I've always wanted to make a quilt. I did take a free motion class and working on a scrap was great. Big quilt...not so great, at least fun-wise. I can't seem to do free motion quilting unless I hold me breath and keep a death grip on the fabric. It just makes me so tense that I cannot keep at it very long and quilting is then not fun. I cannot afford to send tops out to a long arm quilter. Besides that, I want to be able to say I made it completely myself. So I always stuck with small wall hanging, pillows, potholder projects. Then I came across this quilting board and although all the free motion quilting designs look awesome, the straight line quilting is what has caught my attention and spoken to me telling me that straight line quilting is fine and looks as good as swirls and other free motion designs. Why didn't I figure this out 25 years ago?! Why did I think quilting had to be a fancy design? As always, better to learn late than never at all. I'm working on my second real quilt and happily I'm straight line quilting and trying to dream up my next quilt design. I have always thought quilts were more about the design and the fabric than the stitching design on top. I am a straight line quilter. What kind of quilter are you?

Yep, I could see myself in your post. SID and straight line works for me. I will never enter my quilts in a show but they will pass the loved and warmth test every night for my friends and family.

Have you done any hand quilting??? That is my quilting of choice but I'm learning how to machine quilt so I can get more quilts done :)
I doubt I'll ever get anything fancy done but I want my loved ones to have a lot of quilts!

I try not to hand stitch anything except binding to the back of a quilted project. I do not like hand sewing.

I did very little FMQ till DH got me a mid-arm and frame. Just like you, it made me nervous (and dizzy from holding my breath). So I did mostly straight line quilting. It is still my favorite way to quilt. I think it shows off the piecing rather than the quilting.

I also am a SID person. I have tried FM, it looks like a 4 yr olds attempt at writing, PATHETIC let me tell you, so if I am doing it by machine, its SID or by hand, no machine for me lol..

I have done a couple of small wall hangings and potholders using FMQ meandering and stippling (that's as long as I can hold my breath and tense my shoulders without passing out), but nothing with patterns. And my two quilts were stitch in the ditch. One wall hanging I used a walking foot and outlined the picture for depth. And I agree that I want to do these myself - I feel like I cheat if I have not made the entire thing. Also I don't want to ruin the beauty of the fabric by drawing attention to the quilting design. I only want to do that if I have huge areas of solids or tone on tone. As I become experienced, I reserve the right as a woman to "change my mind" about everything I have said, though. lol.

So far all I have done is SID. However, I purchased a Brother CS6000i that came with a darning foot and I will be trying FMQ. But I make lap throws for the Nursing Home Patients and I don't think they will be too critical of my FMQ even though it probably will look like pre school scribling.

Although the fancy swirls and feathers are truly beautiful and amazing on other's quilts, I do believe that I will be a straight line quilter for the rest of my life---for all of the reasons stated above!!

I have been a SID and straight line quilter for a long time. I was sure that I couldn't FMQ but then our LQS bought a mid arm machine set-up and provided lessons and rent out the room for $50 a day. Our guild started quilting our Community Quilts there and between the introductory lesson and the chance to practice on an utility quilt, it gave me the confidence to really try FMQ for the first time. I then came home and tried it out on my Janome 6500 and found out that it isn't as difficult as I once thught. I'm not proficient at it yet but what I can do is quite adequate for the user friendly practical quilts that I turn out. I have entered my first quilt that I have FMQ in our local fair this weekend which is a huge step for me. I'll probably never give up on SID or straight line quilting but now I have a greater choice.

I am so happy to hear that you have found a quilting method that makes you happy :D:D:D

I do both SID and FMQ. I use SID to anchor my top down and then do FMQ in larger squares and borders. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! and then press the pedal to the metal go for it. TRy FMQ on small projects and then graduate to larger. I find that FMQ is really quicker and easier after you get the hang of it especially if you meander. Just remenber to keep the quilting distance recommended by the batting manufacturer. This is also true if you SID . Good luck and Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!

