Quilting tool
 

I have a new Brother XL 3750 machine. I am new at sewing, but I want to learn how to make quilts. I am planning to retire next year and I want to learn to sew. With my machine I have several attachments. One attachment that I have is a quilting foot with 1/4" guide, and a walking foot. Do I need to attach this tool for just quilting? Please I need all the help I can get from you all. How do you attached the tools? What is the best setting, what size needle? etc. Help me!

Welcome to a whole new world. The walking foot helps feed the layers of the quilt thru. You will need to turn off your feed dogs when you use it. Look in your manual on how to change it out. I have 2 Brothers and they are basicly the same on changing out feet, but some may vary just a little. You can also go to youtube for alot of tutorials. They have basic sewing and quilting ones. There are also alot of great tutorials on this site and you can probably look on the net for tutorials on your perticular machine.
Good luck and don't get discouraged.
You'll be a pro in no time. Just remember have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Country1

Welcome to our world! I hope you learn to really love your sewing and quilting. Country1 gave good advice. I'll add to that - join a quilting guild and/or take some classes at a local quilt shop. You'll learn and make new friends!

Hi Brandi,

I think you'll enjoy your Brother machine. It's great for a beginner and is easy to use.

For quilting, you'll mainly use the 1/4" quilting foot. That foot will ensure that your seam allowance is the same for each seam you sew. The walking foot is useful after you've put your top together when you are ready to attach the top, the batting and the backing. I've never seen a walking foot that requires you to drop your feed dogs to use it, so you'll want to check with your sewing machine manual. Most of the feet for your machine will snap on; it's a very easy way to change feet.

I would suggest, in addition to watching videos online and any videos that may have come with the machine, that you find someone locally who will run through the basics of threading the machine, winding a bobbin and attaching the feet. It shouldn't take more than 15-30 minutes to go over that. Someone here on the board who is in your area might even volunteer.

You may want to post on the Main board so your post gets seen by more people.

Hope this helps!

Lynda

Brandi, make sure that the 1/4" foot is really sewing at 1/4". You may need to adjust your needle to the right or left. There may be a discrepancy. Do a test scrap to ensure accuracy before trusting the foot. You'd be surprised at how many people trust the foot only to find out later that it's off a smidge, which can throw off your accuracy! There are plenty of tutorials out there on how to get the perfect 1/4" seam. Just google it. You'll love the walking foot - especially for binding!

I always use my walking foot for piecing. Wouldn't be without it.

You have a great resource right next door. Go to Whittle's Fabrics and ask if they can help you. They have good fabric at great prices. They're on Chalybeate Road which is basically 31. I live in Owensboro and drive down to buy fabric often. For others, they sell online as well.

I use my walking foot for piecing but you do not have to drop your feed dogs before using it. Look on Facebook , there are hundreds of videos that will answer all your questions. Just put in 'walking foot' or 1/4 foot and you will get all the help you could ever need.

Welcome to the world of quilt fanatics!!!! You might try the LQS for classes and there are many videos online, and many tutorials here on the board. Take your time, and enjoy the journey. Be sure to post pics here on the board about your progress, you will get a lot of encouragement from the members here.

Make sure your seams are 1/4 ". Sew a line on your machine and measure to make sure it is 1/4" so that your blocks all come out the same size. And a good how to quilt book is a must. You Tube has several instructional video's.
You use the walking ft to do the quiiting when you put your quit sandwich together: block, batting, back. You can also use it to apply your binding so the bottom fabric does not wrinkle up as the binding is applied. Keep checking with You Tube on your how-tos. There may be instructions on this site too. start with small projects at first, to get used to the machine. Great to know ya nad can't wait to see what you do. Ask more questions if you get stuck. Best wishes.

I have never heard of having to drop the feed dogs when using a walking foot. Does the walking foot work better if the feed dogs are down?

