...but I'm scared :lol: What thread do I use? I'm assuming I need a free-motion foot...right? What stitch length? When I start stitching do I go forwards, backwards and then onward?

Does anyone know a great stipple tutorial?

Help? :lol: :shock:

http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/

This website has some good tutorials, you can use whatever thread you like, sulky, aurifil, isacord, king tut, tension is dependent on your machine, most set it at 0 but I have a higher end machine where it is different.

Leah day also has some good tutorials

http://www.daystyledesigns.com/

Also the slider and machingers are worth the price, they make it a lot easier to move your quilt

Don't be afraid. Start small and don't sweat it. Some things I do for myself is #1 put on some good music #2 wear some gloves or whatever is best for you to grip the fabric. It really does make all the difference. #3 Have fun with it! If this is something that you really want to do you will learn as you practice & will surprise yourself to no end. =) EnjoY!

I didn't have good luck with the slider...But I do like the vinyl cling stuff...but I also did it without anything.

One thing is to not tense your shoulders or you will get really sore and miserabe. Drop the feed dog and run the machine at a fairly fast rate but not super speed. As mentioned by RKayD, gloves can be worn. If you don't have an embroidery foot it would be a good investment.

Use whatever thread that you normally use for quilting...50 weight cotton is probably the best choice until you get comfortable. Yes you need a free motion foot, also called a darning foot. Many machines have them, but if not you can buy one. Doesn't matter what stitch length because you will determine that with the speed of your movement.

Patsy Thompson was a great suggestion - go to YouTube and enter her name, she has a number of great tutorials on there and you can actually WATCH her free motion which will help.

Also a blog called "The Free Motion Project" is a good one. The author has come up with hundreds of free motion designs you can practice.

My advice is, JUST DO IT! Waste no time being nervous, you're going to mess up, we ALL have. But practice is experience, you will get it! :)

Oh - and on the backwards forwards question - why don't you do this to practice...make a sandwich of inexpensive scraps or muslin, and just play. You move your quilt sandwich around, so you can go forwards, backwards, frontwards, anywhichwayyoupleasewards. ;) That's the FUN of free motion!

All great advice! I learned quilting years ago, all by hand. I have been teaching myself the last 2 or 3 years to machine quilt, with the help of books, articles, and tutorials, and the last year or so I joined a group at my lqs. At 1st, I just googled free motion quilting techniques, or free tutorials on fmq, there is a ton of good info on it...one of the best things I ever did was start basting my quilts with 505 basting spray...I only use 505, and it is so much easier than pin or thread basting! Here is a link to one of the best videos I have found, it is actually a series of 4 videos...this is the link to the 1st one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39I5A3iyCtw
Good luck to you,
Kif

Thanks! I'm nervouS to fmq too!!

Just don't expect perfection from yourself at first. You gotta allow yourself to screw it up and then you have to press on. That's the point most people will give up but don't! It's much like dancing. If it were so easy, everyone would do it. But the more you practice, the better you will get.

Good luck!

Go to Leah Day online. http://www.daystyledesigns.com/
She has lots and lots of free videos to watch with many different free motion designs, and she shows you how to adapt your darning foot. So it works great for FM. You will love her site.