Machine quilting scares me.
 

I am newer to quilting so I haven't made but one quilt top. Suprisingly it turned out pretty good, but I was afraid to quilt it so I tied it. I know it sounds silly but I am intimidated buy the quilting process. I really don't know where to start. I have read books, and watched tutorials. I have all the needed feet and such but I am afraid to try. I have the desire to sew, but I let the quilting part scare me away. What should I do? Should I just stick to making quilt tops?

I would jump right in. What's the worst thing that can happen? We all started where you are!!!

Definitely don't limit yourself to tops! My suggestion would be to start with a smaller project that is easier to handle while you are quilting. Perhaps start with SITD or diagonal lines, before FMQing. That way you'll know that you can do it and be excited about moving on to FMQing, not intimidated. Make quilt sandwiches that you can practice on - then you can turn them into place mats or something. Jump on in there, and before you know it, you'll be posting pictures to the Board in pride of what you have done!

I feel the same way. I have started by just straight line 'stitch in the ditch', and that has worked out well, so you might try that at first. Also, start on a smaller size quilt, like a baby quilt as it is much easier. As for free motion, I have just been practicing on scrap sandwich squares 12-18 inches, but haven't got the nerve to do it on a quilt yet either. I just sent two quilt tops that I finished (and really liked) to a long-arm quilter to do for me. Maybe some of us are just 'piecers', not 'quilters'--nothing wrong with that!

I've been quilting longer than I want to admit. i'm in the same boat as you , as all of mine except 2 or 3 that I machine quilted and 3 I sent out for quilting, I hand quilt. and I made a lot of quilts. I also can't paper piece, I think it's a dyslexic thing with me. I need to sit one day with a scrap pc. and quilt a spools worth all day. just shy away from it. don't want to ruin a top. when I started hand quilting, it was b4 I knew that people did it on dhm.

Annie Pearl, I am just like you. I have started machine quilting some lap quilts with fleece backing. I have done just straight line quilting, and it looks pretty good. I have also done some practice squares with FMQ. They don't look so good. I feel like I will never get good enough to do an actual quilt. My points are rounded. My curves are jagged looking. My stitches are uneven. I just don't have it yet. My next plan is to practice every day for a while. Maybe I can find my groove. Good luck to you too.

I also hate the actual quilting of a project. I do it because I can't afford to send the quilts out to a LAer. What I have found the easiest is to do some straight line quilting through the seams.....not in the ditch. I love the herringbone stitch when doing this.

http://csews.com/hand-sewing-2/hand-sewing.


I also like a double needle and do the stitching so that one line of quilting is on one side of the seam and the other on the other seam side...the double needle spans the seams.

I agree with those who say start with a small project, or maybe even some test squares. Get you confidence up before you tackle the bigger projects.

start with practice pieces- placemats, pot holders pet or doll quilts- to practice learning the machine quilting technique- with time you will become comfortable with the process- try new designs, stitch in the ditch, be adventurous on your little items- as you become more confident move up to larger pieces- wall hangings, table runners, baby/kid quilts- ease your way up to large quilts- this will help you build confidence, show progress, and you will be surprised how soon you overcome those fears and feel you can quilt anything. :)

I still enjoy hand quilting. The main thing I machine quilt are Linus quilts and only if they are not bigger than crib size. I have an autoimmune disease that weakened most of my muscles especially the shoulders and hips. Rolling up and dragging a bigger quilt through my sewing machine throat is more than I can handle. I hand quilt on a 36" round floor frame or a standard size regular hand quilting frame. Either of those is much easier on me physically and allows me to watch TV with my husband or even carry on a conversation without having to stop work on my quilt. Actually the hand quilting part is what I like best about quilting. I am not the world's greatest at piecing. My very favorite is whole cloth quilting or what I call cheater's cloth which is fabric printed to look like it was pieced or appliqued. When I get done quilting it only an experienced quilter can tell the difference.