Man, I suck at this. Help!

I'm trying to quilt the flannel baby quilt by machine but man, I suck at
this. I have tried and tried to make a nice flowing heart design in the
border but I can't seem to get the quilt to move easily enough to make the
design look even . It zigs and zags this way and that making a big ugly
mess. It doesn't look like hearts at all. I've got a big job ahead of me
doing what I have become so good at, ripping out stitches!
How do you move the quilt while stitching? There has to be an easier way of
doing this. Help me please!

Susanne

Practice on a small piece. Practice some more. get the biggest flat surface
around your needle that you possibly can. Practice another 10 or 20 hours.
did I mention practice?
Roberta in D

"MSM" wrote in message
. ca...
I'm trying to quilt the flannel baby quilt by machine but man, I suck at
this. I have tried and tried to make a nice flowing heart design in the
border but I can't seem to get the quilt to move easily enough to make the
design look even . It zigs and zags this way and that making a big ugly
mess. It doesn't look like hearts at all. I've got a big job ahead of me
doing what I have become so good at, ripping out stitches!
How do you move the quilt while stitching? There has to be an easier way
of
doing this. Help me please!

Susanne

Perhaps it is more difficult to dance around with a SM on flannel. I haven't
tried it. Polly

Patti wrote in message
...
Hullo Susanne
You didn't mention what foot you were using and whether you were trying
to do free motion quilting or rather simpler quilting with a walking
foot.
We would need that info. really to help in detail, though what the
others have said is generally helpful, of course.
Come back with a bit more info, if you can?
.
In article , MSM
writes
I'm trying to quilt the flannel baby quilt by machine but man, I suck at
this. I have tried and tried to make a nice flowing heart design in the
border but I can't seem to get the quilt to move easily enough to make
the
design look even . It zigs and zags this way and that making a big ugly
mess. It doesn't look like hearts at all. I've got a big job ahead of me
doing what I have become so good at, ripping out stitches!
How do you move the quilt while stitching? There has to be an easier way
of
doing this. Help me please!

Susanne



--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

I'm using my open darning foot and trying to do free motion quilting. I'm
fine with the walking foot but it is the free motion kind of quilting that
looks awful.
I guess I will be doing a whole lot of practicing. Did I mention that I have
to have this done by Wednesday to take with me to Ontario! Yikes

Susanne


"Patti" wrote in message
...
Hullo Susanne
You didn't mention what foot you were using and whether you were trying
to do free motion quilting or rather simpler quilting with a walking
foot.
We would need that info. really to help in detail, though what the
others have said is generally helpful, of course.
Come back with a bit more info, if you can?
.
In article , MSM
writes
I'm trying to quilt the flannel baby quilt by machine but man, I suck at
this. I have tried and tried to make a nice flowing heart design in the
border but I can't seem to get the quilt to move easily enough to make
the
design look even . It zigs and zags this way and that making a big ugly
mess. It doesn't look like hearts at all. I've got a big job ahead of me
doing what I have become so good at, ripping out stitches!
How do you move the quilt while stitching? There has to be an easier way
of
doing this. Help me please!

Susanne



--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

So, Kathy
If I know what I can and can't do now, does that mean I can stop
practising?
..
In article 1fy317p.17xo7jgqzbwn0N%Kathy_A@KayneyNOSPAMquilti ng.com,
Kathy Applebaum writes
Roberta Zollner wrote:

Practice another 10 or 20 hours.

Or 30 or 40 or more...

Yes, it really takes practice, and that much can sound intimidating. (I
put in over 200 hours on the longarm before taking a customer quilt!).
The trick is to break it down into manageable chunks.

When I first learned machine quilting, I had been told to put in at
least 30 hours before moving to a real quilt. So every night for a
month, I came home from work and put in an hour. It was more fun than
watching TV, and I could see my progress each day. I still wasn't great
after that month, but I sure knew what I could and couldn't do, and so
didn't have to do much ripping at all.

--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

If that is the case Susanne, switch to the walking foot and do it by
turning as you need to.
If it is for a gift you don't want to ruin it. You can do hearts with
the walking foot, and even if you go slowly, it is still quicker than
having to unpick a lot of what you do.
That is, at least, what I would do at this stage with two days to go!!
Then, when the deadline is over, you can have another go at free motion.
Actually what Kathy said about knowing what you are good and not good at
is very good advice (although I teased her). I know that there are a
couple of aspects of free motion which I might never be able to do. If
that is the case, then I won't even contemplate the type of quilting
that requires those skills. I will just tailor my quilting within my
capabilities. It will probably be very boring for spectators!! but who
cares? g
Good luck.
..

In article , MSM
writes
I'm using my open darning foot and trying to do free motion quilting. I'm
fine with the walking foot but it is the free motion kind of quilting that
looks awful.
I guess I will be doing a whole lot of practicing. Did I mention that I have
to have this done by Wednesday to take with me to Ontario! Yikes

Susanne
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Are you using a walking foot?

Kim

"MSM" wrote in message .ca...
I'm trying to quilt the flannel baby quilt by machine but man, I suck at
this. I have tried and tried to make a nice flowing heart design in the
border but I can't seem to get the quilt to move easily enough to make the
design look even . It zigs and zags this way and that making a big ugly
mess. It doesn't look like hearts at all. I've got a big job ahead of me
doing what I have become so good at, ripping out stitches!
How do you move the quilt while stitching? There has to be an easier way of
doing this. Help me please!

Susanne

Hi Susanne,

When I've had trouble moving any fabric whether it's for quilts or regular
sewing (am I going to get flamed for that?) I use a very light weight tear
away stabilizer and it glides along. Use small pieces under the area you're
sewing and just pull it away when you're done.
Good luck!
Shawn

--
mslibra
www.cutcakes.ca

"MSM" wrote in message
. ca...
I'm trying to quilt the flannel baby quilt by machine but man, I suck at
this. I have tried and tried to make a nice flowing heart design in the
border but I can't seem to get the quilt to move easily enough to make the
design look even . It zigs and zags this way and that making a big ugly
mess. It doesn't look like hearts at all. I've got a big job ahead of me
doing what I have become so good at, ripping out stitches!
How do you move the quilt while stitching? There has to be an easier way
of
doing this. Help me please!

Susanne

I spent several hours this afternoon making designs to follow with my free
motion sewing. I'm going to spend several hours this evening sewing over the
designs. If I improve enough I'll try the quilt itself tomorrow, if not, I
guess I'll make a grid pattern with my walking foot and call it a day.
Thanks everyone for all your help. I'll let you all know how I make out.

Susanne

got cha! Thanks


"Brigitte" wrote in message
...
Susanne....don't forget to breathe and relax your shoulders.

Brigitte


"MSM" wrote in message
. ca...
: I spent several hours this afternoon making designs to follow with my
free
: motion sewing. I'm going to spend several hours this evening sewing over
the
: designs. If I improve enough I'll try the quilt itself tomorrow, if not,
I
: guess I'll make a grid pattern with my walking foot and call it a day.
: Thanks everyone for all your help. I'll let you all know how I make out.
:
: Susanne
:
: