Is the batting cotton? I have found that washing quilts made with cotton batting gives them that nice wrinkled look AND hides a multitude of quilting sins.

I've used several different methods for marking designs, the most successful being marking the design on tissue paper, stitching through it, and then ripping the paper off when I was done. Chalk works okay, too, but tends to rub off too easily. For straight lines I use masking tape a lot.

Have you considered adding a lot more machine quilting to try and cover up some of the crooked lines that you don't like? Maybe if there's a whole bunch of quilting, you won't notice it. Not sure....... Good luck and don't beat yourself up!!!

Butterflyblue: I like this idea.

sahm, If I didn't have a deadline on the quilt I would keep it as it is for reflection and encouragement. There will be a time later when you know what you want to do.
Thank-you for sharing. This post has helped me learn about FMQ.
The best for you.
Regards, Dorothy

I agree, the best remedy is to pull out the stitches. Then pin, pin, pin. You could quilt on the diagonal lines from corner to corner, left to right, etc. Then you might quilt the line going up and down. In other words, follow your pattern lines, simpler to do, or just meander throughout.

I have a hereditary tremor so FMQ is not possible for me. I can do a diagonal cross hatch and it suits me and I have mastered it. My quilts may not be quilt show quilts but I'm not making them for that.

been there an done that on a hand quilted quilt that I was making for my grandson an my son helped me tear it out an it went a whole lot faster the way I done it.but your quilt is pretty.

I'm not an expert, but I would draw a pattern on the squares with the 'blue marker'. It will wash out when you wash your quilt. One of your pieces has a blue rose in the fabric. Try using that as a pattern. Use a lighter blue thread to quilt and have your quilting (circles) spaced evenly apart. One of my machine quilting teachers told me that a Circle defines a feminine quilt and a straight line or square defines a male quilt. These are just my thoughts. Eiltcoq.

I have a seam ripper that has a blade like that. I think I got it from Nancy's Notions catalog. It's great!

You have a really good attitude. I know it will turn out fine. If anything, it is a learning tool. the more you quilt, the better you will get. Hang in there!

Sahm Please be gentle with yourself. You're not wrong---just needing some instruction and practice. After taking the stitches out, you might consider lowering the feed dogs. Makes moving the "sandwich" easier. I've been quilting more than 20 years and somedays removing stitches is what I do best! You have sooooo much company out her in Quilted Paradise! Good luck. It I lived closer, I'd happily help you take out those stitches.

You have received loads of good advice here.

The only thing I would add is a tip I was given. Find some fabric with a large floral print and just practice sewing around the flowers and leaves - over and over again. This will help you gain more control and confidence over smooth curves and circles by having a guide to follow.

I am glad you decided to take out the stitches and the advice here is excellent. the quilt is beautiful and worth saving. I also had problems trying to machine quilt and I went back to hand quilting - takes longer but I feel I have more control. good luck!

I think it is fabulous! Having been a quilter most of my life, now at 82 years old, I can see the beauty of a beginner quilter.

Please don't take the stitches out, just embellish a little more with appliques or embroidery.

Good Luck! When you make your next quilt decide on your quilting design before you make more than one block.

These are a couple of my latest. Quilting around middle blocks was the challenger.

Your quilt is a geometric design and so I think the quilting should be angular. If you want to try out a design, mark it out on clear plastic such as a sheet protector and lay it on your quilt. You will be able to see how the design fits the block without actually marking on the quilt. There are little rubber finger tips for using with FMQ. I use these because they are small and I only wear them on my pointer fingers and thumbs and it gives me a better grip on the fabric. I also find that it makes a difference how high my arms are in relation to the bed of the machine. We have an adjustable chair so I experiment to see where my best level is. Your top is so beautiful. Maybe you should be a piecer and let someone else do the quilting.

The design in the bottom row, middle, looks like it matches the design of the quilt. Since all the blocks are the same design, I think it would look better when finished if all the blocks had the same quilting pattern. I have such a time when i "do my own thing" as it usually doesn't turn out as I thought. So I am now following patterns and the APQ magazine even has the quilting patterns suggested.

I personally like the idea of having a glass of wine before beginning. lol 8-) :thumbup: 8-)

as a breast feeding mother the glass of wine is not on the menu, and as a young women with Alci's in the family and one who was starting to become one I "can't" drink. Don't even want to go there again. Even though that would probably help me out a lot. hehe
I am happy to report that I am down to only 3 and sort of a half of of a square of quilting left to remove. it was going faster than I had imagined. YEAH!!!! I think that I am going to go with the squares in squares in a lighter color thread. There is a good sale in thread at a local sewing machine shop. Only a dollar a roll for the silky thread.
I like the idea of hand quilting and FMQ, however I have no idea how to hand quilt and the FMQ, well I had tried to do that and it only got me birds nests in the quilt. Those are really really hard to get out right now. That was with the feed dogs down. I did better with the feed dogs up. Don't ask me why it worked better but it did. I wish that I had a ton of money to get all the cool gadgets that make quilting "easier" and more fun but will have to be patient and save up for them. Oh such a life of a quilter who is not a trillion air. hehe. :-) we all have learned to survive with what we have and dream about what we don't. hope everyone is enjoying their quilts.

google skinning a quilt, it will be faster to take out the stitches.
I would SID around the blocks to stabilize them before doing any quilting inside the blocks.

