I want to thank everybody for their replies. I am excited and ready to try again. With all these suggestions (and some percerverance) it will be an attainable task. Thanks again.

Stitch regulators haven't been around THAT long. I see they are still optional on many long arm machines. They do help some quilters do a better job of FMQ. The guild members that have the regulator for their sewing machines have nothing but problems and most don't use them anymore.

I was told you don't have to drop the feed dogs for FMQ but it will do damage to your machine after a while because setting the stitch length to 0 means the feed dogs don't move, something about that part.

Not only do you not need a stitch regulator, you dont even need drop feed dogs. It is even possible to FMQ without a darning foot. "Can't" is a bad word at my house. No regulator=you become the regulator. Feed dogs don't drop=either cover them or set stitch lenght to 0. No darning foot, use the smallest or clear foot you have and release the pressure on the foot. There is always another way to do everything.

I am a beginner with a regular machine. I have just bought Heirloom Machine Quilting by Harriet Hargrave. What a great book!
Very detailed and clear information. ----and she doesn't mention a stitch regulator. Perhaps you could borrow this from your local library???? I didn't think that I could even try FMQ until I read this book. Sometimes I think that we are so caught up in the various gadgets that we lack the confidence in ourselves that really makes the difference. : :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sounds like she wants to sell you a machine. As others have said, it can be done without a stitch regulator. Find yourself another teacher.

I have a BSR for my Bernina and I never use it. I used it unplugged so my DH would think I was loving it! The stitch regulator is what I thought I had to have to get better, but it only threw me off.

As others have said, drop the feed dogs. Also, if one is available for your machine, get a straight stitch plate. It only has a small, single hole for the needle instead of a wider space for zig-zag. Your stitches will be better balanced and the thread will not get tangled and jammed. Just remember to switch to the regular zig-zag plate before doing zig-zags or decorative stitches! Just trust me on this one! LOL

Practice is the main thing with FMQ. Practice, practice. Like most anything with sewing, you learn a method that fits your style. You can overlap lines there is no FMQ police. I was told never ever cross lines, it is against the rules. But guess what, I was arrested when crossing lines.
Just have fun, and practice.

mrsm, do you drop your tension or your stitch length? you still have to have tension on the thread and the stitch length doesn't matter if you're not using your feed dogs

I do not have a stitch regulator either. As others have said, it just takes practice. I took a class at a LQS which gave me ideas as what to use for stitches, but mainly I learned that you just drop the feed dogs and start going. I do find the gloves with rubber on the finger tips help on large quilts. I bought myself a pair of gardening gloves that I use for free motion. Works great and cheaper than "quilters gloves". Practice and enjoy!!!

Yes, you were told wrong. The only domestic machine with a stitch regulator for FMQ is the Bernina. For any other machine you have to put it on a frame to get any kind of stitch regulator.

You can even quilt on a longarm without a stitch regulator!!