Machine FMQ and where to start on the quilt
01-20-2019, 04:36 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,503
I also quilt in quarters. One hint that I can offer is.... check your thread. Make sure your bobbin and spool have sufficient thread to complete the quarter and not have a lot of starts and stops to deal with. I have been know to check the bobbin often and to dash to the border by enlarging my FM to avoid getting lots of tails than need to be dealt with later. Silly? Yup, but that tells how much I like to hide the tails.
If I am doing wavy lines, I start in the center at the border and stitch top to bottom from the center to the right, then flip the quilt and do the other half. So easy and so quick even in you are doing heavy of close quilting.
If I am doing wavy lines, I start in the center at the border and stitch top to bottom from the center to the right, then flip the quilt and do the other half. So easy and so quick even in you are doing heavy of close quilting.
01-20-2019, 08:32 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 1,927
Remember to practice on some small quilt sandwiches first....you can turn them into pot holders later. Take it is small steps, no rush. Check for loops and eyelashes. This means that your hands are moving faster than your machine....slow down hand movement or speed up machine. ALWAYS BRING YOUR BOBBIN THREAD TO THE TOP BEFORE YOU BEGIN. Ask me how I learned these things....yep....lots of pot holders at my house.
01-20-2019, 04:11 PM
#13
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 125
Can't do without a slider, but mine got caught up and wrecked. I bought Teflon oven liner, cut it to fit and it works well. If the FMQ isn't going well, it's usually because I forgot to set it up on the bed of my machine. But I hear there's a new silicone spray for that.
01-22-2019, 06:44 AM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,869
OOHHH!!! You are going to have so much fun! I just started doing FMQ a little over a year ago. Now? I'm addicted, when before I swore off FMQ because I struggled so much. Start with small samples - a perfect size is 20x20. I use stencils and trace them onto my fabric (Crayola markers for kids - they wash out no problems) and just go to town and have fun.
If you do a search for new posts started by me, you will see my progress, and all the things I have learned about FMQ! Read them because it will prevent you from making the same mistakes I did!
Also ... I just discovered that there is washable thread - yes! Can you believe that? I was stunned! I just basted my first quilt with this and can now do FMQ wherever I want!
Step 1 - baste - including your border so your quilt doesn't get lopsided
Step 2 - FMQ the big stuff / outline
Step 3 - the smaller stuff and finally
Step 4 - the intricate or fillers.
If you do a search for new posts started by me, you will see my progress, and all the things I have learned about FMQ! Read them because it will prevent you from making the same mistakes I did!
Also ... I just discovered that there is washable thread - yes! Can you believe that? I was stunned! I just basted my first quilt with this and can now do FMQ wherever I want!
Step 1 - baste - including your border so your quilt doesn't get lopsided
Step 2 - FMQ the big stuff / outline
Step 3 - the smaller stuff and finally
Step 4 - the intricate or fillers.
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DawnMarie
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