Ok, I finished piecing a simple table topper last night out of charm squares. It's a patriotic type fabric and I figured stars.
Free-motion stars.
I'm takin' the plunge so if you don't hear from me in a few days, call the free-motion quilting police.
Go on about your bidness. Nothing to see here.
Cindy
YaY Cindy!!! Another chicken in the stew...(I guess this means 'chicken and stars' soup?? ;) You go, girl!
chipper
Good for you, Cindy! Have fun with the stars. :)
I guess if I draw them on first, that kind of defeats the "free-motion" aspect of the whole thing, right? I'm sitting here in mortal terror!
Cindy
No!!! You are allowed to draw or use patterns/stencils with FMing. Don't get stressed. Continuous quilting is the trick with machine quilting- as few starts and stops as possible. Draw a small star then do a pretty curvy line to the next star making the stars the size(s) and as close together as you like. I think several sizes of stars would be really cool! Then it wouldn't be so noticeable if you accidentally got one a different size from the rest- you could even make several larg-ish stars and fill in with smaller ones. If you miss the line just think "it's okay, the lines are merely a guide, not carved in stone". Relax, breathe, blink and HAVE AT IT!!! VBG
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
Oh, THANK YOU , Lesile! The Virgo in me just absolutely resists the randomness of Free-Motion, anything goes.
Here I go.
Cindy
Sweetie, I'm a Virgo, too! Now we can be known as "The Former Free-Motion Virgins"! LMAO!!!
Not at all. draw them with something that is easily removable. Free motion simply means that you are moving the fabric instead of the machine. Using a stencil of a feather still means free motioning it. Many, many people use guidelines of some sort for free motion quilting. And not worrying about where to go next helps you concentrate on the stitches.
Go for it.
Pati, >
Nope. Free motion is just the lack of feed dogs. You can draw the stars on first if you like. However, I find it easier to just go ahead without drawing -- that way I never have to worry about missing my lines. ;)
Of course you're allowed to draw! Or use a stencil. I did stars once, and in the hope of getting them all mostly the same size and shape, I cut some sticky paper templates. Stars on a string - stick the template, stitch around, then squiggle to *not quite* where you think the next one ought to go, and position the template before you finish the squiggle. Or for those who plan ahead, make a few templates :-) This method allows you to adjust spaces between stars so you come out neatly at the corners.
Free motion simply means that YOU are in charge of speed and direction, ANY direction you want, and the machine is in charge of making the needle go up and down. Roberta in D
"teleflora" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:4vaYh.108491$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe21.lga...
I did holly leaves and birds using Press'n Seal - stitched through it - then no need to draw on the fabric.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required