HillCountryGal

I too much prefer every other aspect of quilting.. except the "quilting". Hand quilting is more peaceful to me. Sent out one quilt to a long-armer. She did an amazing job and it's beautiful. However, it cost me an arm and a leg and I somehow don't feel connected to it like my other quilts.

Onetomatoplant

If you think it may be your machine, go to some quilting stores (or a quilt show) and play on their machines. But don't beat yourself up over not enjoying the quilting part of the process I have a friend who sews beautifully and her mom owns a quilt shop, so she has access to any machine she could ever want, and she still hates quilting. She loves to create and to piece. There are people who love to bake, but don't love to cook, and vice versa. I think it's just a personality thing.

humbird

I have not read thru all of the posts here, so maybe I am repeating. I would suggest hand quilting, or QAYG. I too have a regular domestic machine, so find it difficult to quilt a whole quilt, but hand quilting can be very relaxing. QAYG can be done on small throat machines. Some types do require hand finishing (my personal preference) and some can be done completely by machine. Of course, if you WANT a larger throat machine, go for it.

Geri B

.....and remember, this hobby was born out of necessity and the " quilting" had a purpose, but it was simple....then it became more decorative and now some of it has evolved into an art form. Find your comfort zone and enjoy....nothing wrong with straight or diagonal lines...let your piecing shine.

Snooze2978

I love the process of making the quilt top more so than the quilting of it and I have a long arm machine. Finally had to just push myself into finishing the quilt tops and now I'm enjoying it again. Don't care for frogging though when I have a hiccup with the machine. A 5 minute pattern can take up to an hour to frog. Just ask me how I know.

Onebyone

I suggest you buy this book. One Line at a Time by Charlotte Warr Anderson
It shows how to quilt with a walking foot to make geometric designs. No fmq required.

willferg

I feel exactly the same way as you do...

mjpEncinitas

I like the quilting part much better than the piecing part. It did really help moving to a machine geared toward FMQ Are you in southern ca? I'd be happy to lend you my brother 1500 so you could try on a machine that is more suited to FMQ and walking foot quilting.

Sneed

I began learning to FMQ in order to save the money in order to be able to buy more and more fabric. I do most of my quilting on my little Brother 1500S because I never seem to have any trouble with thread tension on that machine. It was a struggle to begin with, but I feel a lot more confident now. Plus, I do like to be able to know that I did make and finish the entire quilt myself. I know there are some wonderful long armers out there and I will never be able to compare my work to theirs, but I am a control freak, I suppose, and if the quilting doesn't look right I have only myself to blame.

tessagin

I've been practicing with the QAYG and I know a lot of quilters who only like certain phases of it. I have to laugh thinking back when my Grandmother quilted. She was helping a friend tie. They just took a couple of wood horses and place the quilt between them. BAck then they of course wore aprons. Her friend somehow tied her apron to her quilt. They had a good laugh!!