What direction, now that I know where to focus my sight!
 

Hi again,
I just thought of another question. It seems to me I read recently that experienced quilters should not have to stop in order to move the quilting to a new position or direction.
Do most quilters tend to quilt towards the front, and from side to side rather than to stitch backwards into the pattern?

For example, when stitching on a straight line would you tend to have the needle moving from right to left and left to right and move the quilt towards you or in a vertical position towards you.
Not sure if that makes sense, but you would only move the quilt from side to side or away from you as opposed to moving it forward and be stitching backwards?

Thanks for advice, if anybody can understand my question!!!!

Yes I am referring to free motion quilting. I guess that is the problem, trying to quilt behind the needle. I would assume that it is best to use needle down and re position quilt so you can see where you are going. Thanks!

I mainly do FMQ and move the quilt toward me and across but, I do best if I go no more that 6-8". So that means I actually go down a strip that wide. I reposition my hands and move pins outside of that strip. I have gone away from me after I remove pins. Not too crazy about doing it though. I have to always reposition the quilt to prevent drag. I quilt on a 9" throat machine. I wear gardening gloves with rubber nubs on them or some rubberized gardening gloves to make moving the quilt easier.

thanks. It all makes sense, I think it is a matter of coordinating speed, fabric movement and focusing on where you are going with the pattern. I loved the analogy of driving a car. Thanks

I'm not sure why one shouldn't stop. I have stopping points all the time and the videos I've watched they do as well. I plan out my stops for the most part in a natural change of direction of a pattern or a seam or such and then when I start up again I take a stitch or two in place to get started again. I couldn't FMQ without stops and starts.

As you practice more and more, you’ll get a feel for what the stitching behind the needle will look like. You’ll figure out how much movement makes the size loop, , line, or whatever. There’s no magic; it’s muscle memory that’s only developed with practice.

Every time I’m ready to FMQ, I practice on a sandwich about 20x20 to re-familiarize my hand-eye coordination, and to get relaxed.

Do you have quilting gloves? You can’t get a good grip on the fabric without them. I like Machingers.