Slider ... yea, nay or no difference
 

I have had no luck with FMQ on my DSM. I have tried nearly everything recommended and it still looks like my 4y/o DGS did it. I have trouble controlling the sandwich due to a problem with one of my hands (even with gloves) and was wondering if a Slider might help. Before I invest the $$, I was hoping to get feedback from the learned and experienced quilters here. Any advice is welcome. :-)

Not being able to afford a slider, I have used a silicone spray on the machine. That works quite well. Also remembering not to press down on your fabric helps. Sorry if I am being too obvious. Will watch this thread with interest to see what is said!

I hate for you to spend the money, but could you be pushing down on the quilt??? Your fingers are on the quilt to guide the fabric. I haven't had any problem doing FMQ on my Bernina using a throat plate that I purchased. Maybe check into some vinyl fabrics that have a very slick side to then to cover the area like a slider would, Just a thought. Good Luck.

one of these days I will buy some silicone spray but I do have the supreme slider, which if you don't tape the thing down, gets caught up under your quilt as you move it. most frustrating. I removed mine!

The Supreme Slider was some of the best money I've spent.

I removed my slider for the exact same reason.

Me too...I actually got it caught up and sewed it to the quilt. Taping didn't work for me either...the tape would catch on the quilt.

I like my slider.

After sewing 3 sliders into quilts, I started taping slider #4 down. I have to take the tape off each time I change the bobbin, which is no fun. So far, the slider has stayed in place; but if this slider ends up in a quilt, I will not replace it.

I too have considered a slider, but I am afraid that it would be too slick then... I am just starting FMQ and I struggle with the bulkiness of the quilt in the throat of the machine and I am afraid that if the surface was too slick then I would have even more trouble.... or do you think that the slider helps handle the bulkiness better?

I love my slider!

I really like mine too!

I'm too cheap to buy a slider type product. I actually used waxed paper on my "quilt extension" table that came with my HV Sapphire machine (not too cheap to buy a good machine!!!). It worked very nicely, so maybe once I get moved, I'll give in and buy one!

Try waxed paper, it's cheap and painters tape, which leaves little or no residue behind. And if the paper get's caught and tears, you have a whole box of it to repair it with!

I like my slider and think it makes a difference for me. I agree they are pricey.

I didn't find my slider very helpful, so I took it off.

I went to bed bath and beyond and bought the betty crocker oven liner. It was about 10 bucks and you can cut to the size you want. It is a silicone material like the slider and works great. I think it was 18 x 24 inches or something like that. I just put a small hole for the needle and it works great. It does have to be taped down also. but it works fine and is inexpensive.

I have a slider but found that it didn't help my efforts and I did manage to sew it into a quilt a few times. I have a big piece of the vinyl but usually don't bother with that. I also find that not lowering the feed dogs gives me a better outcome.

I feel between using my Machinger gloves and Supreme Slider, my FMQ has improved tremedously. I have been FMQ for 20+ years.

Pain in the neck. Mine's full of cat hair so I have to tape it down, and if I tape it down, I have to pull up the slider to change the bobbin. 1500S is in a Horn cabinet with a jury-rigged surround, and I can't quite get to the bobbin since the hole for the machine is a bit too small. Everything has to move.

Anybody else tried this...Sounds like a good idea! Referring to the wax paper idea.

I bought a slider, found for me it was a total waste of money! I would suggest you can do FM. Here are some tips that worked for me.
!. Take your time and don't rush
2. buy some felt and practice on this. You will find it is much easier on felt, til your ready to move to your quilt.
3. Make sure you use a size 16 needle.
4. cut the finger tips out of your gloves, this allows you to move the quilt easy and thread needle, etc
5. start with bigger movement, not too close. practice C's and U's.
6. practice, practice, practice. You CAN DO IT.

I bought one and found it made no difference, so I changed my style. I couldn't do it using whole hands or finger tips on the surface of the piece. So now I roll or bunch my piece so I can rest my wrists on the surface of the machine table and using only my finger and thumb I pinch the pinch. All my movements are as easy as moving my fingers.
It's not orthodox I know and if you have and stiffness it might not work. Yes I need to reposition a lot but it works for me.
MaryKatherine

i bought the slider but it didn't make a difference for me.
i don't think that was the slider's fault, though.
i have tried many times but can never get my sandwiches to flow smoothly under the needle using the "hands flat" method. i can't even do it using small practice pieces.

the only way i can achieve any degree of success is to grab bunches of it on the left and right, and lift it ever so slightly off the machine bed. the part under the needle remains flat against the machine.

I love my slider!!

Me too. I found it to be a waste of a lot of money. Wouldn't stay put. I spent more time unrolling it from under my quilt. nearly sewed over it many times. I found that some Glad Press and Seal works much better. You just need to remove it after each session, or the adhesive sticks to your machine bed and makes it tacky.

me too.....if you sewing machine is NOT built in flush to your tabletop you will have trouble with the quilt getting stuck under the slider. I imagine it would work great on a flush tabletop.

I bought a large inexpensive silicone oven liner to use for a 'slider'; I covered its bottom with rubbery shelf liner and it stays exactly where I want it. I've surrounded my machine bed with vinyl covered foam board and the faux slider covers the areas where the foam board butts up against my machine, which is also a good thing. The only drawback is that I cannot use the knee lifter, but have never gotten in the habit of using one, so that's no big deal.

I agree. I have the same problem and consider it more of a nuisance than a help.
A lot of people have bought the silicone oven liners, which are larger, and seem to have better luck with those. I don't know about the pricing.

My supreme slider and machingers gloves were some of my best investments I have ever made for quilting. I would like to buy one of the larger sliders next.

I agree, I was terrible at FMQ then I bought a Slider about 10 yrs ago, it finally allowed my brain & hands to work together & my FMQ took off. I used it til I wore it out, I was going to buy another then realized I no longer needed it, a big day for me when I realized I could FMQ. It was the Slider that made the difference, best $20 I ever spent. I would definately recommend it to anyone having problems , plus use a Stretch needle in your machine, stops skipped stitches.

I have a forty year old Pfaff that has a slightly bumpy surface so trying to FMQ was difficult, like it grabbed onto the fabric. I used the slider and it made all the difference. I never had it roll up or anything. Once in a while I run it under the faucet to remove all the dust and thread puke and it holds just fine. Even now, years later, because of the surface of the machine, I need the slider. I think it's awesome.

I LOVE my slider! It is worth every penny.

I, too, did not want to spend the money. I took a plastic cutting board (Wal-Mart), cut a hole in it for the needle. When I want to fmq, I use blue masking tape to tape it to the machine. It works great!

WOW! What a variance of opinions! I was hoping for something definitive one way or the other. I still don't know whether to get one or not. I have wasted so much fabric and time that I am nearly ready to admit that I just can't be good at everything (wait! .... did I just say that?!?!?) Seriously, though, while I have been able to pick up my piecing skills with the help of my wonderful local group and all the tips and help I get from all of you on this Board, I don't think I'll ever make it to the Carnagie Hall of FMQ no matter how much I practice, practice, practice. I just wanted to know whether this one last aid might do the trick, but it seems that there is no magic pill for this any more than there is for dieting. LOL! Thanks to all of you who took the time to answer my question. Happy quilting .... I guess my LA will be getting more business from me.

so glad to have read this thread on the slider ... I have one, used it for a small project with no probs, but now will be sure to tape it down for a quilt!

I fmq for many years without any sliding aids so I'm thinking something else is going on. Do you have a friend who can watch you and offer suggestions? Are you supporting the weight of the quilt? Do you starch the top and backing so it's nearly as stiff as paper?
Are you guiding,not pushing or pulling the quilt? Is it basted properly?
Are you using the right needle?
I think you should take a break, watch a few utube videos and and then relax take it slow . It does take practice. So start with a small practice piece.
Good luck
Cindy

I like my slider when I remember to use it. Misplaced the first one and bought another. Now have two and hope to get some good practice time in this next week or so.

I have the sliders and they are nice. I also use vinyl that I buy from walmart. It is nice and wide by the yard and I put it on my machine and the table that I quilt on. Make a little hole where the needle goes through and tape the vinyl down. It makes for a slippery surface and the quilt slides so much nicer and your arms don't get tired trying to control that weight. Hope this helps with your problem. Suzy

I use the supreme slider and I love it until it slips and I sew through it. That is just my fault though, not the product's. I love it, it's pricey but it helped me. I was told by a salesperson at Lowes where I bought the silicone spray to be very careful. It has carcinogens that cause cancer so although I bought it I never have used it. After sewing through the silicone slider I cut the remainders into the size of index cards and it worked well even with that small part.

I bought one and tried using it just once. It would not stay put and it was a Big bother and I could not see any difference, so I would say they are a big waste of money!