Is there some magic spell or fairy dust that'll help with free motion quilting?
03-11-2011, 07:18 PM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Northern Wisconsin
Posts: 7,991
Originally Posted by stewyscrewy
Take it slow and move with musical type movements hum a song in your head. then it will take just what you already know. ppp and more Practice. That is the only way to get good at it. You can also try moving your whole body a weee bit instead of just moving your arms.
03-11-2011, 07:39 PM
#32
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 26,023
It doesn't have to look utterly perfect, remember. Just finish and wash the quilt, and let the magic happen. You don't need it to look like it was done following a program by a longarm. FMQ by hand, on a regular machine, has it's own charm.
03-11-2011, 07:45 PM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southeast Ohio
Posts: 2,584
Originally Posted by mommamac
I feel your pain!!
Have you seen these video? I've only watched the first 2 but she is easy to listen to and demonstrates well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39I5A...layer_embedded
Have you seen these video? I've only watched the first 2 but she is easy to listen to and demonstrates well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39I5A...layer_embedded
03-11-2011, 07:46 PM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 947
Your machine can make quite a difference too. I was a marginally ok free motion quilter on my Viking. It was stressful and a chore and I ripped out a lot, but I could do it, with gritted teeth.
When I got a Bernina w/ BSR, it was so much easier and more pleasant, and my results were dramatically better, which meant that I did it much more, (aka practice) -- so it's a cycle of improvement.
While Pfaffs are great machines, particularly for precise piecing, they probably are not the most free motion friendly. This is entirely my own biased opinion, and doubtless many world famous free motion quilters will now disagree with me. But if you find free motion work very frustrating, consider trying a different machine-- swap with a friend, try out a demo or rent a store model.
RST
When I got a Bernina w/ BSR, it was so much easier and more pleasant, and my results were dramatically better, which meant that I did it much more, (aka practice) -- so it's a cycle of improvement.
While Pfaffs are great machines, particularly for precise piecing, they probably are not the most free motion friendly. This is entirely my own biased opinion, and doubtless many world famous free motion quilters will now disagree with me. But if you find free motion work very frustrating, consider trying a different machine-- swap with a friend, try out a demo or rent a store model.
RST
03-11-2011, 07:47 PM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 427
3Ps: Prepare your space and machine, Practice every day, Persevere. Actually I teach FMQ and here are my favorite hints: go slowly to get the hang of moving your fabric. Getting your motion, needle speed and stitch length together is like learning to drive a stright drive transmission: you are looking for your sweet spot. As for your thread tension, if your bobbin thread is peaking up, your top thread tension is too tight. I always start with the tension loose and tighten up incrementally while I warm up. You will need to tweak your tension every time you sit down to sew as temperature and humidity changes can affect your thread. But don't fret too much about the tension, when you wet and block you quilt, the amount it draws up will hide a lot of tension problems! Don't give up!
03-11-2011, 07:47 PM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 427
3Ps: Prepare your space and machine, Practice every day, Persevere. Actually I teach FMQ and here are my favorite hints: go slowly to get the hang of moving your fabric. Getting your motion, needle speed and stitch length together is like learning to drive a stright drive transmission: you are looking for your sweet spot. As for your thread tension, if your bobbin thread is peaking up, your top thread tension is too tight. I always start with the tension loose and tighten up incrementally while I warm up. You will need to tweak your tension every time you sit down to sew as temperature and humidity changes can affect your thread. But don't fret too much about the tension, when you wet and block you quilt, the amount it draws up will hide a lot of tension problems! Don't give up!
03-11-2011, 08:02 PM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southeast Ohio
Posts: 2,584
Originally Posted by knlsmith
WINE machinger gloves WINE sharp needle WINE and don't forget to breath. Oh and sometimes WINE. lol Works for me everytime.
03-11-2011, 08:08 PM
#39
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Western Canada
Posts: 1,370
I use a 1471 as well and have just started doing FMQ. I practiced on the French Roses bed runner and by the end of doing that I think I have almost got the hang of it. If I can help with your machine just PM me. Took me a little while to figure it out too. I am not all that good at it but am comfortable doing it now.
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