I read about the Supreme Slider on this thread and ordered it from the Clotilde catalogue. It just came in this week and haven't used it yet but looks like it would be helpful. It was 27.95

I am learning so much from everyone on this board ... I'm especially loving this particular tip ... thank you thank you :thumbup:

Sorry ... this is the first time I've attempted to reply ... I though the reply would be affixed to the original message .... the tip I appreciate is to use paper towels to make a practice square ... I just did it and it worked beautifully.

GREAT idea.....I've always got paper towels!

I am currently attempting to quilt my daughter's quilt....it's not looking really great but I want it done and so does she! all I care about is that it will go through the wash and it's giving me good practice. I'll post a picture when I'm done! (I'm using a thread that matches the back perfectly...LOL!!) thanks for all the tips from everyone! I love all the help I get on here, it's wonderful! :)

My machines will do this in one of two situations:

1. I forgot to lower the presser foot, yes, even when freemotion because the presser foot down on ALL machines engages the upper thread tension.

2. Or, my upper thread has slipped off the upper looper where it comes down toward the needle thread path from the top of the machine.

You probably already know that this is an upper thread tension problem.

Check those two things, give it another try, and remember to put the presser foot down :mrgreen:

Oh geesh, I can't begin to tell you how many times I have forgotten to put the pressure foot down! Duh...oh well...the front was lookin' good :D .

You've gotten some great tips here with the most important being..practice, practice. I would only add...relax...breath....really, it will all turn out just great and it will look fantastic after the first washing. AND...think of all the fabric you can buy with the money you save quilting your own small quilts! :lol:

I have had this happen when my machine wasn't threaded correctly. The thread comes out of the take-up lever. On my longarm it looks like that if I forget to put the hopping foot down. It's a waste of thread. But it picks out pretty easily.

When I do a meandering pattern, I try to get three different shapes in my mind, none of those shapes have more than three loops (or whatever you want to call that shape, maybe a 'u' shape) going in one direction before I change directions. And remember what you see when you have your nose to the needle is not what you see when you look at if from a foot away.
Give it at least one try on a practice 'sandwich' just to figure out your speed, but remember, it will be harder to manhandle a larger piece than that little square.

where can i get some of that backing fabric with the wash away design on it do you have a link?
thanks
Mema

I don't have a Brother but I had the same problem when I did some FMQ and I would have to stop and rethread the top. It was very annoying. It would do ok on the practice squares but once I did it on the quilt somehow I was doing something to make the top thread jump it's threading position. Now I'm gun shy but I'm going to try again soon.I also had flannel on the back of the quilt and someone told me that could have been the issue as it doesn't slide as well.