Stummel

I finished a quilt top but have never machine quilted. The only quilt I have made was handquilted, so could someone who has or knows this machine give me some tips to get me started? And I I mean I have absolutely no clue, apart from knowing I need to drop something...

Jingle

I don't have that machine, maybe I can help until someone else sees your post. You drop the feed dogs,unscrew knob, straight up from needle (for free motion), put on foot used for it or darning foot, wear gloves w/rubber nubs, to help make it easier to move the fabric. If doing Stitch in ditch (SID, you will need to use a walking foot, loosen pressure some, not all the way, like above, leave feed dogs up,lengthen stitch, either way make up a quilt sandwich and just practice. I hope this helps.

Prism99

A lot depends on how you want to machine quilt it. If you want straight lines, then it's best to use a walking foot and leave the feed dogs up. If you want to free-motion quilt, then you need a darning foot and most people drop the feed dogs.

If you've never machine quilted before, free-motion can be very daunting. I would suggest using a walking foot to make curvy lines rather than straight lines -- that way you don't have to be so careful to keep you sewing straight. With a walking foot you do not have to be concerned about stitch length (sewing machine takes care of that) so all you have to do is feed the sandwich through.

Free-motion quilting requires a darning foot and some practice. It's a good idea to make some practice sandwiches so you can get the hang of it before working on a real quilt. Most people have a lot of difficulty controlling the stitch length at first. It's common to drop the feed dogs for FMQ, but some people find they have better control if they leave the feed dogs up.

Whichever method you decide on, it helps to starch the backing fabric -- before building the quilt sandwich if possible, although you can still spray starch even after the sandwich is made. Starch stabilizes the backing fabric so you are less likely to get puckers in it.

Most sewing machines are the same, so I think you would get more responses if you did not specify your sewing machine in the post title. I didn't read your post at first because I don't have a Janome QC 6260.

Stummel

Thank you for your helpful replies! I don't know how to change the title of the thread now, otherwise I would.

I do have both a darning foot and a walking foot, but no instructions on how to use them. The walking foot has a metal guide, but can't figure out how to attach it properly, and also what exactly is it for? It seems to just lay on the fabric, but what is it guiding?
Also, do I attach the extra quilting table that came with it or do I not need it?

I was hoping to make wavy lines, sort of like long twigs or leaves if that makes sense.

sewcrafty

The guide for your walking foot enables you to keep the distances between designs uniform. Say you're doing an echo design. Put the guide on and it'll follow along your previous quilting so its even all around. :D

My walking foot has a little hole that the guide pole goes through.

The extension table will assist you with holding the weight of quilt and is a very good thing!!! As the bigger the heavier and it can become very cumbersome holding a larger object.

Stummel

Oh, thank you! Mine doesn't have a whole, but a groove (not sure what to call it really) and if I put it in where the instructions say, it doesn't stay put. I'm so bad with mechanical things! I'd ask hubby, but he's even worse than me... :lol:

sewcrafty

Does is need to click in? I looked on Janomes website and saw the foot that you have, mine's a little different.

Hey, look on the Janome website and find a dealer that is close to you and give them a call. I'm sure they would be more than happy to assist you!! :thumbup:

Prism99

You don't have to attach the metal guide to use the walking foot. Do you know how to attach the walking foot though? It is a tricky foot to install properly. The "fork" on it needs to go around the screw that holds the needle in position; this is the mechanism by which, when the needle goes up and down, the foot "walks" the fabric through.

I'm not sure you could use the walking foot to make twigs and leaves because you cannot sew in reverse with a walking foot. (Maybe just 2 or 3 stitches to lock a seam, but that's it.) It only "walks" forward. It is often possible to work out a design so that you are always going forward, but it takes some mental gymnastics to do it. I'd have to doodle quite a bit to come up with something that would work for that. Nice idea, though. Might have to get my doodle book out......

Stummel

Thanks again for all the help! I have finally attached both the foot and the guide with help from hubby, but haven't tried using it as it's quite late here and I don't have a test sandwich made up. I may just do a grid tomorrow and leave the twigs for another time...

sewcrafty

Good Luck!!!!