Free motion quilting with templates
 

I am relatively new (about a year) into FMQ. I have recently bought a BabyLock Symphony and would like to know if anyone has done FMQ with this type machine using the plastic templates I see the long arm quilters using. The advertisements read that they can be used by Mid-Arm Quilting Machines?? The Symphony is classified as a Mid-Arm quilting machine..........................

Maybe someone will have a technique (other than tracing the design with a temporary marker). Normally, the templates are used by mid-arm and long-arm machines on a frame, not a sit down.

I don't know your machine but my thought would be to .............. Try it ... and see for yourself!

Just use one of your cutting rulers and see if it's possible.
The challenge would be whether you can follow along the hard edge of the ruler/template, while FMQ.

I did try using them when I was at a dealer and tried the HQ-Sweet 16. They were wonderful.
That being said, I know I could not have done the same with my DSM, which too, classifies as a mid-arm.

Without trying .... you'll never know!

Longarm rulers are a quarter inch thick and are made to be held against the stationary quilt top, and quilted by moving the machine's foot along the edge. They are very expensive, and I think it would be very difficult to use them doing free motion quilting with a stationary machine.