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Thread: FMQ question

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    EmmaB's Avatar EmmaB is offline Senior Member
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    Default FMQ question

    To those of you that can do free motion quilting I have a question. I know it depends on the person, but about how long did you have to practice before becoming confident enough to use this technique on a quilt?

    Sharon

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    PeggyM's Avatar PeggyM is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    I practice on a small sandwich once a week or so. I finally got the nerve to fmq a table topper after 6 months practice. Nowhere near perfect, but I'm pretty darned proud - mostly that I had the nerve to do it. I'm finishing up a quilt for my niece, which I will sitd, and maybe the next big quilt I will fmq.
    My friends call me Peggy
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    a1angiem's Avatar a1angiem is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    I did a few practice squares and then quilted an entire quilt. By the time I got to the bottom of the quilt I was so comfortable and much better. Just don't start off on too small a scale - it gets exhausting! I was really proud of my work, but now, 2 years later, when I look at my meandering it's hysterical! It looks like screwed up kidney beans! It is pretty bad...but I have come so far since then and that quilt will always be special as the first. You'll get better and better with each project and you have to start somewhere. You might as well dive in on a whole quilt so you learn how to deal with it and what to expect. You'll get into a rhythm and soon find what works for you. Good luck and have fun - it is just the best!

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    Kateskloset's Avatar Kateskloset is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    I practice a little before each project...just to get my groove back! LOL, I keep a little quilt sandwich close by so I can do a few stitches. In the beginning it took a few projects to really get the hang of it. I thought those first projects were just beautiful...but now as I get better, I look at them and go "EH!"
    "She who dies with the most fabric wins"

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    Joan@DebtofGratitude's Avatar Joan@DebtofGratitude is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    Quote Originally Posted by a1angiem View Post
    I did a few practice squares and then quilted an entire quilt. By the time I got to the bottom of the quilt I was so comfortable and much better. Just don't start off on too small a scale - it gets exhausting! I was really proud of my work, but now, 2 years later, when I look at my meandering it's hysterical! It looks like screwed up kidney beans! It is pretty bad...but I have come so far since then and that quilt will always be special as the first. You'll get better and better with each project and you have to start somewhere. You might as well dive in on a whole quilt so you learn how to deal with it and what to expect. You'll get into a rhythm and soon find what works for you. Good luck and have fun - it is just the best!
    I agree! I literally practiced about 15 minutes, then dove in. FMQ on a small piece (table topper etc) is nothing like FMQ on a full size quilt. So the only way to practice effectively is to dive in. Sure, my first quilts won't win any prizes, but my family and friends still think they're beautiful so who cares?

    By the way, there's a huge improvement between my first couple of quilts and my fourth. You can get better really fast if you just keep it up.
    Joan, aka the Unaquilter

    "I've never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma."

    Learn more about me and my quilts at my blog:

    http://debtofgratitude.wordpress.com/

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    Annav's Avatar Annav is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    I agree. I practice on a scrap with the same fabrics/batting in my quilt, then dive in. One instructor I had for a FMQ class I took said that she leaves a tail on one corner after she has mitered her corners, rather than trim it off. She already has the same fabrics and once she practices on the corner and is in a rhythm, she can just move on to the quilt without having to stop her rhythm to take one out from under the machine and put the quilt in its place and get re-situated. Genius if you ask me.
    My soul is fed with needle and thread, my body with chocolate!

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    EmmaB's Avatar EmmaB is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    Thanks all for your replies. I'm excited to try this but am taking one step at a time.

  8. #8
    Oleg's Avatar Oleg is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    Hopefully everything will go well with yours! I've learned that thread type and needle size are important. What works on a practice sandwich won't necessarily work on a larger quilt. My 100% cotton thread was breaking, so I switched to an all purpose thread. I was getting thread bunching on the bottom, I switched to a larger needle. The regular machine quilting needle couldn't get over the thick seams where several blocks were joined. Just tried to do some more quilting yesterday, and thread keeps breaking. Guess I should have kept going the other day when I was having success! 80% done, I'll get there eventually.

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    MartinaG's Avatar MartinaG is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    When I first started I was so bad that I didn't even suck. Then I took some classes and finally made it to "suck" stage. Haven't progressed much past that but I am getting better with every project. My problem is that my trial pieces look pretty good and then when I work on a real quilt it goes downhill. Mostly I make smaller community service quilts to practice on. I bet the kids don't care if the meander isn't spot-on.
    Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Fabric
    Martina (aka MadQuilter in other forums)

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    Lightwriter's Avatar Lightwriter is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: FMQ question

    I took a workshop when I first got interested in FMQ. They stated it took at least 40 hours of practice to even start being proficient. Not being a patient person, I just couldn't stand the thought of practicing on sandwiches that long. I started a series of seasonal wallhangings to practice on. (Don't really have to worry about the back/am using thread that doesn't show much.) I discovered that practicing on a sandwich and on a real project is a LOT different. The real project makes you learn how to "see things in space" and how to work the design of the FMQ into the design of the quilt. I still suck at it, but it is better. I don't think I would have ever gotten this far just practicing on sandwiches. I have watched a lot of Leah Day, but for some reason I am still having problems "seeing" where I am going. I do use the superslider, gloves, Isacord thread, and a larger needle. I may actually make it a real quilt one day....
    Last edited by Lightwriter; December 15th, 2013 at 06:45 PM.
    Claire Hallman likes this.
    Connie

    Our lives are like quilts – bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love.

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