Valerie P asked... I have been brave enough to try just small practice quilt sandwiches to fmq. Do you recommend wearing gloves when you fmq? I noticed I had to stop and adjust my hands quite frequently to feel in control of the fabric. I noticed in your bubble video you were just using your hands--no gloves.
My Answer… Valerie when I learned to Freemotion quilt no nifty tools had been invented yet. All we had were those rubber finger tips found at office supply shops, which never stayed on! So I learned how to Freemotion without anything. Having taught & done demos of freemotion for many years, 2 things I learned.
1- Gloves do help people, and the ones with the least bulk and rubber tips work best for people.
2- People think they HAVE to lay their hand flat on the quilt. You don’t have to. You can grib the quilt in your hand. Try it.. that might be all you need to do.
Brenda asked... What thread weight do you use for your quilting?
My Answer… I generally use 50wt Aurifil thread. Same thread in the top & bobbin. I have also used 40 wt, my new kit is wonderful for that. 28 wt is a great one for really seeing the thread. You will need to test how to adjust for that heavier wt on your machine.
Diana S asked... Do you start in the middle of the quilt and work out to the sides when doing the quilting?
My Answer… The reason why most people start in the middle is that if the quilt is not basted well, they can ‘adjust’ if there is a bubble since the edges are not quilted. If you baste well this should not be an issue. I also will sew a ‘grid’ (see my book for more) to lock in areas before I start more quilting. I do this on quilts that are bigger.
The other huge advantage of having the center done first, is that doing that section is when you have to get the most of the quilt in the machine’s throat space. After the center is done, it’s much easier!
Chrysa asked... Newbie question here: is there a rule of thumb for when you should stitch the ditch vs overall quilting? Does it matter if you do both or just one? Can you do both? Thanks.
My Answer… I don’t stitch in the ditch as it’s pretty much invisible quilting. I want to see some added texture and design on my quilt. I will do a ‘grid’ to lock down the sections in the ditch. Then I proceed to do walking foot or freemotion quilting afterwards.
Kathryn H asked... What is the best way to learn fmq? I have a viking diamond.
My AnswRhave to Quilt a quilt, then another and another and another…. As fast as you can! It’s a mind/memory motion you brain & hands have to learn to do together. So just buy some panels and quilt!
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