This is how I practice my FMQ. Maybe it will work for you. I've made up a bunch of candlemats, and just FMQ on them. If they turn out badly, no big deal. I also took a class with Christopher Nejman one time, (he is not a quilter, but is a great teacher). Instead of taking a death grip <grin> on the fabric, take the 2 botom corners in your index finger and thumb and just gently guide. Since you aren't using a large piece, it makes it so much easier to practice on. As you gain more confidence, start moving up in size.

BTW, there has been several times I have forgotten to lower my feed dogs and it still turns out great. I'm to the point now, I'm keeping my stitches consistant. I hope this helps you out. It works for me.

To be honest: Non-prolific. I love to piece and even have a frame and quilting machine (not an LA) but I have around 30 Ladies-In-Waiting just sitting and waiting to be quilted.

I signed up for a series of quilting-specific classes at my local dealer. The first one starts next week. So far, I have done OK with SID on my own but that is where the honeymoon ends. Figured that I have too much invested in my machines to not at least give it a shot.

If it tenses you up (which is the worst thing to do when quilting) then no wonder that you don't enjoy it. I wonder: Do you not do well because you tense up, or do you set yourself up by tensing before you even start?

Do you have an LQS in the area or somewhere that teaches machine quilting on the home sewing machine from start to finish?

I'm a little-bit-of-everything quilter! I really like to do FMQ, but sometimes a quilt calls for SID or straight-line designs like grids. I don't think any one method is better than the other, it just depends on the project and the look you are going for.

Glad to see that I am not the Lone Ranger. I have taken three Free Motion Classes and it just isn't for me. I even have a PC Quilter that I have never set up. This AM I did a Mini Quilt with Straight Line Quilting and I think it looks great. Just wish curves were easier. Is ther a place where I can see Straight Line Quilting Designs. I would be interested in seeing others work.

I also do a lot of straight line quilting & SID. I had only done FMQ on smaller projects until I got my Janome 1600. I have been playing around with more quilting styles & am coming along with practice. I have always liked piecing more than quilting & straight line quilting suits a lot of my quilts just fine.

So far, it's SID for me.

I do just fine on small manageable pieces...it's the large pieces that I do not enjoy working with. But I don't even do free motion on smaller pieces, I simply do not enjoy the process.

I just finished 3 quilts, for 3 of my grandchildren. I finished them with a combination of tying and machine embroidery redwork designs, mainly because I can't afford to send them out for professional quilting.

I also just completed a denim/chambray quilt, and machine quilted it using my trusty straight stitch machine. I used a combination of stitch in the ditch (SID) and straight lines.

Have never tried hand quilting. Am planning to try using a knock-off of the John Flynn quilting frame, on some scraps.

I hear ya, Freezeframe!!! My sentiments exactly!! I've tried FMQ but I'm like you...I can only relax for a very short time and then I start to tense up and it looks like crap...LOL

So, I've decided that I'm strictly a SID (which I don't really care to do), or diagonal (which I like a lot!) or any other kind of straight line quilting.

I just finished a table runner using a Dessert Roll and needed some type of quilting other than straight lines on the blocks because they were very muted pattern shades (very pretty!) so I decided to look for a machine embroidery quilt design and just use my embroidery machine to do the work for me. I found several that I liked on a particular web site and did stitch-outs to see what I liked best. I decided on one and did each of the 7 blocks and it came out beautiful! There's no way I would have been able to do the design even if I lived 3 lifetimes...LOL. Easy peasy and I didn't have to hold my breath or tense up once :)

So that's how I "cheat" sometimes on smaller projects :)

I love FMQ. It's my favorite part of the process. Meandering is relaxing to me.

