- I would like to thank Skillshare
for sponsoring this video.
Are you less than happy
with your free motion quilting results?
Do you have creases and puckers in your quilt
and you just want to rip it all out?
Here are 8 common mistakes that quilters make
when quilting on their domestic sewing machine
and some tips to help you prevent them.
So, stick with me and I'll show you how to do it.
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Hi, I'm Karen Brown of Just Get it Done Quilts.
I give you tips, tricks and strategies
to help you make the quilt that you want to make.
And if you like what you see
please hit that subscribe button.
The quilting part of making a quilt is challenging
not just in physically managing the quilt
but in managing our expectations on how much to prepare,
how much time to take and what results are acceptable?
So, let's go through 8 foundational mistakes
and how to fix them.
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We finished the quilt top
and now we have this burst of momentum
from our sense of accomplishment
only to realise that we're only halfway done.
Not only is making the quilt sandwich a huge pivot
in skills from piecing the top,
it's also fiddly and fussy
but it's the foundation for your quilting.
You can have the best piecing
and free motion quilting skills in the world,
but if you don't make the effort
to make a good quilt sandwich so the 3 layers are flat
and move evenly through your machine,
you'll have creases in your quilt.
There are several ways to make a quilt sandwich
and I've already made a video about them.
If you haven't watched my video
on six ways to make a quilt sandwich,
I'll leave a link in notes below.
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It might seem like a time-waster,
but take the time to plan your quilting
so that it compliments your quilt top.
This clear shower curtain
is from my dollar store hacks part two.
Through taking the time to plan,
not only will you think of ideas
that you may not have originally thought of
to highlight your PC,
but you might also discover
that you have a specialty block or two
that you want to draw attention to
or a place for secondary designs,
or you might discover that your original idea
is too difficult for your skill level
or it will demand way more time than you want to take.
I have also made a video
on 10 fast and easy quilting designs
and I'll leave a link in the notes to that as well.
You also want to plan the way that your quilt
is going to move through your sewing machine harp
so that you can minimise the times
that you need to turn your quilt.
Less turning, less hard on your quilt,
less hard on your body.
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To avoid puckers in your quilt,
you want to move from one side of your quilt to the other
or from the middle out towards the edges.
Your quilt sandwich has three layers.
And even if you've made a perfect quilt sandwich,
these three layers like to move through your sewing machine
at different rates, which can create a surge in bulk.
And you want to control that bulk
by flowing it out towards the edges.
So, initially it may seem easier to do all the borders first
or get to the end and just spin the quilt around
and quilt back, but you'll end up with an excess
of your quilt top in the middle
or these kinds of ridges
as you quilt back and forth.
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Again, practising can seem like a waste of time.
You might think that you know what you're going to do
or that you've done it before,
or you're just doing straight lines,
how hard could that be?
It's amazing what you discover on your practise pieces.
Not only does it warm up those muscle memory skills
you'll see if you have tension issues,
see how your thread colour works,
you'll find out if you need a new needle or a larger size
plus it can remind you to do things
like change to your walking foot or your embroidery foot,
put on your quilting gloves,
get more lighting, adjust your machine,
clear items out of your work area and more.
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Not sitting properly takes a toll on your body,
which means you tire easily
and that will affect the quality of your quilting.
Not only should your seat be adjusted
so that there's a 90 degree angle at your elbows, hips
and knees, your core muscles should be engaged,
which means your neck is long,
your collarbones are broad and your ribs are knitted.
We think that quilting is all about the arms
but if you can engage your core while you quilt
not only will it be easier on your body
but you'll have finer control over your movements,
which means your accuracy will improve.
And definitely use gloves,
they provide this friction
so the quilt top is so much easier to handle.
These are official quilting gloves
and they have tacky fingers.
But I also use these ones which I bought from the dollar store.
See my Dollar Store Sewing Hacks Part 1.
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Quilting videos that you see on YouTube
are most often sped up.
I do it on my own channel
because it's just not that interesting
to watch quilting at a regular speed.
So, when we sit down to quilt
our brains are trained to think
that times 8 or times 20 is normal
and we rushed to match what we see online.
So, slow down.
When you are practising,
find that rate that you are comfortable at
and your hand placement can move easily.
When straight line quilting
there's also a tendency to push your quilt
through the machine,
that can lead to the ridges between the rows.
I know it gets tedious to stop
and reset your quilt all the time
so that it can feed through evenly.
But that leads to the next mistake.
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End of your quilt project is so near you can taste it.
If you just burn the midnight oil
it will all be done and you can check it off the list.
Sound familiar?
I personally have been guilty of this many times
and I am currently ripping out
some less than stellar results of that.
Quilting while tired leads to mistakes and uneven results.
And if you're not maintaining good posture
quite likely a trip to the chiropractor when you're done.
So, take your time.
Not just slow down, pace yourself, take breaks,
reset your quilt,
take breaks to adjust your posture
and have a drink of water,
take breaks to stand up and stretch.
It might take 2 to 3 times
which you first initially thought it would
but the results will be worth it.
Before we get to the last point,
let me tell you about Skillshare.
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that offers membership with meaning.
Skillshare offers thousands of inspiring classes
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Skillshare classes include a combination of video lessons
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and best of all, Skillshare has classes to fit your schedule
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You can learn and grow with short classes
that fit the short blocks of time in your busy day,
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especially when compared to in-person classes and workshops
and annual subscription is less than $10 a month.
Members get unlimited access
to thousands of inspiring classes with hands-on projects
and feedback from a community of millions.
The first 1000 of my subscribers
to click on the link in the description below
will get a free trial of Skillshare premium.
(upbeat music)
It is so easy to see the flaws
and the less than perfect curves
and points as you look at them from six inches away
or when you're working on a high contrast practise piece.
The quilting is judged on the whole quilt
from five pieces back or across the room.
Look at this mistake, can you see it now?
Or how about this mistake?
It disappears.
And did you notice that these two patterns don't even match?
Once you get your binding on so much is forgiven.
So, it's important to be patient with yourself
as you practise and your skills improve.
Some of you might know
that I recently purchased a long arm
and you might be thinking that I no longer need to worry
about making these mistakes,
though handling the quilt is easier with a long arm
you still need a flat quilt sandwich,
you still need to plan, prepare and practise,
have good posture, progress through the quilt,
pace not race and be patient with your progress.
How's that for alliteration?
And one more,
I promise that these foundational steps yield results,
it just takes time.
On Karen's Quilt Circle this week,
I have Wendy Chow of The Weekend Quilter
and we are speaking about finding your quilting community.
It's a great interview,
so I'll leave a link down in the notes below.
If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up,
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at Just Get it Done Quilts.
And of course, sign up for my newsletter
at justgetitdonequilts.com.
So, take care and I'll see you next time.
(bright music)