Thank you for sharing this for those of us who are trying to learn to FMQ. You are a wonderful teacher. Your efforts are appreciated and thanks for encouraging us to practice!
Thank YOU for concentrating on FMQ! Not many people dedicate a great deal of their video to that type of quilting.. Thank you for being clear and concise!
Ok, only a few years past due. I did play with your Block by Block back when I first discovered you. BUT today, I have a bunch of 12" quilt blocks sandwiched and I'm wiggling pretty good by block two. I consider this series a PUBLIC SERVICE to quilter, who want to finish all their own work. THANK YOU LEAH.
For someone who has been TERRIFIED of free motion quilting, I am so, so very grateful to have found your videos. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge.
You make this look so easy, it really isn't though. I need to remind myself two things: 1 no fear and 2 nobody's first projects look perfect. *smile* Thanks Leah!
Thank you so much! My hubby gave me a free motion quilting frame & machine as a gift for Mothers Day and I've been trying to figure out how to get started. I love how you simplified the technique, I can't wait to go and try it out! :)
This is a very nice tutorial. There is a good amount of direction and guidance on how to progressively expand your quilting capability. The lines is going to help me a lot as i get started. Thanks so much!
Leah, I have to say you're very good at tutorials. You're clear with your speech, you're calm and it's obviously clear that you love free motion quilting. I'm learning free motion quilting just by watching your tutorials. Well done and keep them coming. Jan
Wonderful Jan! That is a terrific compliment and exactly what I hope to achieve. Some things are just easier to learn at home and I'm thrilled to help you on your quilting journey!
OMG!!! I just watched Beginning Free Motion and Quilt Along #1. I went upstairs to try it on my machine and I feel like a rock star! Thank you, thank you! You're the best!
Thank you for this series, I followed your directions and was able to machine quilt my first quilt on my home machine, I used stippling on my camouflage blocks and was amazed how simple it was after watching your video several times and then practicing on my extra blocks. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and your time. Shelly
This is the best class that I have found on youtube for first time quilting. Thank you so much for being a great instructor and making this video so easy to follow!
I didn't realise how much I LOVE free motion quilting. Thank you Leah for teaching me stippling. Things are going really well and I feel so free doing it. I did learn one thing though, never cut any fabric with your gloves on. Aah!
I’ve finished the FMQ on my child cot size quilt and put down the success entirely to the last tutorial of yours that I watched. You completely de-mystified it and presented exactly what I needed to know. I’m really happy with how it looks and so many thanks!! 👍
I can't wait to watch more of your videos, and to try out your suggestions. Very well done video -- good, practical, detailed information and at a great pace.
Absolutely! I actually learned free motion quilting on a machine without automatic features. You can absolutely use whatever machine you have right now and so long as you are patient and willing to work with it, you should be fine.
YOU ARE A GREAT TEACHER!! I am struggling with my free motion. This really makes a good foundation. I am really glad you have put this video out here. I understand alot more.
Nice video. I have been doing stipple for years but this was still helpful because it is nice to see other shapes that i might not do. I look forward to the next ones.
That is the best free motion quilting video for first time qiilters. Ten out of ten! Even though I practised from other videos, I wish I'd seen this one first, it is the best.
I am new to FMQ and I think this is a great video!! Super helpful and I cannot wait to give it a try in this manner. I tried to FMQ the other day and i kind of went crazy on my practice sandwich. Doing it this way will help give me more focus & control of what i'm doing. Thank you a thousand times over for teaching this way!! :)
Excellent tutorial, you're one of the best quilters on RU-vid! Love your style, skills and intelligence. Just bought your book "365 Free Motion Quilting Designs". Thank you so much for sharing with us, Leah!
I just tried quilting part of a sandwich with the dog feeds UP and I like it alot better! The stitches are more regulated. The lady at the quilt shop where I bought my darning foot told me to put my top tension on 2. My top tension goes up to 8. Just now when I was practicing, I put the top tension at 5, stitched some leaves that are from 1 of 3 FMQ challenges I am doing this year. Anyway, 5 still gave me eyelashes on the back, 6 was better, then 7 was pretty close to perfect! Thanks!
Hi Leah, after watching your video and reading your replies to other youtubers, I gained much courage to start FMQ again. Thanks very much and just as you said "The more you practice and actually do this, the better you will get at it, so forgive the mistakes and just keep quilting!" Cheers ~~~
Awesome! I'm glad that resonated with you and you were able to jump in and give free motion quilting a try! If you're looking for a good project to learn with we have an awesome Building Blocks sampler quilt pattern that comes with videos of myself and my husband quilting each block. Josh's videos will definitely make you feel better about all your mistakes!
It's a Janome Horizon 7700 and yes it sews beautifully. Just turn the stitch length to 0 and set the tension to "auto" and it pretty much takes care of itself.
¡Clase magistral! este motivo nunca me salió bien. Pero ahora con la tiza se puede una guiar perfectamente. Excelente la explicación!!!!!! GRACIAS, GRACIAS, GRACIAS.-
I have Janome machine one of my problems is setting the machine up to do free motion such as: tension I am just trying to learn for the first time I do enjoy your tutorials!
