I have a tool for skinning but don't know what it is called. There is a straight or curved razor on the end of a handle. It works pretty good but don't get distracted or you could lose your top. Hint: aim your razor towards the batting (on an angle) so if you slip or get distracted your blade will go into the batting. I would practice this a little before you try it on a quilt. I have done it many times and so far have not lost any tops or backs. Don't watch TV, listen to an audio book or talk on the phone while doing this. Good luck.

Great idea. I have also read about drawing your design on paper then taking a un-threaded needle and sewing over it. You will be practicing sewing your design this way too. Then you can use a pounce (powder) to mark it on your quilt over the paper you have marked with your needle. I know it sounds confusing but it really isn't. If you don't know what a pounce is look it up on the internet and that will help make it clear for you.

If this is your first quilt that you have quilted I would leave it like it is and keep it as your first quilt... Then as you improve you will see how far you have come...

The colors are pleasing. Whenever I make this kind of mess it is because I got in a hurry. But then the cure takes more time and effort than doing it slowly and correctly. My advice is to put it aside, do something else, practice, practice, and practice some more.Revisit this quilt when you can pretend you bought it at a yard sale and saw its potential. Then you can imagine the inexperienced quilter that you will redeem by doing it beautifully, for her. Happy sewing.

It looks like, to me anyway, that you need to make up some practice sandwiches and do more practicing before tackling your quilt top. Get comfortable with some designs first. It does take practice and more practice. Sometimes it helps to draw your design on paper first or a dry erase board. Just draw it over and over until that design is imprinted on your brain and you can practically do it without thinking. Then when you get to your sewing machine, it'll be way easier and you'll be happy in the end. This of course after you'be ripped out all you did before. Good luck!

Don't be disheartened, I just took out a row I longarmed in, of a very densely quilted pattern. I almost didn't and then decided I would never be happy with it unless I did. I too invited my husband to help, it took a bit of time (3 days) but now that I redid it I LOVE IT. That's how we learn and improve. Best of Luck in whatever you choose to do.

In my first machine quilting class I learned that you need to "stabilize" the quilt with evenly spaced stitching across and down the middle and the edges. Then you keep dividing it up into smaller sections and then it's much easier to look at just that section and do loops or meandering, to me the stippling where you don't cross a line is REALLY hard! It also helps to take a piece of paper and a pen and practice drawing designs in a continuous line as this reinforces the "patern" on you muscles. Most of all, do practice on a scrap sandwich each time before you start to quilt on the "real thing"

Jan

I haven't been doing FMQ very long. What I've found best for me is to trace my design (either from a book, a stencil, whatever) on tissue-type paper. I use Golden Threads that I buy by the roll from my quilt shop. If you're using the design multiple times, trace the design for a block once then cut out enough paper squares for all your blocks. Staple them together at the corners then stitch the pattern on your machine without thread through all the sheets (you can do 10 or more at a time). Take out the staples, pin one pattern on top of your block, then follow the lines with your sewing machine. After you've sewn the pattern, carefully tear off the paper.

Oh the frog stitch is my least favorite. (Rip-it! Rip-it!)
But we all need to do that now and then. Patience is a virtue. And your piecing and fabrics are very nice on that piece, so it would be a crying shame to just ditch it.

You've gotten some really useful tips here. The medium value thread color will be less noticeable--maybe a nice medium grey? The pinning is crucial. But the practice is key. Practice practice practice.


I doodle a lot, even now, and I have been machine quilting for almost 10 years. I doodle on paper, and on dry erase whiteboards and I doodle on fabric with my machine. Just plain old muslin works fine , but it's so boring. So lately I have been using up some stash that I wonder why I bought, and practicing new designs on that. Practice practice practice.

The regualr designs are more difficult, and the random designs are simpler. Here is an interesting blogger who is machine quilting on her domestic machine and trying to come up with a different design every day. She has some beauties that are a nice change from stippling and no harder. Practice practice practice.

Please let us see it after you have reworked it. I'm sure it will be worth your time and trouble. Good luck!

[quote=StitchinJoy]

The regular designs are more difficult, and the random designs are simpler. Here is an interesting blogger who is machine quilting on her domestic machine and trying to come up with a different design every day. She has some beauties that are a nice change from stippling and no harder. Practice practice practice.

quote]

And HERE is the web link: http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/