machine quilting. blergh.
 

do not like.

tips and tricks? i've read so many of them i feel like a ticker tape of how to.

but i don't like it. i like how fast it is, but the process?

no.

aileen

are you refering to machine quilting with your domestic sewing machine?
it takes practice, practice & more practice.
best to start with small projects & work your way up to larger & larger pieces-
it is important to support the weight of the quilt as you manuver it.
there are lots of videos/tutorials on machine quilting & some quilt shops offer classes

I agree that it takes a lot of practice, one article I read said 20 minutes every day for 4 to 6 weeks. I am very sure that there are folks who were successful on their first attempt, but for the rest of us, I think the estimate is valid. I think part of it for me was figuring out the best way (for me) to work with a large quilt. I didn't like it rolled, I liked it puddled.

I bought a quilting machine - Quilter's Star, I think a White, not sure- small throat in 2002. It was a joke but, it did Sew a beautiful stitch, I quilted double bed size quilts, many of them. I bought a Juki TL98QE, no extension table. I loved it quilted many quilts until after a year, the motor burned out. I immediately bought another same machine. It has been in use for 5 years quilting many, many quilts.
I was determined to machine quilt, I love it and have made so many quilts and quilted so many with it. I just practiced as I went, nothing fancy, just a large stipple. I love machine quilting.

If you don't like it, then you don't like it. Don't torture yourself just because you think you're "supposed" to do or feel something. Maybe you could tie your quilts instead, or send them out to be quilted. I have a good friend who does not like to piece. She LOVES to quilt, however. So she trades services with some of her close friends - they piece a top for her, and she'll quilt a quilt for them.

what don't you like about it

My quilting world changed when I discovered Long Arm professionals... I have always loved the piecing part .. but the quilting of a large quilt on my regular machine... just a painful experience. I even looked for the batting with the largest recommended distance... just so I would not have do do as much... but never was happy with the results... they always looked like I really did take a short cut.

I enjoy FMQ but I agree if you don't like it why do it.

it just occurred to me - i need to take a class or a workshop.

one day would probably be good. mission on!

thanks!

aileen

Craftsy has some fantastic, reasonably priced online courses. Right now I'm enjoying "How to quilt a large quilt on your home machine" with Ann Peterson. She gives lots of ways to attempt it and I'm really enjoying it. There are many others based on your set up also. Good luck, Aileen!