Click on the headings below for some great tips

Free Motion Quilting
Draw first, quilt second for better freehand quilting
Successful quilting starts by looking down the road
Tips for micro stippling

Thread
Preview threads for quilting
My thread's fraying - HELP!

Marking Your Quilt
Marking your quilt with chalk
Removing marking pencil from your quilt

Free Motion Quilting

Draw First, Quilt Second for Better Freehand Quilting

For freehand free motion quilting, drawing your design first helps train your brain for quilting. The easiest continuous line design you can quilt is your signature because you've practiced writing it over and over. The same logic applies to any other continuous line design. Even stippling is best learned by drawing first. Always practice drawing by filling in a square, rectangle, or other shape you might find our your quilt top. Your quilt has boundaries-so should your drawing area.

Successful Quilting Starts by Looking Down the Road

The best analogy for successful free motion quilting is from Harriet Hargrave. She compares free motion quilting to driving. If you drive by looking at your hood ornament, you're likely to crash often. Looking down the road and anticipating the next curve or stopping point is a much better driving plan. Periodically check your mirrors and blind spot and slow down when you're stopping or parking.

The same philosophy applies to quilting. Don't focus on the needle hitting the fabric, not even when you're quilting a marked line. Look ahead for changes in a curve or towards the next point in your design and quilt towards it. Trust that your peripheral vision will help guide you. Slow down when you have to hit a specific point. Look at the needle hitting the fabric only occasionally.

Tips for Micro Stippling

Micro stippling is extremely dense quilting. The quilted line usually takes a turn every 1/8" or less. The trick to micro stipple is simple-Quilt by looking on the inside of the hopping foot. When you're previously quilted line begins to disappear under the hopping foot, turn. If you see a quilted line enter from the outside of the hopping foot, turn. Micro stippling takes hours to fill a quilt. Take a break often to avoid burnout.

Thread

Preview Threads for Quilting

The color and kind of thread used for quilting can be a difficult choice. Thread varies so much in weight and sheen. I've spent many hours picking out a small area of quilting I didn't like because of the thread.

To preview a thread, quilt a small area using use a slick thread in the bobbin (such as a trilobal polyester or rayon or polyester embroidery thread) and significantly loosen the top tension. If your top tension is loose, it will be easy to remove the stitching by simply pulling the bobbin thread from the back of the quilt.

Another method is to use water-soluble thread in the bobbin. After quilting a small area, spray the back of the quilt and the water-soluble thread will begin to dissolve, making it easy to remove the top thread.

My thread's fraying - HELP!

There are many reasons your thread could fray.

1) Is your thread old?
Old cotton thread can rot over time, especially in dryer climates. If this is the problem, throw the thread away. If it's rotten on the spool, it will be rotten on your quilt.

2) Are you using the right size needle?
If your thread is fraying, try a larger needle. Thread passing through a needle eye that is too small will always fray.

3) Is your top tension too tight?
Tight tension may snap your thread. Loosen your top tension. If your machine has a three-hole thread guide (the pre-tension thread guide), you can loosen the tension on the thread by passing it through only one or two holes, instead of three.

4) Is your thread running from a horizontal or vertical spool pin?
Switch from horizontal to vertical, or vice versa, depending on what you've already tried.

5) Is there lint buildup in your bobbin area or in your tension disks?
Keep your machine clean for smooth sailing. 90% of thread problems will be eliminated by using quality thread, the right size needle, and adjusting tension (usually loosening).

Marking Your Quilt

Marking your quilt with chalk

Loose chalk is an easy way to mark your quilt using stencils or perforated Quilter's Preview Paper. Mark your project using a chalk pounce or cotton batting dipped in loose chalk. Work chalk into perforations by rubbing pounce or batting over the design lines. A lint brush can help remove excess chalk from your project.

We love Miracle Chalk or the Ultimate Pounce Pad. It is only available in white and is removed by using a steam iron or by washing. It doesn't bounce on the quilt like the regular white and blue chalk.

Removing Marking Pencil from Your Quilt

No. 2 pencils were frequently used to mark quilting lines. Now, pencils aren't always made of graphite as they were in past years. For better removability, consider using a graphite pencil from an art supply store.

We use General's pastel chalk pencils; the white and light grey have never failed our removability tests. The light grey shows well on both light and dark fabrics. Most of the marks can be removed by rubbing with a scrap of slightly abrasive batting (Hobbs 80/20 blend works well). Marks are easily removed in the wash.

For stubborn marks, use marking pencil remover by Quilter's Rule or the following home remedy:

3 oz rubbing alcohol, 1 oz water, 3 or 4 drops liquid dishwashing detergent--place in a small bottle and shake well. Wet corner of a washcloth with solution and rub over markings. Wet another washcloth with water and rub over markings to rinse. Allow quilt to air dry. A second treatment may be necessary.