowering the feed dogs, pulling up the bobbin thread and starting to sew. There’s more to it than that.


I wonder for those who don’t seem to have the knack if it’s not from lack of practice; rather they haven’t been taught what to practice.

Yes, maybe that's true, you have a knack or you don't, but more than that I think it's a mental obstacle. If you can overcome your fear of FMQ you can succeed. Success being defined by you, not someone else. Practice will get you there :-)

There's a woman on YouTube that apparently took to FMQ like a fish to water, I've never seen anything like it before! I have to say I was pretty annoyed that the majority of us have to practice constantly and then to find out some people just got it! (Intentional bad grammar). So for those of us who don't have it we just need to keep practicing.

Oh I think they do. I've seen wonders done on a simple domestic machine that I could never duplicate. as it is, I've lost my confidence in doing FMQing. it's been awhile.

I think a lot of it is desire and practice, practice and more practice. I can do it on a small mechanical dinky machine. It takes a little maneuvering to get the entire quilt through, but, I only work on the part under the needle anyway. I have a bigger machine now, Brother PQ 1500 and it is easier to maneuver, but still need practice. I'm satisfied with my progress so far. I've branched out from meandering. I don't enjoy stitching in the ditch, at all. Plus I am not good at it. I think if some people gave it a chance and were willing to put some effort into it, they could probably find at least one thing that works for them, whether meandering, swirls, or something else. People at my quilting group say they are "afraid" to try it. I say "what are you afraid of". They don't know. I offer to show them but they are too afraid.