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Free-Motion Quilting – Some Tips…

I’m currently working on a double bed quilt and the dimensions are 52″ x 84″. I’m making simple wave shapes on it and it’s gone faster than I anticipated. I thought I would spend 3 or 4 days quilting but it’s taken me about 2 days. I can’t wait to start out on a new project once this is completed. I have a new quilting template I would like to try out.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Make sure feed dogs have been dropped or covered.
  2. Set the stitch length of your machine to zero.  This is because you will be moving the fabric yourself and the stitch length will be determined by how quickly you move the quilt sandwich underneath the machine needle and how much pressure  you apply to the foot control.
  3. Use quilt gloves or rubber gloves if you don’t have quilt gloves.  They are not necessary but I find they help me move the quilt easily.
  4. Before starting on your real quilt, make a test sandwich using the same fabric you used for your main quilt about 12″ square. Use this as a test to practice your quilt design and adjust the tension of your machine.
  5. RELAX! – shoulders down, breathe in deeply get yourself in a worry/stress free zone.
  6. If your machine has the needle-down feature, try setting it in needle-down.  This will hold your place on the quilt sandwich every time you stop. When you start up again after stopping, remember to move your sandwich forward a tiny bit so you don’t get a thread mound where you started.
  7. Lower your presser foot to begin quilting. Drop the machine needle and hold onto the top thread tail as you bring up the needle.  Gently tug on it and this will pull up the bobbin thread.  Pull at this so you have about 4 inches of thread on the top and bobbin threads and then re-drop the machine needle just next to the first hole.  Gently hold onto those threads for the first few stitches and take a series of very short stitches, just next to your first stitch.  Avoid stitching in place or you will get the much-dreaded thread blob!
  8. And there you go. You are ready to start wielding your magic on your quilt.

Happy Quilting!