MaggieLou

If your machine has a speed control try setting it to slow or medium.

cat-on-a-mac

My suggestion is not to stress out too much about the evenness of your stitches. For me, anyway, it seems to work to concentrate on the pattern, and eventually I get into a rhythm, and the stitch length starts to take care of itself. I also feel that if you use too slow a speed on the machine, things get worse. You have to find your own "sweet spot", where the speed of the machine and the speed at which you move the fabric are in synch.

happymrs

I don't know what kind of machine you are using, but if it's one that tells you to lower your feed dogs, try leaving them up & free motion! I seem to have more control this way, & get smaller stitches... Lots of practice helps too, good luck!

Gilla

Well I FMQ the border on my latest quilt yesterday. I cussed and fussed, but I finally got around the way around the darn thing. It doesn't look to bad as long you don't look too closely. Now I am fighting with the binding. Somewhere I READ TO CUT A STRIP 2 1/4" wide, fold it, and then sew it to the front and flip to the back. When I tried that there wasn't enough to turn over. I opened it back up. Now I am stitch it on open, then fold it over, pin and hand stitch to the back. Why do the corners have to be mitered. I used to do it all the time without and it worked fine. Whoever came up with that idiotic idea? It will get done by Monday, hook or crook.

Gilla

Thank you all for the tips on how to FMQ. I have oracticed and practiced and I guess I just need more of it. Now that I am done with this quilt, I'll spend some time on finessing that.

bluteddi

I have been trying to learn to FMQ... I have vision problems.. and find it difficult to keep track of things that move. I buy sheets at the Goodwill store , cut them in to large sqaures to practice on.... so far.. I'm still practicing.. I've about come to the conclusion.... I am destined to remain a straight stitch quilter... sigh... but I LOVE FMQ.... I'll keep working on it... but it's not looking good for FMQ to be in my future.....

I feel ur pain.....

sewbizgirl

I had some fabric "books" in my stash(that you cut and put together with batting in between the pages)-- little bible story books for children. I assembled those and used the pages to practice different machine quilting techniques-- stipple, meandering, waves, swirls, flowers, etc. Another idea is potholders... or little quilts.

Jeanniejo

Is your FMF a darning foot ? I guess I dont have a FMF. I always practice before I start on a quilt. I have put together some placemats and practice by doing one every time I haven't done and FM for a bit. My practice makes for give aways when I get a set. I find that it is small enough to move around comfortably and I can get into a rythm by the time I have done one.

DianneRab

http://patchwork-of-mini-grey.blogsp...nd-tricks.html

Suggestions here, feed dogs are down, when you stop your machine the needle should be down in the fabric before moving the quilt. Practice slowly, be sure there are no threads caught in the bobbin and the machine is threaded properly.

This link has some good points including thread type, needles and suggestions for how to. Don't get frustrated, just keep practicing it will come.

DianneRab

linhawk

I am learning too. I found that it is the timing between the needle speed and your hand moving speed. Not sure if I would tackle a quilt until I get my timing right. I am told we need practice practice practice.
;-) Linda