I love to hand quilt. I have done small quilts up to a king. But I have some done by Long arm quilters also. It depends on the quilt. I have done one on my machine and that will not be happening again.

I can only do a simple stitch in the ditch or an X through 6 in. squares. The rest of my quilts go to a friend who has a long arm. Will never be able to be creative to come up with a design or relax to do it. To all those quilters who can, you are my heroes.

For free-motion quilting, leave the feed dogs UP on your machine and use a free-motion foot or darning foot. Leaving the feed dogs up allows them to help you regulate the size of your stitches a little bit.

Do you use a walking foot? I haven't done anything but a mini for a swap. I don't know how it's possible to do anything bigger on a sewing machine. I've been reading everthing I can find for ideas and helps. I admire you all who can do this.

I quilt my own. I use stensils and sometimes just go-for-it, hearts and leaves are really easy.

I have a longarm machine. I do all of my own and everybody elses!

[Do you use a walking foot? I haven't done anything but a mini for a swap. I don't know how it's possible to do anything bigger on a sewing machine. I've been reading everthing I can find for ideas and helps. I admire you all who can do this.[/quote]

If you are doing just stitch in the ditch or any other straight stitching then a walking foot helps to keep the upper and lower fabrics from bunching up and wrinkling. For free-motion work, however, a free-motion or darning foot is necessary.

So far I've done everything on my sewing machine. I do know friends that have long arms, that have offered the use of them to me, if I want.

I was doing all mine, mostly smaller in general, on my home machine. It always really hurts one of my wrists to do so on anything bigger than a crib quilt though so I just started renting time on a longarm locally. I get to play and practice and finish my own quilts. It's perfect for me :)

I would love to learn how to long arm. For right now my feather wieght will have to do.