Free Motion Goes to the Cat
In my last post, I talked about my goal of improving my photography. I enjoyed the comments from you and the tips and encouragement!
Today I’m going to share another goal of mine for this year. Free Motion quilting. I’ve shared in earlier posts that I’m still learning free motion. I’ve read several books by several authors, watched videos, and all that. Now I just need to discipline myself to practice!
So this week, I decided it was time to try more practicing. Using two pieces of fabric from my stash, I made a mat for our cat food dishes. I didn’t even think to take pictures of my process, but you know how it all works. Right?
It’s reversible! Here’s the back.
The binding material is a favorite fabric of mine. I’ve had it for years (which makes it vintage, probably), and it’s fun to use when a quilt calls for a little pop.
Okay, here come the close up photos, so you can see my beginner stitches. The stitches remind me of the big crayons that I had when I started kindergarten. They are bigger than I like, or I think they should be. I’ll show you the yellow/orange side first, because I used that fun yellow thread and it hides pretty well.
Here’s the front, with my big stitches and jerky curves.
The view of the two sides together.
All in all, I felt that I had made a little progress. I still can’t get the hang of meandering, but I’ll keep working on it.
Most importantly, though, Max approves. Well, actually I snuck a little kitty crack into his food bowl so he’d eat. Just keeping it real. But he does look handsome by that mat, right?!
Tell me about your experiences as you practiced your free motion quilting. I’d welcome any tips or encouragement you can give!
Have a wonderful weekend, friends!
Linking up today with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
Wendy
22 Comments
Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
You’re doing great Wendy! It does take some time to get the hang of moving the fabric at a speed that keeps your stitches consistent. And those boxy curves will smooth out before you know it! Trust me, NO ONE will look at the length of your stitches (unless it’s a judge in a quilt show), so don’t be so hard on yourself. That was one of the most difficult things for me to do when learning free motion. We are human, and our stitches won’t look regulated and that’s okay. Just hang in there and keep practicing. Each time you’ll see improvement. My tip for FMQ – keep a muslin (or ugly fabric) quilt sandwich ready and spend a few minutes every day stitching. It really does help! Sorry, didn’t mean to write a book. I just get so excited when someone wants to learn free motion! 🙂
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy,
I love your mat, and you are the ONLY one who is going to examine every stitch. Really! Just like Beth said – and I hadn’t even read her post before I wrote that sentence. I do find the more I practice, the easier it gets. Or maybe I care less?! I mean it is only fabric – no one is going to live or die over stitch length. {{Hugs}} You’re doing great! And Max looks fabulous with his new mat. ~smile~ Roseanne
Vicki in MN
Both of them are right, your stitch length isn’t that important unless it would catch someones toe! You know I can’t offer much advice since I never really learned to FMQ on a domestic. But I did start with a stipple stencil as I was having anxiety about being caught in a corner. A couple times of using the stencil really did help me. Just remember if you do get caught echo your way out or SID to get where you need to be. I hope you show us your practice in a couple more days after you practice a bit more, I think you will be amazed by the progress.
Joan
Great job. I like to use what is called a supreme slider on the table under my quilt, taped in place with clear packing tape. And then gloves that hold my fingers in place. Also, I draw the designs a lot before stitching, for the eye to hand coordination thing. Always fun to see what you are working on.
I just started picking fabric for my second gypsy wife block–what fun that is…
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
That cat fabric is the cutest! Love the binding, also. You’re doing great on the FMQ. It looks beautiful to me. You know what they say, PPP, is the way to go.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Nancy! Yes, practice. I’ve never been good at that. Lol
Karen
I have tried free motion but don’t care for it. I like my stitches to be the same size on front and back and they weren’t I suppose with practice it would be but I didn’t care for the process enough to do it more
piecefulwendy
You hand quilting is beautiful, Karen. I can understand why you prefer that method!
Sandi
Hi Wendy, Like you, I’m learning free motion quilting also. I’ve been following a few free online classes (but I’m now 4 weeks behind) and am loving them. I know I need to keep practicing and that is my downfall. Your cat mat looks great. I should make one for my cats. I enjoy reading your Blog.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Sandi. I have catching up to do too. We’ll just encourage each other as we go along!
Lisa
Hi Wendy. Your fmq looks a lot like mine. Like many things time is the issue, or maybe just re arranging things.
catpatches
Well, now you’ve gone and made Smitty and Sadie jealous. I might need to make them one now. Very cute. And your quilting is great. Practice, practice, practice…but if you’re like me, you hate practicing, and so these little pieces are perfect for that. You end up with something useful in the process.
chrisknits
When I meander I find the faster I pedal and move the quilt the smaller my stitches become. Slow pedaling and fast motion are what produce the larger stitches for me. But I am no master having just started my FMQ endeavors. Great mat for the kitty!
piecefulwendy
Yes, speed control is something I’m still learning too!
Tami Von Zalez
I have jerky curves too. I find it I let my attention wander for even a split second, I end up with a problem. Hard for my ADD self.
Sandra Walker
Snap! Wendy, you and I are so similar in many ways, and here’s another example! Guess what one of my early early FMQ meander pieces is? Yup, and it’s been happily used by no less than three of our family cats! I did one side plain so I could REALLY see the jerks and uneven stitches, LOL. Yours look pretty darn fab to me for a beginner, my dear! Someone teaching a class I took once said to keep your mouth in a loose ‘o’ shape and you will make better curves…I find that helps me! Now with all my yoga training I think it’s just a matter of relaxing the jaw…and a glass of wine does that too! No lie, my very first FMQ teacher recommended it! She was so right. 😉
JanineMarie
I think your FMQ looks great! Just keep doing it. Experiment with direction of your work to see what feels most comfortable for you. I like to quilt away from myself so I can see where I’ve been. I also try to quilt away from under my sewing machine arm when I can because it gets easier as I go. Yes, I basically lazy when it comes to FMQ.
Danice G
It looks good Wendy. I used to fear free-motion quilting as well. Now I am learning to use the walking foot to do straight-line quilting. Do you ever use a walking foot?
piecefulwendy
Hi Danice! Thank you! Yes, I do use my walking foot and I love it! I find excuses to use it, actually.
Dione @ Clever Chameleon
How exciting that you have begun your FMQ journey. Your beginning stitches look great to me. I echo all the sentiments here….. and then, make the plunge on a big quilt…. perhaps something that can be donated, or given to a supportive friend, and go for it. It wasn’t until I committed to my first big quilt and actually finished it, that I felt that I was finally “getting” FMQ. After 3 big quilts I stopped tensing up. Now I don’t bat an eyelid. All the best with your progress. xx
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Dione! Good to know the tensing up will go away at some point!
Judy B
All good advice here! Practice, of course! And I always recommend a glass of wine or two, like Sandra. Helps me! I think relax is the key! Good luck and keep on meanderin’ !!