[quote=StitchinJoy]stitchinjoy, what is the attatchment that she is using on her machine? and is there one like that for a Janome. I have been using a regular foot on mine. I need to get a 1/4 foot so that I can make my seams easier and I think that I will be able to move my fabric better if I have a foot on there that doesn't squish the fabric so much. I know that I should know what all the feet are called that you can us when sewing especially for quilting but I have never seen one like that.

there is a really neat foot called the Big Foot and is good for FMQ. I have also used a darning foot-it looks like a wire that is coiled into a funnel shape, and it works well for me too.

[quote=sahm4605]Hi Sahm,
Leah Day says on her website that she sews with a Juki TL98 QE and she uses the foot that comes with it, modified with an open toe.

You do need a good 1/4" foot. It really helps with accurate piecing.

I have enough alcoholics in my family to start our own AA meeting. It's smart for you to avoid the wine. How about some great music and your beverage of choice. I am happy with a big cup of coffee most of the year, or a big glass of lemonade when it gets hot and humid. And listening to your favorite band can really get your rhythm going good when you are machine quilting. I always have music playing when I dance with my longarm machine. Music is magical.

So glad you are having an easy time ripping out.

I many times have a giant cup of tea or jug of water or juice. and I am usually "watching" TV. well more of listening to the tv. just to help me focus. hubby has been taking to the NBA finals so I pull out the machine and he gets mad and turns up the TV. hehe.
will have to look around for the open toe foot. hehe sounds like a major medical problem hehe.

A+ for effort. Try some gentle curves near the ditch and use a thread to match the fabric. Don't give up. With practice it will get easier. Show us your 2nd try.

I have wonderful news. I am working on my last block to rip out. YEAH!!!!!. I am giving up for the night though because my eyes are having trouble keeping focus. I also have a new love in my life. My brand spanking new 3 dollar razor knife that I got today at Jo Anns. Have put a couple of small holes in the fabric but nothing that I can't fix by sewing over. a little embroydery here and there on a block or three will look cute I think. All those that don't have a razor knife I will scream it from the mt. tops. GO OUT AND GET ONE because they make rippin and pickin easier.

I'm a beginner too and I think you're very brave to put a picture of your quilt up on the board - no-one has seen my first efforts! It really isn't as easy as it looks. But what all the others say about practice is so true. I sew large squares of fabric together until I have roughly a lap quilt size, sandwich and then go for it. Feathers, meandering , leaves what ever. Then I cut them up, make simple grocery bags of them and gave them away. This means my practice time is productuctive twice over - I get better (in theory anyway!) and there's something to show my husband for the hours he hears the machine going! So now I still keep my practice quilt and just do the pattern I want to on my "real" quilt to get me "warmed up" and in time I'll have a few more grocery bags to give away.

What a COOL idea!!

GailG, that looks like my little girl. same sweet look. then she looks up with a devilish grin that would stop traffic. hehe.

Well I am finally done ripping. YEAH YEAH YEAH!!! Lets do a happy dance. The razor made it go like butter. Now to get it sandwiched again and try a different pattern. Here's to tomorrow nights sewing session. lets keep our fingers crossed.

Woo Hoo!! I'm doing the happy dance {{{{{jigglejiggle}}}}}}}.

That little girl is my great granddaughter when she was about 3 or 4. She has these huge baby blue eyes that are framed by long brown eyelashes. Of course, she's beautiful and loves animals, especially horses. She will be in first grade come fall.

that sounds like my dd. your ggd must be my dd's dauple ganger (not sure of spelling). dd is only a little over 2. hehe she loves animals too.

You're amazing. I just went back to read your biography. How in the world can you quilt with a two-year-old and an 8-mo. old? (Of course, when I was young and had little ones (3), I made all of the girls' and my clothes, plus I was a teacher.) I suppose "we do what we gotta do." Right? My house was not a showplace, but...........

i was just reading the entire topic as I am a beginner too and always look for advice. All FMQ I did so far was a babyblanket and some sewing machine covers.
The advice that helped me the most so far is: do not watch the needle, watch where you want to go. And what also helps me a lot is that my machine can be set with three different speeds. So I can set and go by full speed.
My biggest problem is that I try to follow every curve with my tongue.................so after practicing FMQ not just my shoulders but also my jaw hurt :oops:

Hey that is what practise peices are suppose to look, myself I would have chosen a simpler peice to practice on. in fact I did. I recently got a walking foot, I love it, I don't have a darning foot yet. My be you could give me some pointers. Theresse

Hey don't lake it so hard we are still learning.

I think you might be happier with a lower contrast thread, maybe even a clear thread. FMQ is really hard and I don't have a great handle on it yet. But I do find that if the quilting is not so pronounced it can be easier to tolerate a few mistakes.
I really like the way you used different patterns in each block, and I love the blocks.

would you be interested in my giving you some honest critique on your situation. Privately that is.