DawnFurlong

Too funny! I find my self not breathing. Tensing up. Having to stop frequently because of the tensing up and shoulders/back aching. I am getting better at loosening up with it though (and not taking until I reach the end of the quilt to do so!). But I have to make a conscious effort to breath and blink as you say. So much better when I can make myself relax.

mom-6

And the blinking is even MORE important if you wear contact lenses! If you don't blink, your eyes dry out and the contacts get too dry and they start feeling gritty and you can't see worth a flip. Sometimes they'll even pop out...

nabobw

LOL very good

susie-susie-susie

Good warning. I tend to tense up and my shoulders end up around my ears. Breathing IS important, too. Same rules for long arm. Good post!!
Sue

DogHouseMom

Actually it was far easier for me to determine where I've been (and where I need to go) when doing micro than when large stippling - even when using a light weight (60wt is the finest I've used) threa that blends with the background. I can tell because the stippled area is flat from the really dense quilting. When I do large stiples, the un-quilted area is still raised and I can't see where I already quilted, compounded by the fact that the area between loops is greater. The last quilt I finished I did a large stipple and I KNOW I crossed a line once or twice, and came really close a few other times.

Tell ya what ... send me all your micro stippling and I'll send you all my large stippling

dorrell ann

ditto........................

Latrinka

Good advice, and swallow too or else your slobber might wash away the blue marks also! LOL!

Cybrarian

Try humming a song with the right beat to your movement- can't hum without breathing, as to the blinking guess you'll have to add it to your song (ie) " Row, row, row your boat; don't forget to blink; merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily; blink, blink, blink!"

calicojoan

Your tooooooo funny!

sulyle

That's why the teacher made us sing when we took the machine quilting class. It relaxes you and you can't hold your breath if you're singing.