Straight line or free motion?
 

I have been learning to free motion for several years and really want to do it But, I have never really gotten much better. Free motion is not relaxing to me. I'm forever trying to get the tension right, or skipping stitches, thread breaking, uneven stitches and the list goes on.The last quilt I finished, I used my walking foot and really enjoyed the stress free process. So why do I think I have to free motion in order to be a good quilt maker? I am just wondering how many of you wonderful quilters on this board straight line and how many free motion?

I don't know why you think that. There are no rules in quilting, you just do what you like and it usually turns out well. The best part is whoever gets the quilt will love it simply because you made it, not because of the technical expertise you used when making it.

Relax and enjoy. Do what you like to do, not what you think other people want you to do.

I do both. I consider myself an intermediate in FMQ. I can't stay that I find it relaxing and probably never will :-) You do not have to free motion in order to be a good quilt-maker. Straight line quilting is fine and looks terrific on quilts. I think it is the fact that a lot of quilters have their quilts finished by a long arm it has changed how we think finished quilts should look. I know I struggle with this mightily. Remember quilting is a fun creative outlet. Do what you are comfortable with. Most who see your quilts who are not quilters are going to be amazed at your skill and creativity.

I am not good at free motion. I do not like that some of the long arm quilts are so dense. I did have one done by a long arm but it was edge to edge and was not so dense. It was a big quilt and I would never have been able to manipulate it on my domestic machine.

We all have our limits. FMQ is one of mine, too. I also cannot sew curves, so I will never make a Drunkard's Path. I don't care and actually don't know anyone who does. My grandmother use to tell me, "What other people think is none of your business." You do you.

I have tried to FMQ, and also find it stressful rather than fun. I might FMQ a wavy line along a sashing, or slim border, but otherwise, it is straight line quilting (rarely) Stitch in the Ditch to highlight block shapes, or my favorite, using my embroidery attachment on my sewing machine to quilt. I agree with everyone, do what you find enjoyable, and works for you.

This website might be useful.
31 Days of Walking Foot Quilting

http://blog.petitdesignco.com/2012/1...-quilting.html

I too never got any good at FMQ and also found it not fun and very stressful. If I wanted fancy quilting I did it by hand and everything else was done with a walking foot on my domestic. I did several quilts where I did both hand and machine. Then I discovered LA quilting and haven't looked back. I love rack quilting. My brain is just not wired to "move the paper". I have no issues when I can move the pen, even when my "pen" is a rack mounted sewing machine.

thanks for this link... lots of quilting inspiration there

You don't have to do FMQ to be a good quilter. I don't find FMQ that relaxing, but I find it easier than straight line quilting and really enjoyable. If your machine isn't good to FMQ and you are having problems, it can be very stressful. You might consider taking an FMQ class and letting the teacher help you. You also might consider doing some trouble shooting on your machine to find out why you are having so many problems with it when doing FMQ.

I just finished doing FMQ (loop de loops) on a 65 x 96 quilt. While I wouldn't call it relaxing, it wasn't stressful once I got the bugs worked about between my machine and the thread I was using. It just took a bit of cleaning and oiling, replacing the needle and some tension adjustment. Then everything was fine and I was on my way to finishing it.