learning free motion

[Carol7]

I am having trouble with getting started. My fabric seems to gather when I start out.

[auntjana]

Make sure that you use lots of safety pins - put them all over and about 4 inches or so apart - also make sure that your feed dogs - they feed the fabric through the needle are in the down [position - if you don't put them down, they impede the fabric moving smoothly as you free motion quilt.

Don't give up - just get a practice piece and practice, practice and more practice - you will have many new pot holders! LOL

Go slow at first and the more you do, the better and faster you will get

Jana

[MainelyMe]

One thing I learned is if your machine has speed control, put it at half speed at first. Then it won't run away from you. Also, start the needle going then move the fabric. I hope these make sense to you. It does take a while to catch on, so just keep trying. Good luck!

[northbound]

Are you bringing up the bobbin thread to the top with the first stitch and hanging on to it along with the top thread before you start the second stitch? You might get puckering at the start if you don't. Have you seen El's video on free motion quilting? It's in the media theater, the From Scraps to Quilts section, and shows how to do that.

[nanaquilter1954]

I love free-style quilting!! After you get the technique, it becomes addicting because it is so relaxing. Keep practicing and change needles often.

[fanquilt]

Yesssss El's free motion sewing tutorials 1 and 2 are great. I did them last week. Now I know what I've been doing wrong in machine sewing as well, tutorials 1 and 2.

June

[scrapquilter48]

Thanks for all your shared ideas, I'm at the darning foot stage ready to make 1st time, some quilting on my tabletopper.

[scrapquilter48]

Yes, bobbin thread bring to top before anything, I tried the wrong way, 1st and thread bunched on the back, then did the right way, Heah! I'm Canadian! it worked beautifully.

Then found a few tutorials from authors familiar with, Eleanor had one, and hands on have to get back to my dungeon in a week or so, moved my machine upstairs in window, winter long here.

[FlorenceM]

After MANY years of hand quilting I am making the transition to machine quilting. i am learning a lot just reading this thread. I will try your tips and let you know.