Playing with Freemotion
09-20-2010, 05:53 PM
#22
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 2,078
Originally Posted by quilter711
This is just amazing. I can't imagine what you will be doing for FMQ when you become an expert. Please share with us if you are using a long arm. My practice pieces look nothing like this on my home sewing machine. Wonder if you could do a tutorial?
Thanks for sharing,
Quilter711
Thanks for sharing,
Quilter711
I started with an afternoon class about a year ago and have been taking advantage of learning from a few books and videos since then. The first book/DVD I got was from Karen McTavish; she is fun to watch, and her Minnesota accent reminds me of home. Recently I got 2 of Sharon Schamber's beginning feathering DVDs and have learned a lot from her. Her sandwiching and basting technique is "the bomb". I've also watched a lot of quilting on youtube. And read everything I can find on the web. I just love Leah Day's 365 days of quilting on the web as a resource for ideas and new things to try.
It seems that everyone has a slightly different technique that works for them. You have to take the parts that work for you and use them. And, practice, practice, practice! First I draw the designs with paper and pencil several times to get a feel for them; then I try them out on practice samples that are only 16 or 18" square so they are relatively easy to maneuver. Then, when I'm satisfied with what I have, I try it on the real thing. It's definitely "a process" for me. I've done a couple of baby quilts and an twin size so far, as well as some quilted bags for my granddaughters and some placemats for the table.
I've got a couple of twin-sized throws pieced that I'm almost brave enough to start quilting on this fall. The biggest challenge I have right now is figuring out what motifs/designs to use to compliment the patchwork (and that I can actually sew successfully).
There are tons of amazingly talented quilters on this site, and I feel l privileged to benefit from the knowledge and skills they share!
And the best tip from a video? Karen McTavish said to "have a glass of wine!" I'm not sure if my FMQ is better for it, but it sure makes it more fun!!! :lol:
09-20-2010, 05:54 PM
#23
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
PennyJ,
There's nothing to be scared of! Who says it has to be perfect? Quilting is supposed to be fun!!
:-D
There's nothing to be scared of! Who says it has to be perfect? Quilting is supposed to be fun!!
Originally Posted by pennyj123
Hey they are gorgeous. How long have you been doing FMQ, i have yet to get into it, so scared though. frightened of going wrong. your pics are brilliant. I am quilting placemats at the moment and want to do FMQ on them, will have to havago soon. :)
09-20-2010, 05:58 PM
#24
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 2,078
Originally Posted by purplefiend
PennyJ,
There's nothing to be scared of! Who says it has to be perfect? Quilting is supposed to be fun!!
:-D
There's nothing to be scared of! Who says it has to be perfect? Quilting is supposed to be fun!!
Originally Posted by pennyj123
Hey they are gorgeous. How long have you been doing FMQ, i have yet to get into it, so scared though. frightened of going wrong. your pics are brilliant. I am quilting placemats at the moment and want to do FMQ on them, will have to havago soon. :)
09-20-2010, 06:40 PM
#26
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Southeast Iowa
Posts: 428
First I just want to say how beautiful your FMQ is! Second, I also use my sewing machine, Viking Lily 550 to do my FMQ ing, but I don't practice enough, and I also have trouble deciding what designs to quilt where. Third, LOL, I need to make a regular habit of the glass of wine, as I get tense and stressed. :)
09-20-2010, 06:56 PM
#29
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 2,078
Originally Posted by Sparky
What is the Sharon Schamber technique for sandwiching you use? I'm guessing "the bomb" was good rather than a catastrophic.
she uses two straight boards, rolls the quilt top on one, and the backing on the other. Then she rolls them back out, on a wide table top, a section at a time with the batting in between and bastes with tatting thread as she goes. When she's done with one section, she just rolls out some more and keeps on going. I tried it on the last couple of baby quilts I did and it worked like a charm! No crawling around on the floor across the quilt sandwich and no painful safety pins.
09-20-2010, 07:12 PM
#30
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Salem, OR
Posts: 320
Originally Posted by azwendyg
Originally Posted by Sparky
What is the Sharon Schamber technique for sandwiching you use? I'm guessing "the bomb" was good rather than a catastrophic.
she uses two straight boards, rolls the quilt top on one, and the backing on the other. Then she rolls them back out, on a wide table top, a section at a time with the batting in between and bastes with tatting thread as she goes. When she's done with one section, she just rolls out some more and keeps on going. I tried it on the last couple of baby quilts I did and it worked like a charm! No crawling around on the floor across the quilt sandwich and no painful safety pins.
How do you manipulate the batting between the top and backing at the same time, or is one attached first, then the other?
Maybe she just uses the boards like extensions of her arms to smooth it out?
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