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FMQing
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Dorian
Posted 2013-06-04 8:47 AM (#75796)
Subject: FMQing



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Location: Far Northern California

Hello Ladies,

I have finally jumped, feet first, into some FMQing. I can tell already that I am going to LOVE IT!

BUT,

I am having a problem with the back, the front looks pretty good though. The back looks like my tension is wrong, as a lot of thread is almost laying straight on top of the fabric. 

Is it a matter of tension? My top tension is almost at 0, my feed dogs are dropped down, and I have the stitch regulator at 0. 

Or is it just a matter of getting the speed of the machine and the speed of my hands moving together right?

Any help would be appreciated :)

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kidsrnloves2sew
Posted 2013-06-04 10:59 AM (#75797 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: Re: FMQing



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Location: Beautiful pacific north coast		hi sis,
(((((( hugs)))))))
how are ya??

i am certainly no expert in the matter and cant wait to here what the experienced fm'ers have to say, but;
when i find the bobbin thread laying that way, it means my top tension is toooo loose.  (or the bobbin is too tight lol)
i dont know what 0 on your machine means though. on mine the higher the number the tighter the tension so i would go
up in number.  but when i was fm quilting i had to fiddle with the bobbin thread to loosen it a bit and yes it really depended
on the speed of my hands and machine.  i still cant get it quiet right. but adjusting the bobbin helped.  my fmq lesson book
also mentions that the type of needle and thread can affect the tension as well.  

i really like fmq too and hope to get more lessons from the book done this summer.

have a great day!
i sent you an email couple days ago, hope everyone is good up your way!

trish





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Dorian
Posted 2013-06-06 8:18 AM (#75806 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: RE: FMQing



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Posts: 7591
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Location: Far Northern California

Thanks for the reply Sis, I guess no one else here fmq's??

I did some reading yesterday and found that a lot of machines don't like to sew well with their feed dogs down. So I put mine back up and it sews A LOT better!! Now I can see where the speed/hand problems are. 

I'll just keep practicing :)

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kidsrnloves2sew
Posted 2013-06-06 10:55 AM (#75812 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: Re: FMQing



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Location: Beautiful pacific north coast		hi sis,

i have a question??  if your feed dogs are up how do you move the fabric in all directions??  i thought the purpose of
having the dogs down was so you can move the fabric "freely"??  i have often thought about this myself, as it seems
the tension on my machine is connected to the feed dogs, so when i fmq its more difficult as well to keep proper tension.
i wish some more experienced fmq's would come along and share their wisdom  
i have not been back in my fmq book for a while, something i am gonna start again this summer to work on the lessons.
let me know what you learn :)

love ya
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Dorian
Posted 2013-06-06 5:54 PM (#75814 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: RE: FMQing



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Location: Far Northern California

Hi Sis!

If you set your stitch length to 0, then the feed dogs just go up and down and the fabric wont move unless you move it. It is a tiny bit more stiff to move it thru, but if you are going the right speed, it works out. So give it try!! :) I'm thinking these older machines we have, like the feed dogs up.

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debbieann
Posted 2013-06-06 7:01 PM (#75816 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: Re: FMQing


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Location: Hagersville, Ontario, Canada		Hi Dorian....I always wanted to try this but my older machine doesn't let the feed dogs drop. Moving fabric under it is impossible.....it is an older Kenmore and it also hasn't a darning foot.....It never had one ..even the booklet doesn't list it. Weird .

Hope to get a newer machine and have feed dogs that drop.

hugs and stitches

Debbieann
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misisipimenace
Posted 2013-06-06 8:29 PM (#75818 - in reply to #75816)
Subject: Re: FMQing



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Location: THE LAND OF SWEET MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS

dorian, just saw this!  however, I cannot possibly claim to be experienced enough in FMQ to advise you but I bet Denise would be a fount of information!  or maybe Jami, even tho Jami does most of her quilting on a longarm, she is rather knowledgable about most aspects of sewing    good luck!  and you GO GIRL!!!!!

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kittyquilter
Posted 2013-06-07 12:44 AM (#75824 - in reply to #75818)
Subject: Re: FMQing


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Location: Sicklerville, New Jersey		Trish,

I do quite a lot of fmq and you can't move the fabric if the feed dogs are in the up position. Tension is controlled by the feed dogs for regular sewing. However, with fmq you are controlling the speed and tension on the top thread. If you have a bobbin casing (as my machine does) loosen the screw 1/4 turn and see how the back looks. My new machine has a top loading bobbin and automatically adjusts when I drop my feed dogs. The purpose of the feed dogs being up is to help feed the fabric along when you are doing regular stitching. Dropping the feed dogs allows you to move the fabric in any direction without being gripped by the feed dogs. I have found that when doing loops I have to do them at a slower speed so that my tension is correct on the backing. There is a product out there that will cover your feed dogs if you can't drop them. It is a silicon sheet that grips the machine but lets the fabric glide over it. It runs about $30.00. My machine came with a small plastic plate that covers the feed dogs. And you absolutely have to have a darning foot or fmq foot to fmq.

Hope this info helps.

Cherie

Edited by kittyquilter 2013-06-07 12:49 AM
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Dorian
Posted 2013-06-07 8:47 AM (#75828 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: RE: FMQing



Expert

Posts: 7591
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Location: Far Northern California

I'm sorry Ladies, but you CAN FMQ with the feed dogs in the UP position.. I am doing it, so I do know.

I also know that Trish has older machines, like mine, so it might work on hers too. 

Here is the article I was reading on this.

http://www.daystyledesigns.com/doihavetodropmyfeeddogs.htm

If you do a google search on FMQing with your feed dogs up, you will find a lot of info on it.

 Not trying to cause any animosity or anything, just showing another way of FMQing.

Thanks for the input Everyone. Debbieann, have you put your stitch length to ZERO and tried it? Some machines may not allow you to do this.

LOL Cindy, Yes, I was hoping Denise would pop in and give me some tips.

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kidsrnloves2sew
Posted 2013-06-07 11:00 AM (#75832 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: Re: FMQing



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Location: Beautiful pacific north coast		 dorie i am intrigued by this idea   and i am going to give it a go and see what happens.  cant hurt!  i did as you suggest cherie, have to loosen the bobbin a bit and i had to tighten up the top tension, i was getting thread loops my first few times!!  debbieann, i have read in several places that you can use an index card to cover your feed dogs if you have a machine that wont let you drop them.  

i am having a short day at work today, try to finish up the weeks charts and have a procedure to do.  today is graduation day for daughters school.  her best freinds are graduating ( my second daughters)      and as a jr class parent, im on the reception committee as jr's host the reception.  so will be spending the afternoon getting ready.  i cant believe my own daughter is now going to be a SENIOR ahhhhhhhh where did the time go?????!!!!!   better bring the tissues, i know im gonna cry.  

have a great day everyone,

kidsrn

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MsMeow
Posted 2013-06-07 1:43 PM (#75840 - in reply to #75796)
Subject: Re: FMQing



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Location: Winter Garden, FL		I haven't done much FMQ on Big Brother (mostly b/c he doesn't like it LOL), but I can have the feed dogs either up or down. I think it's the presser foot that engages the tension, not the feed dogs. They just move the fabric under the needle. So, if you're using a darning foot that doesn't put much pressure on the fabric you should be okay with the dogs up.

I think most FMQ instructions say to have the stitch length set at 0, but I learned from a Quilt U class that with Brother machines you need to set the stitch length as long as possible. Who knows why - I just know when I tried it, it worked!

Edited by MsMeow 2013-06-07 1:43 PM
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