http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspxFree-motion machine stitching is a hallmark of contemporary quilting. But, my friends, it does not always come easily. Practice and experience are key, and if you&#39;re like me, you also get by with some help from your expert friends.enCommunityServer 2008.5 SP2 (Build: 40407.4157)http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspx#25952Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:45:31 GMTdd4ad8cd-147d-404a-a568-5abd2115af5b:25952candy49<p>I really appreciate the tip on pausing before changing directions. I&#39;ve had a lot of problems with thread shredding, and pausing along with setting my top tension to 0 have helped a lot. </p> <div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.quiltingdaily.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=25952" width="1" height="1">http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspx#25937Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:41:00 GMTdd4ad8cd-147d-404a-a568-5abd2115af5b:25937Judith300<p>Vickie, I believe she means to test the wound bobbin after you put it in the bobbin holder but before it&#39;s put into the machine. Just put the bobbin in the holder, pull the thread around until it comes out the hole in the bobbin holder, and perform the test. If it tests correctly, put it into your machine and that&#39;s it.</p> <div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.quiltingdaily.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=25937" width="1" height="1">http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspx#25835Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:23:03 GMTdd4ad8cd-147d-404a-a568-5abd2115af5b:25835vickihogan<p>The paragraph on testing thread tension confuses me--is the bobbin set up to quilt and then removed to my hand (with the thread pulled to the machine deck)--?? I guess I am being dense--</p> <div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.quiltingdaily.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=25835" width="1" height="1">http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspx#25834Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:52:06 GMTdd4ad8cd-147d-404a-a568-5abd2115af5b:25834Shiree3<p>I doodle on a whiteboard, saves paper .. and you can just wipe off and start again &#39;til you have the design you want, keep it while you are quilting, then start again! ... and yes it is all about practice!</p> <div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.quiltingdaily.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=25834" width="1" height="1">http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspx#25833Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:24:19 GMTdd4ad8cd-147d-404a-a568-5abd2115af5b:25833jan elliott<p>There&#39;s one tip above all others - the &#39;p&#39; word - practice, practice, practice.</p> <div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.quiltingdaily.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=25833" width="1" height="1">http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2011/03/22/5-free-motion-stitch-tips-that-might-surprise-you.aspx#25832Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:41:28 GMTdd4ad8cd-147d-404a-a568-5abd2115af5b:25832patchesandpaint<p>I doodle on paper all the time. &nbsp;I figured that if I can draw it, I can stitch it. Also, it helps with muscle memory. &nbsp;Your hand and your brain already know what they are supposed to do once you move from the paper to the fabric. &nbsp;I teach my students the designs on paper first, so we can talk and analyze the strokes and the movement and then show them on the fabric, repeating the movement as carefully as possible. &nbsp;Then they go and try it on paper before moving to the fabric. &nbsp;Everyone agrees that it helps.</p> <div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://www.quiltingdaily.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=25832" width="1" height="1">