Thread Talk from my Sewing Machine #18 Addendum

Some of you posted some great questions in the comment section of my last Thread Talk post (#18). I decided that they warranted another post for me to try to answer them. Anything that helps you enjoy domestic machine quilting better, I am there… :)

[Bedazzled – publish pending]

1. Jackie asks… “I was wondering if when you pin and are actually sewing do you remove the pins in the area you are working on or do you just sew around the pins and remove them all once you have completed the quilt?”

My two cents: I remove the pins as needed when I quilt. Watch out for pins in the immediate area outside of your quilting area. If you think they will pose a problem, go ahead and remove them.

[Cascade of Leaves, Quilter’s World, October 2010]

2. Cathi asks… “Do you still start in the middle when you are doing an over-all design?”

My two cents: I have answered the question here (check out #3). Now, I do try to start from the middle when the size of the quilt is manageable, and when I think it’s favorable to do so. But if not, as long as my quilt sandwich is well basted, I haven’t had any problems starting from the side.

[Jungle Jim and Jane, Fons & Porter Baby Quilts, Fall 2010]

3. Another Jackie asks, “I tend to have problems getting round shapes smooth and not jerky or pointy. Any tips?”

My two cents: Slow down, and stitch shorter stitches when rounding curves. That should help. You might also consider using the Free-motion Slider on the bed of your machine. The slider tends to take out the jerks and the kinks in moving your quilt sandwich. Click here for more info on quilt moving and the slider.

***

I received a most interesting tip from Liane from Brazil about using paper towels to practice free-motion quilting. See picture above.

Liane had given me permission to share her tip, and this is what she wrote: “I was always afraid of quilting. In reading your blog I found, somewhere, the courage I needed to put my fear away. I began doodling with pencil and paper. ThenI decided to use paper towel as “my training fabric”. It worked great, cause I didn’t feel I was wasting my fabrics! Now, when I decide to try a new motif , I always use three or four layers of paper towel as a warm up “fabric” ! ” Liane is quite an innovative quilter, don’t you think?
Do you have handy free-motion quilting tips you would like to share with us here at Ivory Spring? Feel free to leave them in the comment section. Have a fantastic day!