1ST Time FMQ ...feel like crying
#141
The gloves definitely help me, but I found shower gloves for $1 at Walmart and am satisfied with them for gripping. I didn't know anyone else sews with their machine turned at an angle! That helps me, too. Regardless of these "helps", I haven't had enough practice to smooth out my circles either! Good luck.
#142
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: montana
Posts: 620
Originally Posted by CAJAMK
I do have a half a smile on my face. I went back and it is a mite bit better...but a question...the stitching on the back..looks loopy not tight...what would that be?
#143
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: montana
Posts: 620
Originally Posted by DCECathy
So, I am a newbie and don't know all the lingo...FMQ ...
F? Machine Quilting???
F? Machine Quilting???
#144
I usually suggest starting with something that is very familiar, like writing your name using FMQ. Start with your first name and then add your last name. Then move on to e's and l's. do several e's, then several l's then do e and then l. Then try o's and c's. You can make really pretty flowers if you put an e inside of an l in a circle. Before long you will be making your own designs. I also tell students to not start with stippling, I have found that they tend to get messed up trying to figure out where to go next, also, do your designs on paper with a pencil several times before trying on your machine. Hugs.
#145
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 65
I haven't time today to read the whole thread, sorry. But one thing that really helped me was purchasing a teflon mat to cover the sewing bed of my table. I noticed a lot of "jumping" as static built up and made my stitch line crooked. Try using the teflon mat you can buy to put in your oven. It's pretty inexpensive. If you like it, then try the more expensive "slider" mats. They advertise in most of the magazines.
#146
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: montana
Posts: 620
also really helps to tell yourself frequently to keep your shoulders down. you do have the presser foot down ? if your machine is sitting on the table, the drag of the quilt can give you problems. someone here showed an extension "table" of foam sheets to give you a bigger area to keep the quilt flat. best is to have machine set into a cabinet, etc.
keep going, but not on big projects for quite a while.
keep going, but not on big projects for quite a while.
#147
If you have an old needle, put that in your machine, and practice on a piece of paper to get the feel of the motion. When you first start out, go just a little slower, but not too slow, that way you can feel the rhythm of the needle going into the paper and will soon be able to pick up some speed. It isn't all that terrifying, just keep at it, you'll do just fine.
#148
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
Don't know if anyone is still reading at page 10 :-), but after struggling a while with FMQ I read a tip that helped. Several people mentioned drawing/doodling. One of the books I read said to look at a bunch of fmq patterns and try to draw them ALL and usually at least one will be very easy for you to draw. That's the one you should practice FMQ-ing next. I did this using my trusty IPAD, and it worked. I found a design that was easy to draw and it was the most successful thing I've tried to FMQ. Still need to practice lots more, though. Oh, I also draw shapes (squares, triangles etc.) and then practice stippling within the shape. I always used to stipple myself into a corner and this helped me to fill the shapes more evenly.
#149
As one who just started FMQ I did my first okay crib quilt last night. I felt like crying the first time too and wondered if I should just stick to the hand quilting. Now I'm beginning to enjoy the results of the FMQ. I find I can do only a little bit before my shoulders begin aching and so my next project is to build a platform to raise my chair (and foot pad) enough. I did find that the right height on the chair makes a huge difference in ease and outcome. I was told that your hands should be at table height when sitting and the elbows at a 90 degree angle. The learning curve is huge, but has been pretty quick for me - at least to the point of okay.
#150
I don't quilt with my DSM, but I've been told that if you turn the machine 90 degrees so it looks like you are quilting on a longarm it helps. Practice, practice, practice...I draw to practice my quilting, it builds muscle memory so that when you go to quilt, your muscles remember!
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