Two steps forward, one step back...
 

I've been making quilts for about 10 years. Nothing that would win awards, but I love doing it. Last February I took the plunge and bought a Janome Horizon so I could really work on my FMQ skills. I practiced and played and made 3-4 quilts over the summer and fall, and was really rather pleased with how my FMQ was progressing. In November we had several things going on and I was away from the machine. Same for most of December, until yesterday. I hadn't touched the machine in about a month and a half. Yesterday I had a little free time and decided to sit down and work on a very small wall hanging that I had pieced and layered, ready for FMQing. Got everything all set up, started, and.....WOW, it was like starting all over again!! My skills had deteriorated a LOT in those 6-7 weeks of not doing any FMQing! I stopped after about 10 minutes, and am going to take out what I did and practice before I restart it! Lesson learned: Make a little bit of time, at least, to just play and practice every few days if you don't want to go backwards...use it lose it is true for me in the case of FMQing!

They aren't kidding when they say use it or lose it. You'll be back on top of your game in no time ;-)

I have had the same experience, it is quite typical for me to go several months without even setting foot in my sewing room. It explains my utter lack of FMQ skills! :)

So funny. I had to look on here and read to see who was doing my dance...One step forward..two steps back. LOL
Of course it happens. I haven't been able to quilt for a few months, waiting on elbow replacement for my left arm. I can only imagine what it will feel like in a few more months. I won't be alone.....dancing on......♥♥

Unlike mastering the 1/4 inch seam or cutting strips with out the dreaded V , I really do think FMQ require more "maintinience" to keep the skills. I am with you , as I thought I was progressing ... didn't do any for a few months ...and the results looked like I had never done FMQ before. I suppose I should keep a practice sandwich ready and do a bit on it at least every week or more. It just seems like this skill is always just beyond my grasp.

You could have written about me!! I have not done any real quilting in several months (a bunch of piecing/sewing) and wow -- I tried to do some potholders and they were awful!! Will have to get more practice after the holidays.

That is a great way to practice. Just save an old needle and voila!

The other thing you can do is keep a log or journal of what you've done in your quilting. Like making your own written tutes with those extra added hints just for yourself. I do this a lot so when I do go back to something I have done before I can review it first. This has saved me a lot of time and effort.

ali

I agree with you that if you don't FMQ on a regular basis you lose the magic touch. The only thing I find is that it takes less time for me to regain the skill. I guess I am dragging up the memory from the dark recesses of my mind.

Well that explains why my skills as a FMQer never improves. I try it and work on it for a while and then get frustrated and quit. Try it agin some time later .....same thing. Who knew?????

Thank you so much for this tip! I will start practicing this way.

Love the paper idea - I have lots of it from stamping that I can now use up.

YEP, this is the ONLY way to teach beginners..and the only way to practice!!!

We all get a little rusty but it all comes back. Just take your time.

I like the method of practicing with the old needle and paper, really is easier to come up with than a sandwich. I am going to try that and drawing designs to follow and see how it goes. Thanks for the idea, Tartan.

You are so right. I got myself a long arm machine last April and was doing pretty good practicing my meandering. I have been making the jelly roll 1600 quilts so I would have several to practice my techniques on. But like you, I got bogged down with other things for a bit and got away from the machine. When I finally hung a quilt on the long arm and got ready to quilt it, it was like I had never done it before. YIKES!!!!! So my goal now is to make several (many) quilt tops at a time and then I can do one after another to hone my meandering techniques again.

I feel that way EVERY time I quilt for a customer. I only do about one a month. As most of the patterns I do are free hand, I have been know to forget what I did at the beginning by the time I get to the end. Sheesh! I spend a lot of time doodling before I start a new pattern. or quilt. Then I repeat with the machine before I mount the quilt. Still my heart is in my mouth when I begin.
MaryKatherine

paper practice is great but before going back to a real quilt, practice on a real sandwich....i have a printed panel that was damaged so it was in a give~away bin and i sandwiched it with a decent (but not great color) backing and a good piece of regular batting....this is for the last 5 or 10 minutes of practice before going to real quilt.....the very last thing i do is my name (or DD,DS's or GC) and if it actually looks like my cursive then i am ready to go. BTW love FMQ

Sounds like a New Year's Resolution for me - "to be able to say I Love FMQ by the end of 2012.

This is good information to know. When I first got my Janome 11000, I did a bunch of practice machine embroidery blocks, made them into a quilt and then did a lot of FMQ on it. It was not bad at all and was actually the second queen sized quilt I had FM quilted; the first one was not too bad either. Lately, I can't do it worth a darn on the 11000 or on another machine that I have set up strictly for quilting. I've been blaming it on the machine tension, as well as my lack of practice. I guess it's just me to blame and not the machines at all.

When I haven't FMQ for a while, I layer a piece of scrap fabric and practice on it. Usually within ten minutes or so the feel for moving the fabric comes back. I've used these pieces for place mats or chair covers for my kitty to lay on. She loves laying on a quilt, so fool her by making these for the chairs and sofa.

Same thing can happen when you haven't used a long arm for a while.

And the same thing happens with hand quilting! I'll get to where my stitches are small and even. Then I leave it for a while and when I start up again, my stitches are larger and uneven!

I could have been writing your story. It is amazing how long it takes to learn a technique and how short of time it takes to forget it. A good lesson for me. Keep doing, even if I am doing just a little.

What a great idea! I'll borrow that one. Merry Christmas.

Yep it is definately a skill you have to keep up with. If I don't keep doing it, when I do it looks terrible for a bit. But it comes back quickly.

These are great tips. I haven't machine quilted for a while; hope to start up again this year.

Yes, what a great idea! I also just practice by drawing my designs on paper. It "trains your brain"

I know exactly what you mean. I know when I get back to my quilting it will take me a little bit to get back to the rhythm that I had before I set it down. Good luck. :)