DresiArnaz

Wussing out big time! (Quit laughing!)

I keep putting it off for a variety of reasons.

Need to finish project first, have to cook or clean, need to plan next project, yada yada.

Bottom line is........ I'm chicken. (Red face)

I tried to dip my toe in the water about 9 months ago but I find it very intimidating.

I gotta get over this because ditching, outlining and echoing are getting dull as dishwater.

Thanks.

PurplePassion

Just make a placemat or hot pad. It's not that hard.

coffeecozy

i didn't plan to make anything out of those first pieces, i just tried to get a feel for it. fat quarters made a comfortable size to work with. find some ugly fabric and you'll feel like you are putting it to good use ;-) .

helou

I agree Do some hot pads and placemats with scraps for you to keep. You might be surprised and it will give you lots of practice.
I used scraps to make a throw quilt for me and while trying QAYG and using scraps, I practiced FMQ and one of my friend fell in love with it with all the imperfections there was in it. So she got the quilt LOll

quilterpurpledog

To quilt by machine is a step by step process and you have achieved the first steps, STID, straight lines, echoing, etc. I am assuming that if you did echoing that you did it with the feed dogs down which freed your stitching. I concur with all who mentioned small projects so you won't be distracted by 'bulk' that has to be managed. Doodle and then quilt. Draw pictures and quilt them. Use stencils (one of my favorite ways because I have problems drawing) to mark fabric, then FMQ them. What you are after is even stitches and this practice helps that skill. I also liked to let the motifs printed on fabric to guide my stitches. I have benefited greatly from the website by Lori Kennedy-Inbox Jaunt. She also has a column in the AQS magazine and now has a Craftsy class. All of tha being said, the key is PRACTICE.
Good luck, come on in, the stitching is great.

katier825

You'll never know how good you can be and how fun it can be to do FMQ if you don't try! In addition to the suggestions above, you can also make doll blankets, pads for animal shelters to practice. When I started out, I used thread that matched the back and busy prints to hide my mistakes. I found what looked best (loops/swirls) and perfected those before moving on. It too forever before I could do a decent stipple. Now my stippling looks great. I find FMQ very liberating and using the walking foot seems more like a chore to me.

Keep one of your early practice sandwiches so you can compare it later. Biggest advice is to relax and have fun!

bjchad

I love to FMQ and you may find that you will too.
If you don't mind some advice--
Don't try to stitch in the ditch with FMQ as a beginner It is the hardest thing to do. If you need to stitch the ditch use your walking foot for that part.
Try with feed dogs down and with them up and see which works better for you.
Invest a few bucks in a small white board and markers for it. I like the kind with writing lines on one side and clear space on another. Practice your quilting patterns on it until you know how to go in the direction you want and how to not work yourself into a corner. I still practice new designs this way. It also helps build muscle memory.
There are lots of good videos on YouTube and craftsy has some great FMQ classes (on sale this weekend).
And remember that we all are our own worst critics. Relax and accept that it is a growth process and enjoy the journey.

SuzieQuilts

FMQ takes practice. I have done countless quilts, and I am still striving to be better. Make an easy top, and have a place for it, like the camper, and quilt it. by the time you are finished, you will have improved enough to take on other projects. Don't forget to practice on scraps before you start a new design.

Stitchnripper

Well, by procrastinating, you will never become any good at it!!! It takes a lot of practice. A lot. I have enjoyed the process of the practice, if that makes any sense. I can do a respectable meander and that is good enough for me. I can do a few simple designs if the stars align. But, I enjoy doing the meander and it makes the quilting part go faster. Remember, practice, practice, practice. All good advice by previous posters. And you don't need a special fancy machine. I like FMQ best on my Costco version mechanical Brother and the feed dogs don't drop. I just set the stitch length on zero. And I do have some nice vintage machines.

Jeanne S

I am in the same place as you. I just have not taken the time to sit down and try it. I am saving lots of scraps and hopefully one of these days I will take the plunge. It is harder to learn new skills as an older adult. I know the answer is practice!!! Sigh.