I have my tension set at the same place as regular sewing and piecing. I don't think you need to adjust that in order to free motion quilt. Just put on a darning foot, set your stitch length to 0, and see what happens!
Hi Leah. I've enjoyed your tutorials for a few years. You were the inspiration that encouraged me to try free motion quilting and I'm hooked! I'm a fan and continue to watch your tutorials and build my quilting skills. Would you please address in more detail how to select a design /filler in a quilt. I'm about to quilt a Dresden Plate and have no idea what design to put where! You talk about movement and texture and I get that, but knowing what looks the best in blocks or circles....can you give some design direction? There were so many choices from your quilting project - that was wonderful - but how do you weed through them and what elements drive your decision one design over another?
Thank you Leah...i have just upgraded my machine to janome 8900..and using the new generation machine for the first time...so was wondering how you use it..thank you so much for all the videos..
Leah, I've started practicing machine quilting... I really like your videos... I sent you a picture of my first attempt at wiggles on facebook. I really want to lean how to machine quilt. Thanks!
What kind of gloves are you wearing? Are they necessary for free motion quilt? I just started free motion last week and I'm loving it! Thanks for your video, it is amazing for beginners like me!
Thank you for the tip regarding the feed dogs finally I am not frustrated my Janome machine even sounds better amazing. You are sure if I start to practice this I will not hurt my machine?
Hi Leah, first you are amazing however I can't get my machine to move like yours. Unless I'm going 100 miles an hour I can't get the stitches to look right. I see you say regular tension and stitch lenght 0. Do you always put your dogs down, which needle do you use and how to regulate your foot control? Thanks for doing these videos although they keep me up at night.
I understand your confusion and I would encourage you to check out my classes on Craftsy which go into a lot more detail and specifics on why your machine is doing what it's doing and what settings I'm using to achieve the best stitches. Search for either Free Motion Quilting a Sampler or Free Motion Fillers Vol 1 as both classes are very helpful for exactly the problems you're having right now.
Thank you, Leah. I found this just in time to begin experimenting with a quilt sandwich I’ve just assembled. Lots of practice first! Did you happen to mention what stitch length and tension? If not, could you suggest a good length to begin with? Thanks again. ❤️
Great question - stitch length 0 and tension set to whatever you usually use for piecing. I don't drop my feed dogs because I change the stitch length to 0. You can read more on this here: freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2017/01/quilting-basics-7-free-motion-quilting.html
You have a nice smile by the way. You make this so easy. Thanks for breaking it down into small bits. I tried drawing it on paper before & just couldn't get it right. So I never tried in on a sandwich. Do you have a stitch regulator on your machine? I'm having problems with eyelashes on the back but when I slow down on the curves, my top stitches are not spaced like yours, they look tight & eensy weensy. Any suggestions? I've heard adjusting the bobbin tension can mess up the holder.
I have always wanted to learn FMQ and watched your video a couple times and tried it tonight. I need lots of practice. I decided to stop after breaking four needles. I must be pulling on the fabric?
Maybe...try slowing your hands down as you move the quilt. It's easy to move your hands too fast and bend the needle slightly, which can cause it to break.
I got a Janome 9450 6 months go and now I’m beginning to find the courage to try the free motion quilting features. I found this video to be probably one of the most helpful so far and I’m looking forward to try it. Do you have any suggestions or tips I should use for settings besides the default setting for free motion quilting on a Janome?
If you work through this series, you'll find lots of tips just like this. For my Janome I used auto tension, needle in the center position, and I lowered the stitch length to the lowest setting. I didn't drop my feed dogs. I hope that helps!
Leah I have a Janome 2014hd which is a work horse and does whatever I need....I ane quilted 4 full size quiltes on it and many many baby or lap quilts.......due to my RA I am having trouble pushine it thru now in such a small throat space......I see your using a Juki now........does a couple of inches really add to the ease of quilting ? I am looking to upgrade a little in the near future so any advise you have would be greatly appreciated
Leah, thank you for sharing all the amazing video tutorials. i have a doubt, i ddin't see you using start stop button in between quilting. do you use the foot control..please let me know. thank you
Hi Leah, thanks so much for your viedoes, learning a lot, and I can't wait to try this out! But my question is, can I do this with a machine that does not have auto needle down?
Hello Leah, I enjoy your classes on youtube and on Craftsy. New at free motion, just started to practice this week with stippling, love it but need to practice more since my stitches are not all the same lenght! I decided to jump in anyway and made a table topper with free motion stippling since I was confident enough I suppose. I would like to know if it is possible with stippling to correct my stitches, meaning to unstitch some of it that is too tiny stiches and how to lock the stitches if I do that. Thanking you in advance. Denise Châteauneuf
I would encourage you to leave small issues like stitch length in your quilt and not worry too much about it. The more you stop and rip things out, the less time you have to quilt. The more you practice and actually do this, the better you will get at it, so forgive the mistakes and just keep quilting!
