Machine quilting templates
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,466
If you want to continue to use a walking foot with feed dogs down, I would recommend the book Walk by Jacquie Gehring. Her instructions really open up additional possibilities for quilting with a walking foot. Definitely beyond stitching just in a straight line.
If you want to learn free motion quilting, which drops the feed dogs and uses a darning foot or similar, I would highly recommend the Free Motion Quilting Academy taught online by HollyAnne Knight of String and Story. Amazing class designed to give you confidence to quilt on your DSM or a long arm. I have attached a few of the motifs I did on the sampler we did in her class.
If you want to learn free motion quilting, which drops the feed dogs and uses a darning foot or similar, I would highly recommend the Free Motion Quilting Academy taught online by HollyAnne Knight of String and Story. Amazing class designed to give you confidence to quilt on your DSM or a long arm. I have attached a few of the motifs I did on the sampler we did in her class.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 706
She does have her own verbal style and I agree it’s not my style. But she really is a fabulous teacher, teaching not just the foundation for FMQ but working on the things that might be holding you back from success. I came to appreciate her aphorisms: “practice makes progress” and “actions conquers fear.” Another poster here, Three Dog Night, posted her encouraging stories about the class and I was so glad I took it.
#13
I graduated in Fall 2020 cohort and it was the best money I ever spent. As SuzSLO said she has her quirks but she does have the ability to teach you how to FMQ and encourage you every step of the way. Best plus is there are hundreds of Academy members (Rockstars) who will encourage and support you in your journey. I love making my quilts from start to finish sometimes with rulers, sometimes FMQing and often with a combination of both.
#14
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 131
I can't agree more with those that suggested you look into Sew Steady's templates. The ones on Amazon that were mentioned in the original request for information are cheap knock-offs. Someone mentioned you needed templates that are 1/4" thick. This is true for some machines, mainly high shank machines. If you own a low shank or mid shank machine you will need to purchase the low shank templates. You will definitely need to purchase the proper ruler work foot for your machine also. For a first purchase I'd look into one of the basic starter sets that includes your foot.
Sew Steady has by far the most learning support of any that I've looked into. There's a lesson every Tuesday that is presented by Sew 4 Less on Facebook. Every Saturday Donelle McAdams has a project. Every Sunday Kate Quinn presents a project or demonstrates different templates. Sew Steady also has their University which has many free lessons (projects) for free as well as a nominal purchase price. By far they have the most education of all ruler work of any company.
Sew Steady has by far the most learning support of any that I've looked into. There's a lesson every Tuesday that is presented by Sew 4 Less on Facebook. Every Saturday Donelle McAdams has a project. Every Sunday Kate Quinn presents a project or demonstrates different templates. Sew Steady also has their University which has many free lessons (projects) for free as well as a nominal purchase price. By far they have the most education of all ruler work of any company.
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 131
A word of warning, there is a learning curve. These are usually done as free-motion unless you have a Bernina with BSR. It's fairly easy except you need to learn to adjust your machine speed and fabric movement speed to get good free motion stitch. Practice is required.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 706
I totally agree that there is a learning curve. And, I think, that even with a BSR it is still considered free motion quilting when using a ruler. But anyone can learn to do it on any machine (maybe even a treadle).
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,398
As far as I know, the foot on the BSR attachment is not a ruler foot unless someone has developed an additional attachment for the BSR. There is a separate really nice ruler foot for the newer Bernina's, but it can not be used with BSR.
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,398
It has something to do with the shank that holds the foot. Some of them are designed differently and the clearance is different around the foot so you need different thickness of the ruler as a 1/4 inch thick ruler only works with the high shank machines. I just did a search for "how do I know if my machine is a high or low shank" and I found a lot of links. I did some research and found my bernina is "something else" but I bought the ruler foot made for her and I know I need a 1/4 inch thick ruler for ruler work
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,834
More than you want to know
Since I don't do FMQ, I'm not exactly sure what the explanation would be as related to templates. The template is the plastic odd shaped "thingy" that you use as a guide for your foot as you move the fabric under the needle. There are many "mavens" of FMQ; Angela Waters and Leah Day are two of the most famous. They and many like them make templates for FMQ, plus have classes and videos for help in learning. Most feet used in FMQ are similar to "darning" feet.
As far as I know, the Westalee company (I believe they are an Australian company, but not sure.) is the first to come out with the feet and rulers for FMQ. As I understand it, Westalee only makes rulers and feet for low, high and slant shank machines. Sewsteady is their USA manufacturer and distributor.
FMQ takes a lot practice to master. There are all kinds of tips, tricks, classes and videos for learning FMQ. There are a plethora of videos on youtube.com. I would suggest you buy only one or two basic templates until you master them. Sewsteady seems to be a good place to start.
Just to let you know my history with FMQ; I bought a beginner Westalee ruler and foot for my (most used machine) vintage Singer with a slant shank and then figured out that my feet dogs wouldn't drop, which I just didn't think of at the time. I still have the foot and ruler, but have not bought another foot for one my other vintage Singers that do drop their feed dogs.
The ruler I received was a 1/8 in. thick ruler. My guess is that Bernina takes the 1/4 inch ruler.
bkay
Last edited by bkay; 12-27-2021 at 07:30 AM. Reason: spelling