I have taken a couple of quilting classes but when it comes to the final quliting, we only have been instructed on straight lines (stitch in the ditch or X's across the finished top) I am making a flannel baby quilt and decided to put hearts in the middle of the blocks. The thread kept breaking and I spent 2 hours taking the thread out. I don't want to risk a hole in the quilt so have decided to just stitch in the ditch. I was using tissue paper to trace the hearts and sewing over them. The thread is a variagated (Sulky 40 - German Brand) . Should I drop the feed on the machine since they are not straight lines? I could also stitch in the ditch and hand quilt the hearts in. There are only 35 panels.

Drop the feet and use a darning foot, it is called free motion quilting or FMQ check search engin on this doard it takes practues but some do King size Quilts this way good luck

I would drop the feed dogs if you are free motion quilting the hearts. I keep mine up if I am doing SID. I just took a FMQ class and the instructor taught us to put the feed dogs down and to FMQ the SID also. Haven't FMQ any quilts yet so I have only the practice we did in class under my belt!

Before doing the above suggestions. Make a practice square and test your stitching before working on your quilt. Loosen that top tension. My machines dont like that thread and it breaks when trying to do Free motion.

I have printed patterns on onion skin paper, pinned paper to quilt & used walking foot to quilt leaves, & other designs. You could do the same with your hearts. You just have to go slow & raise the pressor foot as needed to make adjustments going around sharp curves.

I have used the method you described and had good success. I do not drop the feed dogs either.
When I am doing anything that is not a straight line, I take a few stitches, raise the pressure foot, turn fabric, lower pressure foot and stitch a few more. Continue like this until you have completed the heart.

Leah Day does not drop her feed dogs but the machine has to be set up for FMQ using the quilting foot (sometimes called a darning foot). It takes a bit of practice to find the "SWEET SPOT" where the speed of the machine matches the movement of the sandwich.

Good luck.

If you don't/can't drop the feed dogs, make sure the stitch length is set at zero...

I agree with the darning foot.. That foot is wonderful ! But check out the Big Foot too for Free Motion Quilting ( FMQ ).

As far as stitch in ditch.. your needle is most likely breaking do to tension... loosen the tension. That is a must and you can keep your feed dogs up..

I have had little success with the walking foot.. that is an added foot that the top and the bottom fabrics are moved along similair pace..

Good luck ! Utube is your friend.. Google around and ask for machine tension and free motion quilting too.

Ell

Best of luck to you. You have a lot of advice already!