Do you have a LAM? Your thread implies that you do.
If yes, Load a 2yd. length of solid fabric or one with a pattern that has gentle curves that you can just follow randomly, batting and a solid backing. Put some music on that sways and just enjoy moving the machine over the fabric with no pattern in mind. You will slowly get more and more comfortable doing it and then start creating your own free form quilting. YOU MUST PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE if you really want to learn. Or enjoy your hand quilting and let it go! Post some of your work for all to enjoy! :-D

:thumbup: I had to chuckle when I saw your reply...I so can relate to you!! I finally have just jumped in and started working on machine quilting some smaller projects...I also went to a short class at my favorite lqs which was strictly machine quilting..we made a fairly small quilt, with 4 different blocks, 3 of each, total of 13...the 4 included: 2 regular piecing, 1 paper piecing, and 1 applique to give variety there. We then learned different types of machine quilting, using the walking or even feed foot and also the darning or free motion foot...it made a big difference for me...So now I do machine and also hand quilting...
Good luck to you,
Kif

yes, and I simply like the feeling of a hand quilted quilt, it feels softer and more pliable and I do believe enhances the workmanship

HA HA HA. I like this!

FMQ = free motion quilting
SID = stitch in ditch

:?

I agree, I spend lots of time making the tops and I'm so afraid of screwing them up that all I do is tie my quilts. I keep thinking that someday I might try but so far I'm a BIG CHICKEN!!!!

i was scared at first but then realized that if i dont do it , it wasnt going to get the quilt finished so i tackled it and now i do all my own quilts

Oh yeah!!!!

I am getting the hang of it. But so afraid of ruining the top. I did ruin one and so now practice before going into the quilt top.

Quilting is my least favorite part of the process, so I end up having lots of tops but not many quilts. You are definitely not the only one!

I'm new to quilting. I've made two tops in the past few months but just can't get up the nerve to quilt them on my machine. I can't figure out where to start! How do I pick a pattern I want to quilt? I see all these beautiful designs and just can't seem to figure out how to pick a pattern so the tops are just sitting here.

Not usually this stumped on things.

Even though many of my quilts are for charity quilts I feel bad that I can't give them the same quality of quilting in my machine and the charities only accept machine quilting. My hand quilting is beautiful but my machine quilting not so much.

I've been looking at stencils...looks like the way to go for me, but wondering where the best place would be to order them. Any ideas???

So it looks like most of us have the "phobia". What I finally did was make a quilt for my granddaughter and just did stitch in ditch and criss-cross on the in between sections. It was not perfect but it was done by "Grammy". Anyone who receives a quilt from me will look at them and see my mistakes and know that I am not perfect. And I think the imperfections are OK as non of us are perfect. I have had 2 quilts done by the Long Arm Pro's and when I got them back I felt that they are not my quilts anymore. So I will still take a long time piecing to make perfect and still machine quilt mine myself and I will love them just the same. LOL Koreen

If you've done fmq before I'm sure you won't ruin them! Just be sure you have the room to move the quilt around, some machines more space than others. My older Pfaff 1209 has 8" but my newer 2034 only has 6.5", what a difference although it doesn't look like much. I just returned from a quilt retreat and tried doing fmq on my 2034 and had a terrible time but was much better with my 1209, so even though there was only a 1.5" difference it was much easier. I was a little envious of the others who had machines with 10" space, but I don't think that is common. Good luck, you'll do fine!