jumpin' judy

I too started with the oven liner and found it did not help much. I then decided to spring for the
Supreme Slider and it was better but not perfect. I have heard about a silicone spray that you can spray on your machine bed but have never found it. Anybody know where to get it and how it works??

Becky's Crafts

I don't have Fibro, but I do have lots of arthritis & carpal tunnel. I find it much easier to be seated higher, so that my elbows are even with the top of my table. (My sewing machine is set down into a table). The other thing to remember is that the part of the quilt you aren't working on needs to be supported with perhaps another table to make an L shape unit. Lessen the tension on your presser foot and have fun! It is really liberating!! :-)

bennie0755

What a great idea! QUOTE=meyert;7872991]I have found that I really like using the sponges that have a pot scrubber side to them. The scrubby side on the fabric really grips the fabric great. The sponge is soft to hold on to - and my hands don't get a sweaty like when I wear the gloves

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ybradbury

Wildyard, an easy temporary solution to not having an extension table is to stack books around your machine the same height as your sewing machine bed. Tape them together. If you dont want to get tape on the books, wrap each bundle in paper first. On top of the machine bed and the extesion table made of books, tape down a plastic report cover or anything a bit slippery with a hole cut out around the needle area. Make sure that your quilt is fuller supported everwhere and not hanging down off your table. Cheap, easy solution to try. Good luck!

Bree123

Not sure what "very small" means, but when I started FMQ, I was using a computer desk with a card table next to it. I built up the area around my machine using empty Whitman chocolate boxes (they were the perfect size ... and the perfect excuse to eat more chocolate!). They are already coated with this slick, wax coating, so the fabric glides right over them. I've also used shirt boxes with waxed paper taped on top & that was almost as good. The trick is to get everything level with your machine bed. I had probably 4-5" to the left & 6-7" behind my machine on the desk (which was butted up against the wall to help support my quilt). The card table did give me extra room to the left. I used a paperback book under each of the legs to get it the same height as my desk.

Depending on what brand of machine you have, the darning feet may not be expensive. For my old Singer, I paid $10 for it. Of course, my Bernina darning foot was quite pricey.

I have not had a control to adjust the pressure foot pressure on any of my machines, so while that is a great feature, it isn't necessary to FMQ.

Of course, there are a lot of beautiful designs that can be done with straight line quilting ... just wanted you to know you have options without investing a huge amount of money (and, for that matter, even my "cabinet" is an IKEA hack of their $60 INGO dining table -- so I went from $15 worth of chocolate boxes to a $60 table & have enjoyed FMQ'ing every step of the way!).

elaine708

Just another suggestion. When I was first trying free motion quilting and my machine was higher than table, I went to
store that sells thick foam board like used for insulation in homes. Measure the height of your machine and look for foam that will give you an even working surface. I needed two layers to get right height. For ease of movement t covered foam board with heavy clear plastic. Most foam board comes 4x 8' and can easily be cut to size of your table or some places that sell it will cut it for you. I also used a chair I can raise higher so as to not have strain on shoulders and upper arms.
You have already received many suggestions, so hope you will try some or decide if you feel they would help and have success i doing free motion quilting

Irishrose2

When I quilted on my dining room table, I used books covered in vinyl sold by the yard. Just cut a hole for the presser foot area. Then I tried some styrofoam packing. I do find it easier to be higher - a kitchen stool works. I do have fibro and several arthritises. I use a FMQ foot. Mine came from aprils1930shoppe as I quilt on a slant needle Singer 301, which is now set in a table (Kenmore for $5 from Salvation Army). I think the foot is your problem. A regular foot would put continual pressure on your quilt and inhibit moving it easily. For me gloves are too hot. I use scraps of grippy underlayment sold for throw rugs.

SueJ

I just use the rectangle plastic boxes around my msmachine. My machine sits on a old desk but lately I am doing fmq on my kitchen table.

vickig626

Thanks for your tips. Guess Machingers will be my next notions purchase.

QuiltE

Hope they work for you!
When buying, be sure you get them small enough .... so that they are like a second skin, and not sloppy.
I was shocked, that "small" was for me ... gee, I have never had small in anything!!
That was a nice ego boost!!!!