Hi! I have a Janome 7700 and I'm trying to learn the free quilteado ... uff! Beautiful and hard! Sometimes it happens that in the bottom few entanglements are terrible and I can not quiltear. So I do not know if changing needle, changing the thread tension ... etc. Can you advise me?
Hi I am a newby so some basic questions. Hope you dont mind. What foot are you using? I have a mixed set but cannot find the one that matches yours? Also do you drop the feeder dogs? Just trying to get going with your tutorial but struggling a bit on the movement. Thanks in advance for any help. Marcia
Marcia Melnicenko You will need a darning foot for free motion quilting. As for dropping the feed dogs, it's really up to you. Try quilting with the feed dogs up and see what your stitches look like, then try feed dogs down. Take a look at your stitches and decide which looks better to you!
This is a great video as I am totally new to quilting. Thanks! My question has nothing to do with the first class, but instead the technology! How do you do a "Link-up?" Excited to get into this practice with you this year, Lynda
+Kim Williford - Just cut the thread tails long and tug on the top thread to bring up the bobbin thread. No, you'll want to just stop stitching - not back stitch - when using this tie-off technique.
Could you tell me what switch setting you use. I have a brother HC1850 aching and when I put my quilting feet on all it does is make the switch really big and the bottom thread comes up to the top also thank you
Hmm... I have my stitch length set at 0. I don't drop my feed dogs and I usually don't need to adjust my machine's tension when switching from piecing. I hope that helps!
Searching for info on your site and in the comments to no avail. I will be using this patter on a quilt sandwich approximately 45 " inches square. My question is, where do I start? In a corner, the middle, left, right side? Also, can I use up my regular cotton thread or do I need special quilters thread?
Hi Leah. Stippling makes me very nervous. I tend to keep my hands tight and everything goes very slowly. I think I'm afraid I will jerk the fabric, turn in a sharp angle and ruin the pattern. Any advice about fixing a mistake like that? I'd love to see a video on stippling for dummies with shaky hands.
If you're worried about that, why not try a design like Sharp Stippling where points are necessary to make the design? You can change any design to make it work for you, but yes, I will have more tutorials starting January 1st just for beginners.
Hi Leah, I have been watching your videos for over a year but have just started to try free motion quilting myself. Can you please tell me what settings my Janome 3160 QDC should be set at? Thanks!
Just started today free motion and cannot get away with it ....i must try this curving you are doing . but what settings do i need my tension on?. thanx tc.
I have a Sweet Sixteen Handi Quilter machine. I bought it several years ago but struggled with the Stitch Regulator and gave it up. I have recently tried again but not very successful. Think I can do just as well without it. Far from perfect but the same when I use the Tru Stitch. Do you use a Stitch Regulator? Do you recommend that I keep at it or do what feels more comfortable at this point in time. Would like to improve but seems impossible. Help!
No, I don't use a stitch regulator, and yes, I do think you'll likely see better stitches without it! Just make a point to quilt every day and you will see improvement.
That would probably be a decorative stitch designed as an embellishment to clothes and quilts. It's not the same free motion quilting that I'm showing in this video, but the design is the same.
OK I have a question...I have a regular ole brother sewing machine and it has a darning foot and I can put my plate over the feed dogs. but can I do free motion on my machine?
+Heather Sipe - Yes, you should definitely be able to free motion quilt on your machine! You might not even need the plate to cover the feed dogs either. Try lowering your stitch length to 0 to see if that limits the feed dogs movement enough for you to quilt freely in all directions.
This is my first video on FMQ even though I have been wanting to try it for years. Can you tell me the setting up of the sewing machine? Which feet and stitch size? Is that important?
Thank you Kathy! You can find a great video on free motion quilting basics right here: freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2017/01/quilting-basics-7-free-motion-quilting.html
Hi Lea, I have the same machine you have, Janome Horizon 7700QCP, I do drop the feet dog when I do the free motion. After drop the feet dog, the machine set the thread tension to "auto", do you adjust thread tension at all? Also, when I tried wiggling stippling, the thread broke a few times, I also found the needle doesn't pick up the bobbin thread from time to time when I stippling in certain directions, for example, from top to bottom, it's OK, but stitch from bottom to the top, then the problem happens. I use Aurifil 50 wt thread or Guttermann 40 wt thread and I do change needles. I use 90/14 quilting needles for free motion. My machine works perfect when I do the regular stitching, all these problems only happened while I do the free motion. I did lower the thread tension, still have the same problem, I am really confused and frustrated. I like free motion but I'm not sure the problem is on me or machine. Can you give me some ideas what did I do wrong? Thank you.
I had that machine and I didn't drop the feed dogs. I didn't use the free motion setting at all. Instead just set the stitch length to 0 and see what happens with that. Also I have found that guttermann 40 wt cotton is a bit thick for FMQ. Stick with Aurifil or try Isacord and you'll definitely have an easier experience.
I have a BIG problem with the settings of stitches. It never looks like this. What are the machine stitch length that you use please as when I do this there are missed stitches all the time. My feed dogs are down but my stitch lengths are short/long. I have a Pfaff cv2 machine and would LOVE to finish quilts nicely instead of good enough.Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