I cannot FMQ for the life of me. When I want a design or something other than straight lines, I draw or trace a stencil and then just stitch on the lines. I don't drop the feed dogs (that terrifies me!!) and I can do circles, leaves, etc. I use the stencils that I also use for hand quilting.
I'm also a "breath holder" when it comes to FMQ. The worst is the pain I get in my shoulders--couldn't raise my arms for 2 days!! I don't know if what I do qualifies as a technique or what but it works for me!

free motion quilter all the way

Oh, janRN, me too, me too, that's how I do simple designs as well.

I've done a little FMQ, however my main suite is Pantographs currently. The stippling I have done was around frames or appliqued objects. That was fairly easy! I've decided to work on mastering a variety of techniques! I'm very comfortable and adapted to outlining and using a ruler also! I'll try (almost) anything at least once!

I have tried machine quilting in the ditch on my Janome but I always seem to get it puckery and I can't figure out why. I tried making the stitch longer but it was too loose. I ended p ripping it all out and doing my hand quilting thing on a standing hoop frame. What am I doing wrong????

I'm like you. Have just started machine quilting and the free motion makes me so tense it's not enjoyable. But people keep saying practice, practice, practice. So, I do most of my design quilting by hand. Like you, I refuse to send out a quilt for someone else to do because I like to know that the quilt was made entirely by me. And I really prefer hand quilting. It takes longer, but it is somehow much more satisfying when it's done. But, I do understand the advantages of the machine. More quilts get finished that way.

How true! I just like the way hand quilting shows up on a quilt but I do want to get the work done faster but machine quilting is becoming more frustrating than ever. I am OK on small pieces, but anything bigger than a lap quilt is a challenge. I have tried everything bt the stitches still pucker on me.

I am also a bit of everything quilter....depends on the quilt....what it's for...what design would look best...and sometimes just what I'm in the mood to do. Love the challenge and possibilities on each and every quilt.

I do both machine and hand quilting. The quilt will tell me what it needs to complete the look I want for it.

I hand quilt and love it..only thing it takes to long..wish I could afford to pay someone to do the larger quilts..or wish I could buy a quilting machine...!

Do you have your feed dogs up and are you using a walking foot? Just guessing.

I've done stitch in the ditch, use my walking foot a lot and also fmq. As fas as fmq goes, you just need to practice a lot, first by drawing the design on paper or a dry mark board (less paper waste). Then when you are comfortable with the design, try stitching it on your machine. Puddle the quilt top around the needle, spread out your fingers around the needle and try to keep an even speed and fabric movement. Wearing gloves with sticky dots or a coating on the fingers is very helpful, since your fingers won't slide on the fabric or you might try placing a 4" X 6" piece of sticky shelf liner under each hand. Watching someone else do fmq might help. Go to : http://www.daystyledesigns.com Also start on fairly small projects like table runners, placemats or just scrap sandwiches.

I have always been a hand quilter, but am now learning to machine quilt. I do SID and straight line quilting using painters tape. When I get brave, I will attempt FMQ. I just love all aspects of the quilting process! My machine attemps sure look like a newbie's efforts, but my family thinks they are awesome!

This tickled me, LOL! I Zc tually found that if I *did* write names, messages in the quilting, it went much more smoothly for me. Guess my eye/hand was used to the motion and I could maintain the rhythm. I FM letters about 1" - 1.5" high when I do it.

But I prefer handquilting and use a "big stitch" technique that resembles Japanese Sashiko. The thread is slightly thicker, the needle a bit larger (which helps me to hang onto the needle) and I use thread colors other than just white/ecru to add another dimension to the design of the quilt. These stitches are NOT toe-catchers; they are about 1/8" long. The look is quite attractive and I've had commission requests for the work and been in shows, so somebody must be loving it!

Jan in VA

I would rather hand stitch my top than try to use the machine. I get so nervous and I don't have the control I do with hand quilting.

SID, HQ, no FMQ yet but looking 4 adventure

I hand quilt straight line - love the look of hand-stitching vs machine. Straight line doesn't require marking the fabric (so you don't have to worry about stencils or removing pencil/chalk,etc. marks. If the line is especially long, I use masking tape as a guide.