Slider Mats and/or alternatives
 

I have made some feeble attempts at free motion quilting, but my fabric drags and it makes it difficult. I have read that these "slider mats" really help with that, but they seem a bit pricey to me. Is there an alternative, or a way to make your own without paying so much? Thanks!

Do you have your feed dogs dropped? I've never had my fabric drag that much as long as my feed dogs were dropped down.

yeah, they're dropped.. It just sticks a little

some people use a silicone spray on the machine surface... i've never tried that. i've also heard about waxing and polishing the surface... don't think i'd like to put wax on my machine... might build up.

I just spray Pledge furniture wax on a flannel rag and wipe down the harp area and extension table when I machine quilt...sometimes I have to repeat it to keep it slippery but this works well...

I have tried the "slider mats". One came loose and I sewed it onto the quilt. I just keep the feed dogs up, keep the area of the quilt I'm working on puddled, so nothing is constricting it, and RELAX. If you are pushing down on the fabric with a death grip, it's not going to move freely. Good luck and have fun.

I use an oven liner mat, bought at a kitchen store for about $10. I positioned it, marked where my needle would go down, and cut out a little hole there. I sometimes put a small piece of tape around different areas of edge to hold it to table. I also use a pair of garden gloves with little grippies on them.

I have a supreme slider. It has to be taped down or it will slide and it will get sewn into the quilt. The. I tried a big sheet of the clear vinyl off a roll from Walmart. I don't think either one improved my outcome. I agree with Iuana - you have to keep the quilt freed up to move under the needle.

I have heard that silcone mats (maybe what quiltin-nannie was refering to?) work as well as the slider sheet and are much less espensive. I do think taping it in a few spots would stop the sliding of the slider problem ..... no pun intended. I think it would be worth the try since they are so cheap. And as others have said: puddle, puddle, puddle that quilt.

Are you sure it is not the wight of the quilt making is seem the quilt is dragging??