Not so much free motion quilting instructions but, following on from my tips for beginning quilters, I decided to put together my top free motion quilting tips.
Note, it does take practise, not many quilters get it right first time. Expect some odd patterns and snarl-ups till you master it!
Free Motion Quilting Tips
1)Free motion quilting is a lot about keeping a rhythm. When you start, it might be helpful to decide what speed (NOT really slow nor flat out) is comfortable for you.
If your machine doesn’t have different speed settings then put some sort of block under the foot pedal so when you mash it down it goes to that speed.
That takes thinking about the speed and your foot out of the equation and helps you to concentrate!
I know, I know, I can hear you saying it’s too early, but don’t you think it would feel great not to be rushing at the last minute. There’s also the problem of having a brilliant idea for a gift then finding it’s sold out, I hate when that happens!
If you’re fairly new to quilting you might not have heard of using stencils for quilting. I’m sure you’ll remember stencils from when you were a kid. I couldn’t draw or write neatly, so using stencils helped me get good marks for “neatness of work!”
How many times have you tried to get on with a project only to be stopped by your children demanding attention!? There is a solution, get them to join you. In this article, I’ll go through the basics of how to teach children to quilt.
Young children will want to do what the grown-ups are doing and it’s best to get them involved right at the start of a project. They also like to do things with their friends so get them to invite a friend round to join in.
My own recent troubles with backache prompted me to do some research into how to sew without getting backache! If you’ve suffered from this you’ll understand how painful it is, also frustrating when you have quilting projects you want to get on with. This article “Sewing Ergonomics – How to Sew Without Getting Backache” will get you back on track for pain-free sewing!