Frugal FMQ practicing?
 

I have done hours of practicing on 12"sandwiches with leftover fabric and scraps of batting. I am having a difficult time transitioning from small pieces of practice to a quilt-can't seem to figure out how to move the quilt around easily on my DSM. Would it be of benefit to practice FMQ'ing on old sheets with an old mattress pad or something as the sandwich? Or purchasing a "quilt" from Goodwill or thrift store and just quilt over whatever is there? Or would this not be close enough to replicate the actual quilting technique? I am stuck and I soooooo want to figure this out! :)

Old mattress pads work for the inside of the quilt. I don't think I'd use old sheets unless they are still serviceable. Maybe some inexpensive fabric or something from your stash that you really can't see using for anything else. Try just some large pieces of fabric with some kind of batting inside. After one of those (try WOF by 60" or so) , try a panel quilt (like a baby quilt). Then you can cut up the pieces - use the 12 x 12" squares, and make a rag quilt. You can give it/them away, including the panel quilt. Maybe you've seen John Flynn on a quilting show making a weed whacker quilt from the leftovers from his demos at quilt shows.

Then you should be able to take on a full bed sized quilt.

I bought a quilt at the thrift store for practice, then gave it to the dogs for their crate blanket.

Much of the fmq'g is really learning to control the fabric. First you must learn to sandwich the quilt right so nothing can bunch up in the back, then you need some gloves with the plastic dots on the palm to be able to grip the fabric. Some people use the halos that grips the front and serves as handles to move the fabric around with. I am a pinner myself. I use those plastic covers on the tops of them to insert them in the quilt and a metal and wood pining tool. The extension sewing beds are wonderful and some people use a Teflon sheet to help move the quilt around easier.
Some of the gals here use the spray baste.

Then you mark the quilt and go for it. I don't do the real fancy quilting like some of the gals here can. But, I am pleased with my things when I am finished. After all, these are for use, not a competition show.

There are volumes of books on the quilting process. My favorite is Quilting Solutions. Also, at allpeoplequilt.com there is a few free videos you can watch.

I do have a little grace II for the larger quilts. But, for the really big ones, I send them off to the LA Quilter. My shoulders and knees won't take that many hours standing to finish them.

That to me is the hardest part of FMQ - the big quilts. Most of the shows show the quilters using a small square. Mostly don't show a decent size quilt in a DSM. There are a few videos on YouTube. Leah Day described some kind of contraption where you put hooks in your ceiling and suspend the quilt! Hardly practical, I think. I know everyone says "you are only quilting on the small area under your needle". True that, but, there is the rest of the quilt to keep flowing! The supreme slider sometimes helps, a big piece of vinyl sometimes helps, and the gloves sometimes help. Will look forward to more ideas.

Do you have a local guild? Ours collects charity quilts and many ladies love to piece but there is always a surplus to quilt. Free practice for me!

After FMQ a king size quilt on my DSM, I now send anything larger than twin to the LAQ. Sometimes, I even send twin size. Today, I finished FMQ all the blocks in an appliquéd throw. I just did one block a day and worked on cutting, piecing, or binding the rest of the day. By FMQ the throw one block at a time, I didn't get tired of working. I start with the middle block as that is the most difficult for me. Last year, when I started FMQ, I bought a printed fabric that had FMQ designs, made the quilt sandwich, and quilted away. When I finished, the instructions said, bind and enjoy. Mine went in the trash. It was horrible! Fortunately, I am getting better with practice and now love FMQ.

I sure wish you were here in Poland cuz I have about 30 more to finish--all charity quilts. They are great practice quilts. Actually though, it is really helping me. I'm getting much more confident on the smaller twin size--the larger full/queens are still hard, but the twin size is getting to be breeze. I've finished several in the last two weeks.

I figure charity quilts are are the ultimate practice. Why? Because at least here in Poland, no one cares if it isn't perfect as no one hardly, even knows what quilting is. So, if you mess up, cross lines when you didn't want to, or even get a small pleat in the back..well, do better next time, but keep on keeping on.