QM Tips

Barbara Barber
barbara barber britishquilts.com
Winner of the Best of Show award at the 1992 British Quilt Festival.

Tips & Techniques

 Prize-Winning Tips for Machine Quilting

Consistent Stitch Length

Slow down your hands. You need a fairly fast speed on the machine and slow, even hand movements.
Diane

Sometimes I engage the slow-speed button on my machine until I get comfortable; then I step up the pace and go faster.
Ricky

Listening to music helps me keep my hand movements at a consistent speed.
Carolee

For free-motion quilting, I don't lower my feed dogs. I like the bounce created by the movement of the feed dogs and I can feel the rhythm of the stitches. I also sing a song with a rhythm that conflicts with the sound of the sewing machine. Since the machine must go faster than my hands move, I need to escape the machine noise for my own beat.
Sandra

To get even stitches, I grip a section of the quilt, lift and hold it while quilting.
Diane

Staying relaxed and maintaining good posture helps you control the line of stitches.
Carol



Always keep your fingers on the quilt while you are stitching; if you move your hands while you're sewing you'll get uncontrolled stitches. When you need to reposition your hands, stop with the needle down in the quilt. If you have trouble starting up again with even, consistent stitches, try making the first stitch in the same hole where you stopped.
Sue

Practice! Try practicing on a fabric with small checks, hitting a corner of a check with each stitch.
Carolee

Read, watch and study everything you can by well-known machine quilters. Try new things and adapt the bits that work best for you; develop a technique that is truly your own.
Barbara

Most important of all, don't be so hard on yourself.
Barbara