The Challenge
On a practice quilt sandwich:
Stitch for several minutes until you have your rhythm. Then stitch much much faster than your normal speed for several minutes. Do your best, but don’t fret about what your stitches look like. Then stitch for several minutes at a speed that is much slower than you normally free motion quilt. Finally, return to your normal rhythm. This exercise will improve your free motion quilting dexterity.
Stitching faster, does not always lead to poor quality stitches–because it increases your concentration. Likewise, stitching slower does not necessarily improve your quilting.
The Tip
The next time you are free motion quilting a project and you find you are struggling…try stitching faster or slower...it often works wonders!
18 comments
julie714
Wonderful Lori as always. Will give it a try next I’m FMQuilting. Julie Beard
Mary Huey
Hmm, seems like a good suggestion — will give it a try!
Barb E
Thanks for a great trick. I will try this and see what happens. I also find that if I breathe my stitches work much better. I think the lack of oxygen to the brain causes me to panic and sew small micro stitches. Love all your tutorials and enjoy trying them even though they didn’t look as great as yours. Thanks again
Bunny St. Clair
I also think breathing is important !! LOL
Ness
Lori why do I picture you turning blue and eyes watering…LOL!! Must….make it….to..corner……
Ness
Yes!! I too think this is very important! Inhaling AND exhaling…wow maybe if we exhale through the hard or tricky parts it would help us…helps in sports, exercise,child birth etc….What do you think Lori?!!
Lori Kennedy
I neither breath nor blink while I’m FMQing!
Sharon Dallman
What a great piece of advice Lori! I am finding your column so useful and I must say it’s really nice to find your links in my email box each day!
Erica
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog, especially your tutorials! I will try to the slowing down thing, but I already stitch pedal to the metal when I’m actually quilting. I keep going to look at new machines to see if they stitch faster than my Bernina 440. It looks like only an 800 series will do, and I’d rather save up for a long arm or maybe the baby lock Tiara.
Marti Morgan
I enjoy practicing my FMQ – but when I get the “real” quilt under the foot, my heart beats faster – and consequently so does my foot, lol. Takes a minute to settle down. Love your designs and your wisdom.
Roxanna
you are great at explaining and teaching….thanks for this tip. We are in the midst of a blizzard like snow storm here in SE PA near Philadelphia. So far we have 13″ of a sleet snow mix. What a challenge.
Ness
I already do this but not on purpose…haha! I will try it on purpose. I am much better at controlling my foot pedal now…kinda goes with your stocking footed verses shoes OLF a while back. Stocking footed helps alot! I tend to “zoom” around the bottom end of my loops almost every time so I’ve been trying to control them better…sometimes it’s ok but sometimes it gets me in trouble. I tried to explain to the officer it was because of my FMQ but he didn’t buy it. Grins!!
Claudia
Thank you Lori for such a wonderful tip. I am going to try this and practice and practice. I love that motif you are showing with this, what is it called and is there a tutorial for it? Actually, guess I better look on your site for all the wonderful designs you share. Thanks again….and hugs to you….Claudia
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It’s a variation of The Easiest Flower Ever–one of the first tutorials.
Lori Kennedy
You make me laugh every day, Ness!
Dalvinder
Great idea. will give it go next time I’m FMQ-ing.
Suzanna
What a great tip, Lori. Thank you. This is something I’ve never tried, but certainly will next time I sit down to machine quilt.
Lori Kennedy
It’s fun, too!
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