2012 is the year for me to get free motion quilting (fmq) from just being head knowledge to being actual experience. I've taken several classes and done a few quilts...some on my home machine and some on a long arm I rented. But I've never practiced consistently...which means I'm constantly a beginner having to re-learn everything!
Leah Day from The Free Motion Quilting Project blog is hosting Quilt Along every Wednesday where she is guiding readers in learning fmq'ing. She is starting us out with basic stippling. I've stippled a little before so I just dove in an did it all over style. I was trying to keep it big but found myself getting tighter...then I'd try to go big again. Being consistent is definitely my issue! No wonder Leah (and every fmq teacher I've ever had) tells you the key is PRACTICE! :)
I'm quilting on a Juki TL-2010Q and using Aurifil 50wt. thread (cuz that's all I own).
Leah Day from The Free Motion Quilting Project blog is hosting Quilt Along every Wednesday where she is guiding readers in learning fmq'ing. She is starting us out with basic stippling. I've stippled a little before so I just dove in an did it all over style. I was trying to keep it big but found myself getting tighter...then I'd try to go big again. Being consistent is definitely my issue! No wonder Leah (and every fmq teacher I've ever had) tells you the key is PRACTICE! :)
I'm quilting on a Juki TL-2010Q and using Aurifil 50wt. thread (cuz that's all I own).
Here's my first little practice piece:
And here's a close-up of some of my trouble spots:
Big stitches and pointy spots.
I am easily distracted and it really affects my quilting. A few minutes of the same old same old and I drift off mentally to something else. Not quite sure what to do about that! Maybe an actual quilt would help. I also had trouble when I'd stop to relax (my shoulders get hunched up to my ears in no time flat) and would start again....my starts would be pointy or end up with those long stitches.
Time for lunch and then back to PRACTICING.
3 comments:
You can do it Cindy! You have an excellent start. Doodle on paper whenever you can and that will help you get the feel.
Your comments are exactly what I feel too. We'll just keep trying and try to get our shoulders down. I actually have a little black shoulder harness that is weighted and helps that issue. Practice, practice, and more practice. Love your blog.
Marianne
good for you Cindy!! I have been doing a bit more of my own quilting on smaller projects too. And now my long arm friend is off to Arizona for a few months, so if I need it done, it's up to me....thanks for the links for the sites. I love Leah's site.
Post a Comment