You can piece with a regular foot just so you know where your 1/4" seam will be when the needle is in the down position. You can also purchase a 1/4" pressor foot. A walking foot is used with the feed dogs in the up position. The feed dogs move the fabric from the underneath side and the walking foot moves the fabric on the top side. It is used mostly for quilting, sewing through the 3 layers of fabric known as a sandwich; top, batting, backing. I use it all the time, even for piecing...
I would suggest you find a LQS (local quilt shop) or fabric shop that teaches basic sewing. Also You Tube has tons of videos about quilting, sewing, rotary cutting, all types of sewing/quilting tools and how to use them.
I wish you well with your new endeavor of entering the wonderful world of quilting! You will love the Quilting Board for there are so many wonderful people here ready to do their best to answer questions and give encouragement. God bless...

Take your time! Read the direction few times before cutting! Dont get discouraged, ask questions! Most of us have been through it, experienced it! Make friends with ''jack the ripper'' your seam ripper! '
Show us what you make!!!!!

If you bought your machine at a dealer, ask to see if they offer lessons for your machine. If you didn't buy it from a dealer, I would check to see if there was a Brother dealer in your area that would give lessons.

Brandi, I live in SW Arkansas on Millwood lake. Do you live anywhere near me? I would be glad to help you with the basics. Plus we have quilting guilds close by.

I know you have gotten tons of good advice, so I won't add mine. But, I will make a suggestion, yes watch lot's of youtube videos but I would also suggest you buy or get at the library a quilting book for beginners. They have several that is very easy to understand with lot's of good pictures. I'm a newer quilter (almost 2 yrs.) & I use mine all the time. Also, there are lot's of good magazines geared for newer quilters. I like "Quick Quilts" & "Quilting Quickly". Lot's of easy patterns & easy instructions & help. There is tons of good help out there, but, you will find the most help right here on the QB. Welcome to QB & Quilting. You have set sail on a great adventure. Ahoy!!!

One of the best things I did was to take a rotary cutting class. I also advise you to join a quilt guild or group and take classes if you can. One thing about quilters is that they love to share knowledge. You will really enjoy your machine and hobby more. Quilting is one of those hobbies that has many facets and many techniques. So you will learn forever. The youtube videos are great too.

I use my walking foot for piecing, sewing on the binding, and for quilting straight line. You`re going to love it!

no - you need to keep feed dogs engaged with a walking foot. with a darning foot/free motion foot they're disengaged.

QUOTE=feffertim;6159155]I use my walking foot for piecing but you do not have to drop your feed dogs before using it. Look on Facebook , there are hundreds of videos that will answer all your questions. Just put in 'walking foot' or 1/4 foot and you will get all the help you could ever need.[/QUOTE]

I use my regular foot for piecing and follow the 1/4" mark on the bed of my machine (which happens to be the right edge of the feed dogs). I use the walking foot for straight line quilting and for putting on the binding. You must use the feed dogs with the walking foot. The feed dogs move the bottom layer and the walking foot moves the top layer at the same rate. The only time I lower the feed dogs is when I'm doing free motion quilting with my darning foot. This allows me to guide the quilt under the needle with no interference from the machine.

You use your regular foot (it's labeled A or F here, but you can check your manual to make sure) to piece stuff together. Your 1/4" guide foot may be very accurate for sewing two pieces together, I have a Brother, and a Janome (feet are interchangeable) and did the test, and mine was.

Your walking foot is used to help keep the pressure even from above when you are feeding thick fabric through. The feed-dogs must be up, or in normal setting. They are that way from the factory.

- Never heard of putting the feed dogs down when using the walking foot....the point of the walking foot is to have feed dogs on top & bottom working together at the same speed to allow the top & bottom to be pulled through equally

I am also new to quilting and I purchased the book "Quilting For Dummies". :o Have to say it explains stuff plainly and very thorough but I have sewn off and on for over 40yrs...eeps still weirds me out to have my age stare at me lol. Well am 55 but didn't sew coming out of the womb ha ha hmm but mom did have me via c section so maybe sewing IS in my blood!