Machine Stippling

http://daystyledesigns.com/howtopieceperfectquilts.htm Watch a video demonstration on machine stippling. This free motion quilting technique is very easy once you practice it for awhile.

Leah Day walks you through what tools you need and how to baste and hold your quilt to stipple it properly.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• quilting
• arts
• crafts
• machine
• stippling
• free
• motion

[wipforever1]

I greatly appreciate this video!!! And I love the tip about the gloves, they really help! My question is - my thread keeps breaking and I don't know why. Everything seems to go along smoothly and then the break happens. My darning foot isn't an open one. It is a full circle-type, so its not getting caught on anything that I'm aware of. Any ideas? The machine is threaded properly. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

[lcvday]

@wipforever1 - Have you changed your needle? What thread are you using?

I often find cotton thread to be too thick and weak for free motion quilting. It was just too frustrating getting it to work when it kept breaking all the time, so I switched to Isacord Polyester thread.

Look on the back of your quilt when this happens and see if anything is pulling to the back. Try to get as many clues to the problem, then try one thing at a time to see what helps.

I hope that helps! Leah Day

[57janetlee]

I am trying to free motion a quilt. I am using an open toe stippling foot. The main problem I am having is that my thread keeps getting caught on one of the ends of the foot. Then my thread gets tangled and I have to stop and rip out. I can't seem to make any progress because of this and feel like all I am doing is troubleshooting. Does anybody know why this is happening and what I should do about it?

[lcvday]

@57janetlee - Try quilting from left to right in a row (almost like you're writing on paper).  This way you won't cross over your lines of quilting and your open toe foot shouldn't get tangled. Try to watch what you're doing when the tangle happens, and then train yourself not to make this action.

I hope this makes sense!

Leah Day

[Minaretfm]

Great, very useful! but what is that pressure foot called around the needle?

[lcvday]

@Minaretfm - It's usually called a darning foot, but can sometimes also be called a free motion quilting foot.

Cheers,

Leah

[mad2716]

Thank you for your post! I love how encouraging you are. Reminding us that it's ok to mess up. A lot of times I am so afraid to try something new because I don't want it to have mistakes. Again thanks.

[mal1067ry]

I note you have a lovely little baby - bet she's grown considerably larger now! Thanks for the vid. Got to give this a go - reckon I'll back myself into a corner a few times with your technique. Cheers.

[57janetlee]

thanks Leah! Even though I didn't get very far at the time, what I was able to do did seem to go much smoother.

[lcvday]

@Vettle - Yes, you really should be using 2-3 layers (2 fabric with batting sandwiched in the center). If you have an adjustable foot, you could potentially do stippling without the batting, but even still, you will probably have some stitch issues.

Chances are the pulling up was caused by not using a sandwich or might have been due to your thread or needles. The best advice I have is to keep playing and eventually your stitches will start to come out right!

Good luck!

Leah