sschick

Hi all, I'm getting close to finishing basting my quilt sandwich and will want to start quilting soon. I have purchased some FMQ ruler templates and ruler foot to use on Mabel. The templates also came with some quilting gloves and silicone stickers to reduce slipping. I have to loosen up the presser foot pressure quite a bit to get a test sandwich to move. I can tighten up the pressure and get a test case to move freely but as soon as I use a template, I can't get the template and sandwich to move and have to loosen the pressure bar again. I do have the feed dog dropped, so that is not the issue. Does anyone have any suggestions? I really want to FMQ on this quilt.

Shari

quiltedsunshine

A "slider" under the fabric will help. There are very expensive ones that you can buy... Or you can use parchment paper or a slick placemat from the Dollar Store. Just cut a small hole out, for the needle to go through and tape it to your machine bed. Also, try not to push down too hard. You can try grasping the template with the quilt fabric, then guiding it.

Good Luck!

sschick

Awesome suggestions. Thank you. I will try the parchment paper since I always have that in the house. I have another test piece I can try that with.

Shari

sschick

This is not as easy as all the videos make it look! I did make several practice pieces too! I am working on a large quilt (in quadrants) and so far, not so good. First row, horrendous, second row....getting better, but not perfect. I tried to pick out the stitches on the first row and start over, but some were so tiny, I just decided to let them be. Alas, the quilting (or backing) will not be perfect, but then again, this is my first attempt at FMQ.

Shari

quiltedsunshine

It does take practice. Hang in there! You'll get it.

sschick

It is getting a little better for me since I have sort of figured out what I need to do. Some rows are really good and others, not so much. This quilt will be very far from perfect, but I should give myself some slack since this is my first real attempt at FMQ.

Shari

quiltedsunshine

Exactly! Give yourself some slack!

I find that after I get a quilt finished, then I go back to where I think I should pick something out and re-quilt it, I can't find it. It looks worse at the moment than it will when the quilt is done. Sometimes washing the quilt will make things relax a bit, too.

I really love quilting with my rulers!

sschick

Thank you for the encouragement. I'm about halfway done with the main part of the quilt, then will move onto the borders. I am still struggling a little with controlling the speed of the machine so I can get consistent stitching, but I know I will get there eventually.

Stitchnripper

Good for you for keeping at it! FMQ does take a lot of practice.

OurWorkbench

Aren't you supposed to reduce the pressure when free motion quilting, especially with rulers/templates so that there is room to move the quilt sandwich and template together???? You definitely need the lower the presser foot or you will have a bobbin nest of thread.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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