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Monday 29 April 2013

FMQ 101

FINALLY!  Nobody is ill, I don't have any accounts to do or dull meetings to go to, and everyone is in school or nursery or wherever they are supposed to be.  In celebration, I have found my balls, attached my free motion foot (not to my imaginary balls) and finally had a real life go at FMQ.  Huzzah!

Disclaimer:  Please excuse the lurid green cloth that I have been using to practise on, and perhaps go and get some sunglasses before you scroll down, so that you don't damage your eyes.

Here is FMQ attempt #1, during which I fought with the cloth, forgot to breathe and declared "This is ridiculous.  I am NEVER doing this again".
FMQ beginner practise

Happily, I rarely listen to myself, so I had another go on a fresh piece of green straight away - here is FMQ attempt #2:
FMQ beginner practise

Much better!  I can see why people say that the key is to practise, practise, practise.  I found Leah Day's Craftsy course very useful for helping out with things like how to stop big long stitches on starting and stopping (still getting used to that).

My mantra of the day - SLOW DOWN.  My instinct is to push the cloth away like an unexploded bomb.  I think I spend so much of my day rushing about that I forget how to do things slowly.

Also, how much bobbin thread does FMQ use????  I think I might just go and wind 10 bobbins in advance and be done with it.

G x

16 comments:

  1. Hee hee - you had me LOL-ing at your imaginary balls FMQing.
    Great quilting medear.

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  2. You are so right about both practicing and slowing down. You just have to force yourself to relax. When I first begin FMQ I find myself hunched over, stiff as a board, and not breathing. This might be something to try after a couple glasses of wine and a nice shoulder massage!

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  3. Looking brilliant!! I love the pattern!
    I've heard of foot to the pedal, but thankfully never to the balls!!!

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  4. try a couple of G&Ts before quilting. That'll slow you down ;-)

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  5. You have done great. Think what you could do at the end of another day! Nice to know that you are all well. Di x

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  6. Wow - very impressed! Your first attempt is much better than mine was and your second looks great!

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  7. Lovely fmq. I always forget to breath too!

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  8. Congrats on taking the plunge, I think your first efforts are great!

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  9. Looks really good! It's hard to keep your foot fast and hands slower I reckon.

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  10. "By George, she's got it!", looking fab :)

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  11. But the most important thing of all is to enjoy it, think of it like doodling with thread instead of ink. There is no such thing as right and wrong, good or bad, only practice!

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  12. The trick with fmq is practice and yes you move a lot slower than you realise. I always tell my students a slightly faster machine with slower hands gives a more even stitch. Listen to your machine and soon you'll learn how to match your speed to the sound of the machine.

    Also top tip for bobbins... Get yourself some toe separators for painting your toe nails and wind 8 bobbins.. Store the bobbins in the toe separators when you've used them all up you will know it's time to change your needle and wind more bobbins :-)

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