Yayyyyyyyyy - that's terrific! Now you're in for a lot of fun! :)

This is not strictly a newbie mistake, by the way - I've been free-motion quilting for several years and the quilt before last, every time I turned around, I was forgetting to put the presser foot down! :?

Fortunately, my main quilting machine snarls up badly enough that I can't continue to sew for very long before the thread binds and stops the machine. I wish it would do this when my tension isn't tight enough, too. :)

Make sure that you have the correct bobbin in the machine. I think that your machine takes 15J which is the same as my "singer confidence" machine. Size 15 looks the same size but is a little bit smaller and so it will jump out of the bobbin holder causing it not to feed correctly. Also make sure that the bobbin is threaded correctly in the holder. I just had this problem and the bobbin thread had come unthreaded in the holder. All this will make a difference in reqular sewing but seems to make a bigger difference whn FMQ. Good Luck!!!!!!!

OMG the huge difference!!! I cant believe all this time it was me not putting the presser foot down! :shock: I expected that it will take practice (and expect lots of it) to get my stitches smooth and flowing but not the mess I was getting and I had changed threads, bobbins, tension over and over and nothing I did helped. I had all but given up on it and figured this machine just wouldnt do it. I had purchased all the required things (on a VERY tight budget at that) because I want so badly to do this and do it well. All I got was frustration!

You see, I have lupus and this matters so much to me because I am trying to make my family all quilts. I want them all to have something personal made by me. I never know how this will all play out. I have progressed pretty rapidly and dont want to end up at a point where I want to do this and cant. So I started this endeavor and have really given it my all.

My first quilt shows it to be a first project but not too badly. I can hang it on my wall without feeling ashamed and my only remaining task is binding. That will be done today.

I am attaching a picture of it. Luckily I started practicing before attempting to do any FMQ on my project! I can only post the one I uploaded a couple of days ago. I have since completed the quilting on the right side to match the left, trimmed it and have it ready for binding.

You may be moving the fabric too quickly with your hands. If I don't go at what seems like an absurdly slow pace that is what happens to me.

I hope you solve your issues with FMQ. Good luck.

I am glad you got your FMQ problem solved.

Your quilt is gorgeous. You did an awesome job with your first project. You should see mine...lol. I've done okay with someone else's pattern but this is the first time I designed my own pattern. It's going to look a LOT different than the design I drew on paper.

Hope you have MANY more years of quilting...it IS so much fun and rewarding.

That looks great! I'm so happy that you're finding some enjoyment in this, now. :)

Most people don't start quilting with Dresden Plates - I'm impressed. If you are already doing the more difficult patterns, you aren't going to have any trouble at all. :)

You might want to go back to your original post in this thread and click on "Edit Title" or "Edit Subject" or something like that and make the title of the thread read:

RESOLVED! Why wont my machine do freemotion correctly

Otherwise people are going to keep bypassing the fact that you've resolved the problem and continue to offer advice for fixing it. :)

Am I missing something here? I don't see anywhere to Edit title or Edit Subject even if I go to one of my own topics. Unless it's a new feature
which does not appear for me, I know you can contact a moderator to change the title for you.

yep, I cant find where I can amend the topic either.

I just want to thank you guys SO MUCH!! Truly from the bottom of my heart. Like I said, this means ALOT to me. I have 5 children and 3 grandkids. I also have 5 sisters and 1 brother as well as my mom to make quilts for and I want them all to be special. I am making my mom a memory quilt that will have pictures of all of us in it. I plan to do the same for all of my siblings and daughters (they are the ones that have my precious grandbabies).

Then after I get those done I can make one for ME! YEAH! I made the dresden plate using a template for the fans. The rest of it was just made up as I went along. I was actually quite surprised at how well I took to this. I have never been a crafty person and before 2 months ago never even touched a sewing machine. I had a friend come over and show me how to use it! lol. One afternoon of her working with me and then I was on my own.

My mom bought the machine for me used at a dealer. It has worked really well for me so far. My husband and son in law got me some 3'x6' tables on craigs list for a whopping 12 pack of dr peppers. The man even threw in a little desk which I have set up as my pressing station. I actually have a pretty good set up. My husband built a wooden thing to sit on top of the tables and go around the machine to make the area all level and then I put some extra thick vinyl on top of it (with a cardboard measuring grid underneath. It is all kind of thrown together for now but works till I can afford a better set up or a sewing table so my machine can sit inside it. It has truly been a family endeavor to get me going.

The biggest cost after the machine was just getting the supplies needed like the cutting mat, rotary blades, etc. I also am having a hard time now buying fabric since my husband isnt able to find a full time job and my SSDI only goes so far. But I feel grateful to have what I do and know things will come together as they should. I mean I have come this far already so it feels very right. Like I have found my way to something that fits me. You know what I mean? I never in my life would have thought I would be doing this. I just never had the urge before. But when it hit, it hit hard and I just felt it was right. Then once I started, I KNEW it was right. Now I just have to keep working at it and get better and better!

I couldnt have come this far though without all the stuff on the internet. I have truly self taught through reading and watching tutorials. Any patterns I have were d/l for free off of websites. I cant imagine how hard it must have been before the internet. There is just so much info out there now to teach us. But nothing to dummy proof it for us and make us put down the dang presser foot!!! I thought when I read that...NO WAY, it cant possibly be something THAT simple and yet, it was! I never would have considered it though if it wasnt for this site so once again the internet has helped me along. Even the dresden plate pattern was learned from a tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company. I just love her! She seems like someone I would just hit it off with in person. Eleanor Burns has some great tutorial too but she is kind of kookie too.

So again! Thank you all! You all rock!

Hi...I think so many of us can identify with you. This board is amazing...for me it is like I can being at the most amazing quilting class all day and all night if I want. There is someone there to constantly help, give advice and share inspiration.....as for free machine quilting..I too had problems some weeks ago and the help was amazing...now my FMQ is great...best advice some one gave me was try keeping the feed dogs up...WOW...it is like having a stitch regulator...try it you might be equally impressed