I just cant get it!!!!
 

I have watched a gazillion FMQ videos and tutorials, wont even post my "trial sandwiches", will I ever ever get the hang of it..............arrrrgh!!!!

do not give up and have Faith it will come to you. I have praticed a little ont he juki I just bought and going to do a whole project on it soon.

Keep practicing.. I thought I wasn't getting it, but then all of a sudden I noticed it happening.. I used different colored thread to go over the practice pieces, just to get used to the motions.. I take new sandwiches to evaluate the quality.
Barri

I have gained a lot of confidence stitching feathers and more from Patsy Thompson videos. Her website is http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/ She is very good-if I can do it, anyone can. You can see portions of her teaching on youtube.
Have fun!

It does take time. I have the basics down an am now practicing feathers. My brain is having a hard time with feathers because my brain wants to make them "logically" (stem up, then form top of feather and loop down - instead of forming bottom of feather then looping up). So I'm practicing at work while on the phone doodling so I get the "muscle memory" at least of the sequence. I don't know why feathers are kicking my butt, but they are, and I'm determined to kick it's butt!

My daughter and I have learned a lot from Leah Day. We bought her kit with the Supreme Slider, gloves and bobbin washers. We also have switched to using Isacord embroidery thread to FMQ with, she recommends it.

Neenee

Grammy, I'm right there with you. I've been trying and practicing for 2 yrs (think FMQ was my first question on this board) and it still hasn't "clicked". The only way I can machine quilt is to draw the quilting lines with chalk and templates and then straight sew on the lines. I've always assumed it was a Senior Blonde thing with me--I'm so glad I'm not the only one who can't get it!

hey, don't knock yourself out.....even those of us who longarm had trouble FM at first and somedays still do!!!!!!!I am sure we use chalk and templates occasionally too - at least I admit to doing that. Do what you want to the way that works for you...........enjoy the process.......make it your own.....

Grammy1231, I totally understand what you are saying!!!! In every practice piece I have made, there are a gazillion mistakes and it always looks awful to me. I recently tried Free Motion Machine Embroidery, also known as thread painting. I fell in love and has boosted my confidence ratio sky high. I recommend trying it. It is similiar, yet different from FMQ yet you are learning how to control all aspects of your thread, material...plus your hand coordination, your machine speed. Check out Patsy Thompson, Terry White and Nancy Prince. Plus there are a lot of other videos on You tube on FMmachine Embroidery. I hope this helps.

Don't try to rush it and it will come to you. I tried and tried and tried and tried, then it clicked and I have been doing it ever since. I like to use good FM gloves, and I cut the fingertips out.