raedar63

Dang I should have put off the surgery on each wrist and held out for a long arm LOL.
Seriously though congratulations on your new machine ! I did have surgery on both wrists a week apart and really wished immediately that I had not put it off for so many years!

petthefabric

What are MBT shoes?

When I started I put 90" wide muslin sandwich on the machine, about 12' long. Still have open spaces on it so I use it when other people want to use my machine, for them to practice. Mostly it's used to cover the table when not in use. A sheet goes over the head.

Another practice is charity quilts. I've also cleaned out my stash for what-was-I-thinking fabrics and don't bother with batting. Now, my practice quilts (to learn something new) are my own. Don't practice on a customer's.

Doodling and tracing a pattern help. To use a panto, tracing with a non-marking tool (held like you'd hold the machine head) helps to get the motion into muscle memory

When I started piecing, I didn't want to quilt, so they were quilted by check. Then I got pretty good and my unique style wasn't matched by any LAQ's. Figured, it's time I learned how. So my quilting skills had to improve to match my piecing skills. They're still behind, but getting better. Perfect isn't required.

gvolle44

Practice and give yourself permission to make creative mistakes! I doodle to get my brain conditioned and I listen to several Craftsy online lessons about design. Leah Day has several free online lessons in FMQ that I've been inspired by, too. See http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com. The stitch regulator can be jerky at first and if you turn it off I'd suggest setting your speed to a slower setting. The hardest thing is getting the bobbin set in firmly. I discovered it take lots of practice to do it by feel and that it has a slight snap to set it correctly. Relax you shoulders and your grip and you'll be FMQ like a pro in no time.

Pagzz

It is a brand name. " MBT Trainers attempts to awaken and strengthen the awareness of physiologically correct walking among people world-wide by disseminating the idea and concept of MBT physiological footwear, "

They really help my posture and have pretty much eliminated my lower back pain.

love 2 sew

Unless you need those tops quilted for someone for a gift, keep them and quilt them when you're ready. I have three waiting for me & I know of several who had way more than that to do.
Joan

jlm5419

As the others have stated, it takes practice. I have been practicing on some quilts my guild makes for charity, and on one of them, the quilting looked like I was drunk when I did it. I later found out that the rails that my machine rides on were cracked. Replacing them made a world of difference. One thing I learned was practicing with pen on paper really helps. I have also watched videos on Youtube which also helps.