We are embracing all the wonkiness as a part of our journey. Yes, consistent sizes may be prettier but we aren’t worrying about that while learning a new skill. I like my stitches large enough to be easy enough to pick out if I make a mistake but not so large you can fit a finger under. Honestly, I know there is a standard for how long stitches should be but I really don’t fuss too much about this. Fast needle, fast hands slower needle, slow hands fast needle and slow hands. Figuring out how fast to move your hands in comparison to your needle takes practice. Lol.Īs you can see, I completed a few circles at different speeds. Click on the link above for descriptions and Part Numbers.īefore I use the ruler I want to show you where my free motion circle skills are at. On the Janome Continental M7 it’s the (QR) Foot included with the machine, but there’s different versions of the 1/4″ ruler work foot for the various machine models, so be sure you get the correct one for your machine. I have my Janome 1/4″ Ruler Foot installed. There are different bobbin holders for the various machine models, so double check with your Janome dealer to ensure you get the correct one for your machine. This helps eliminate the eye-lashing and bird’s nests of thread on the back of the quilt which can often happen with free-motion and ruler quilting, especially when it’s new to you. I put in a Janome Low Tension/ Blue Dot Bobbin Holder which is set for 8grams of tension lower than the usual 10-13grams of the standard bobbin holder used for regular sewing. With it’s flared “Cobra head”, the needle helps separate the fibers of the fabric so the bobbin thread and needle thread can intersect in the middle of the quilt sandwich more easily. I’m using a Janome Purple Tip Needle Sze 90/14, Part Number: 202122001. I have my machine all set up for ruler quilting. These rulers are part of the Janome Sew Comfortable product line, available from your Janome dealer. ![]() Today I’m using a circle “ruler” or template because I have a quilt coming up that I want to use it on and it’s nice to practice first. About a year ago I wrote a blog post on Ruler Quilting which has some excellent tips to get you started. Today I want to show you some ruler quilting in action to see how it translates into building your skills to eventually try without the rulers. Having a guide for you to follow allows you to build muscle memory while making some fun designs. I personally think Ruler Quilting is like training wheels for free-motion quilting. ![]() If you are new to free-motion quilting we need to give you the tools, give you a few different options and give you a lot of opportunity to practice. In a few years you will be able to sit down with a quilt, move your hands and magic will appear. ![]() This journey is similar to learning free-motion quilting. Once you have learned this skill your body normally doesn’t forget. There are so many new things to remember and new motions your body has to make. As you can imagine, this is completely freeing but also a whole new skill set to learn. ![]() Think of it like someone is holding a pen to the paper and you move the paper to make the words appear instead of moving the pen. I honestly didn’t think it was hard but like anything, it would require practice to get it to look exactly how you envision it.įree-motion quilting is when you set up your machine to only move the needle up and down, the feed dogs are usually dropped or covered, then the quilter moves the quilt in all different directions under the needle. I was then later told this was a hard technique. The first two quilts I made I finished with free-motion quilting. Ha! I wasn’t even athletic and my Mum almost died of worry but I was told there was ice cream in it for me and I will do almost anything for ice cream, lol! I once rode my bike 100 km on a whim and then was told that people train for that before attempting to do. I didn’t realize the quilting world was full of “rules”, quests for perfection and the idea that some things were too hard for quilters to try until they had a few decades of experience under their belt. When I learned to quilt I was blessed with teachers who embraced quilting as an adventure and encouraged me to try all the things.
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