SuzanneG

I also FMQ on my regular machine. (I do meander, stipple, and free form designs.) I do have an Elna 7200 with an extra long harp, but I have also FMQ'd a queen size quilt on my other Elna with a standard size harp.

I don't roll my quilts, I "puddle" them under the needle. Also the single most important thing I do is to play music and sing or hum along to the tune. It just keeps me breathing (when we concentrate, we tend to hold our breath and when we do that, we tense up). Singing (or humming) just keeps me breathing and relaxed and really helps to keep my quilting smooth and flowing.

sparkys_mom

I'm still in the stipple stage but I've been following Leah Day's quilt along for 2012 and things are improving.

Elaine433

I FMQ on my regular machine. I sandwich my quilts with 505 Spray and Fix. I also sandwich about a 12 x 20 piece of muslin with the same batting I am using for the quilt. Practicing on the muslin sandwich gets me back into the timing of moving the fabric. My husband built me a quilting table. It is a purchased adjustable height table from Sam's Club. He put 2 layers of foam insulation on top with a cut out for my machine. On top of the foam is heavy duty vinyl (bty from Joann's). The vinyl keeps the quilt moving nicely and to have the machine and table the same height means there is nothing to catch on. I keep trying new designs. I find I always go back to a combo of stippling and meandering with a few loops thrown in. I have found that I am always better by the end of the quilt so now I try to finish up 2 quilts and can work on one right after the other.

Rumbols

I am still in the learning stage as I work full time and when I attempt to sew in the evening, I never have enough time. I practice for 20 minutes like all the books say but nothing seems to click. But I never get very far and have to stop and pick out what I just put in. I always end up doing STD just to get the quilt done.

vlrigdon

Practice! I use my Baby Lock Quilter's choice which does not have a large throat, and just do it, but I admit my shoulders are tired when I'm done with all the moving around. I sometimes practice drawing the pattern, to get it into my mind, then just do it. I've decided that my quilts will designed/cut/pieced/quilted by me, so I just keep practicing and just keep doing it. Not going to win any prizes, but they are done by me! The supreme slider, quilting gloves, and fully supporting the weight of the piece do make all the difference.

grandmacat

I am a novice quilter who has completed several quilts but I have been working on learning quilting for 4 years and I still do not feel I "know how". Free motion quilting is the reason I purchased the new Brother Quattro and I am disappointed. I don't know whether it is me or the machine. I like the 11" throat and the basic soundness of the stitching...it doesn't jiggle like my lighter weight manual singer machine. BUT so far I have tons of bird nests on the back of the quilting fabric. It worked great for about 2 hours then after that I have had nothing but tangles on the back. I was told by other quilters in my guild that I should use 60wt thread which I tried but it did not change the problem.

Any suggestions???

RugosaB

I just stated FMQ on my domestic about a year ago, and agree with all I've read here about PRACTICE.
Also, I've learned to not be so critical of my work , and find SOMETHING that's an improvement over the last time.
I am very fortunate that I have a machine table that's quite large, and supports all of the item I'm working on.
I just posted this in the pics thread, and though the FMQ is not perfect, that was not my goal. My goal was 'good enough'
The thing I liked over the last project, the hearts FMQ

vlrigdon

Others have mentioned to make it a calm experience with soft music and a little deep breathing first, it really does make a difference! TV not needed!

Ccfrice

Yes, Ido most of guilting Fmg, deside what you want to do, make a quilt sandwich with material close to what u r quilting, practice till u feel u have down. I look for different guilting in magazines I have.

pjnesler

Confidence, persistance - along with all the comments from above, these are two that you may want to consider. If you are confident you can do it - 1000's of others have, why not you? Along with being persistant - practice a bit now, go on to somthing else, let your practice session sit in the back of your mind, what do you think could be improved on - what can you do to imporve it - try it next time.... It won't happen all at once, but BELIEVE that it will. I'm not a pro, but this is pretty much the way I went about it. And the practice sandwiches - - - I've been practicing sewing them together with binding strip quilt as you go process.