The Princess has arrived!!
10-10-2012, 05:12 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 436
The Princess has arrived!!
My new Tiara is here!! Now to learn to free motion quilt. I have practice packets made and I am practicing. So far I'm awful!! But I am confident I will get better!! Any tips for a new learner??
10-10-2012, 05:44 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Knot Merrill, Southern Indiana
Posts: 5,781
Ooooh ... I test drove the Tiara and her cousin the Sweet 16 last week at the quilt show. LOVED them!!! WANT one!! I love the idea of quilting like it's a domestic machine but having all that SPACE.
I see that you got the stitch regulator with it. I tried it, but didn't like it. Just me. I had more confidence by adjusting the speed control on the machine ... I even brought it down to 25% and started micro-stippling
SO much fun!!
I can only suggest to keep practicing. Free motion doesn't come over night. Start with patterns where you *know* where you are going ... for example writing your name (because you already have that muscle memory - and a lot of FMQ is about muscle memory). Practice that in several sizes, and other words as well. Then use the empty space between all the words to fill in other patterns - stippling, shells, zig-zag, loop-de-loops - etc. Suggest getting used to free-form patterns first (stippling, loop-de-loops) where the direction doesn't make a difference, then move on to the patterns that are more directional (shells, wavy lines etc).
I've been FMQ'ing for about 5 years - I still consider myself *new* and I STILL practice. I practice before every single quilt using the same thread to get the muscle memory for the pattern and to make sure the tension is correct (and the thread color choice looks good).
Don't touch the quilt until you feel comfortable.
Lastly ... two very simple suggestions ... relax and BREATH. I still catch myself forgetting to breath every now and then (seriously! and from what I understand it's common!)
I see that you got the stitch regulator with it. I tried it, but didn't like it. Just me. I had more confidence by adjusting the speed control on the machine ... I even brought it down to 25% and started micro-stippling
SO much fun!!I can only suggest to keep practicing. Free motion doesn't come over night. Start with patterns where you *know* where you are going ... for example writing your name (because you already have that muscle memory - and a lot of FMQ is about muscle memory). Practice that in several sizes, and other words as well. Then use the empty space between all the words to fill in other patterns - stippling, shells, zig-zag, loop-de-loops - etc. Suggest getting used to free-form patterns first (stippling, loop-de-loops) where the direction doesn't make a difference, then move on to the patterns that are more directional (shells, wavy lines etc).
I've been FMQ'ing for about 5 years - I still consider myself *new* and I STILL practice. I practice before every single quilt using the same thread to get the muscle memory for the pattern and to make sure the tension is correct (and the thread color choice looks good).
Don't touch the quilt until you feel comfortable.
Lastly ... two very simple suggestions ... relax and BREATH. I still catch myself forgetting to breath every now and then (seriously! and from what I understand it's common!)
10-10-2012, 06:07 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 436
Ooooh ... I test drove the Tiara and her cousin the Sweet 16 last week at the quilt show. LOVED them!!! WANT one!! I love the idea of quilting like it's a domestic machine but having all that SPACE.
I see that you got the stitch regulator with it. I tried it, but didn't like it. Just me. I had more confidence by adjusting the speed control on the machine ... I even brought it down to 25% and started micro-stippling SO much fun!!
I can only suggest to keep practicing. Free motion doesn't come over night. Start with patterns where you *know* where you are going ... for example writing your name (because you already have that muscle memory - and a lot of FMQ is about muscle memory). Practice that in several sizes, and other words as well. Then use the empty space between all the words to fill in other patterns - stippling, shells, zig-zag, loop-de-loops - etc. Suggest getting used to free-form patterns first (stippling, loop-de-loops) where the direction doesn't make a difference, then move on to the patterns that are more directional (shells, wavy lines etc).
I've been FMQ'ing for about 5 years - I still consider myself *new* and I STILL practice. I practice before every single quilt using the same thread to get the muscle memory for the pattern and to make sure the tension is correct (and the thread color choice looks good).
Don't touch the quilt until you feel comfortable.
Lastly ... two very simple suggestions ... relax and BREATH. I still catch myself forgetting to breath every now and then (seriously! and from what I understand it's common!)
I see that you got the stitch regulator with it. I tried it, but didn't like it. Just me. I had more confidence by adjusting the speed control on the machine ... I even brought it down to 25% and started micro-stippling
SO much fun!!I can only suggest to keep practicing. Free motion doesn't come over night. Start with patterns where you *know* where you are going ... for example writing your name (because you already have that muscle memory - and a lot of FMQ is about muscle memory). Practice that in several sizes, and other words as well. Then use the empty space between all the words to fill in other patterns - stippling, shells, zig-zag, loop-de-loops - etc. Suggest getting used to free-form patterns first (stippling, loop-de-loops) where the direction doesn't make a difference, then move on to the patterns that are more directional (shells, wavy lines etc).
I've been FMQ'ing for about 5 years - I still consider myself *new* and I STILL practice. I practice before every single quilt using the same thread to get the muscle memory for the pattern and to make sure the tension is correct (and the thread color choice looks good).
Don't touch the quilt until you feel comfortable.
Lastly ... two very simple suggestions ... relax and BREATH. I still catch myself forgetting to breath every now and then (seriously! and from what I understand it's common!)
10-11-2012, 01:31 AM
#7
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,728
How exciting for you!!
I was just looking at the Sweet 16 online yesterday and see this is very similar.
DogHouseMom referred to them as being cousins, yet, I can't find it on the Sweet16 site.
So is it a HQ? or something else?
Suggestions? I really don't have much for you, other than .... practice, practice, practice.
Since I got my Janome 6600 I have come to enjoy FMQ, and am seeing my progress with that praftice!!! Something I never thought I would want to do, and now I want more throat space to make it enjoyable and not feel like I am fighting to shove the fabric thru.
I wish you well for taking the step that I would hope to do, sometime!
I was just looking at the Sweet 16 online yesterday and see this is very similar.
DogHouseMom referred to them as being cousins, yet, I can't find it on the Sweet16 site.
So is it a HQ? or something else?
Suggestions? I really don't have much for you, other than .... practice, practice, practice.
Since I got my Janome 6600 I have come to enjoy FMQ, and am seeing my progress with that praftice!!! Something I never thought I would want to do, and now I want more throat space to make it enjoyable and not feel like I am fighting to shove the fabric thru.
I wish you well for taking the step that I would hope to do, sometime!
10-11-2012, 02:03 AM
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,728
Thanks Quilterella ... It sure looks like a clone for the HQ Sweet 16 ... wonder if they are exactly the same and just relabelled? And whom really makes it?
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