Building A Rock Solid Routine-Machine Set-Up for Free Motion Quilting

October 15, 2014
Oak Leaf and Acorn Free Motion Quilt Pattern

Acorn and Oak Leaf Free Motion Quilting

Good morning, Quilters!

Hope you all had time to doodle and stitch yesterday’s free motion quilt tutorial:  The Oak Leaf and The Acorn.

If you didn’t have time, perhaps today’s discussion will help!

We are on #3 in our series:  Building a Rock Solid Routine for Free Motion Quilting–Machine Set-Up

One of the stalling points to the creative process is just not knowing how to begin.

So, to quote Julie Andrews…Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.  When you read you begin with A-B-C when you free motion quilt you begin with…

Corn Stalks Free Motion Quilting

Sorry, it doesn’t rhyme…Clean and Oil.

While that sounds like work, let’s not belabor the job.

Get it done fast…If you’re not sure how, pull out your manual.  (It  is in your newly organized Box of Free Motion Quilt Supplies and the page for cleaning and oiling is already marked.0

CHECKLIST-Ten Steps to Free Motion Quilting

  1. Clean and Oil
  2. Attach a single-hole throat plate (OPTIONAL-you might notice better stitch formation)
  3. Insert a bobbin (I like 50 wt cotton in the bobbin–use what you have.)
  4. Secure a Supreme Slider (I tape mine, but if yours is clean it should stay in place without tape.)
  5. Insert a New needle-(I usually start with a Topstitch 90-adjust according to your thread and fabric.)
  6. Attach Darning Foot (Bernina #24 is nice.)
  7. Thread machine (I like Sulky and Robison-Anton 40 wt Rayon–again use what YOU like.)
  8. Lower the feed dogs (or cover them)
  9. Needle down position (Whenever sewing stops, the needle will be in the down position–not available on all machines.)
  10. Test and adjust tension

I recommend that you copy these steps (in your neatest handwriting, of course) on to a nice piece of paper and keep it in your FMQ Supply Box.  Tape it to the lid if possible.

 The Checklist should be available for quick and ready reference–until you have it memorized.

Now here’s The Challenge:

My mom used to beguile me into cleaning my room by  telling me she’d time how long it took me to make my bed… This technique is very effective.

  • It increases focus.
  • It makes a boring job seem fun.
  • Teaches one to do menial tasks quickly so you can get on to the Fun Stuff.

Corn Stalks Free Motion Quilting

YOUR CHALLENGE:

Time how long it takes you to set up your machine for free motion quilting.  Try to get it down to under three minutes.  If you are organized and know the steps, that should be easy.

Then–the next time you have ONLY 15 minutes—You will be stitching for 12 full minutes--at that’s enough to get a good start!

“Sew–A needle pulling thread.  La-A Note to follow Sew…”

Singing and Sewing,

Lori

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Building a Rock Solid Routine Series

  #1-Find and mark your sewing machine manual

  #2-Supply List and Organizing the Supplies

PS…All tutorials, information and images are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to re-blog, Pin and Share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt.  For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com.  Thanks!

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