The thing that helps me most in my free motion quilting journey is this: I don’t quilt with both hands on top of the quilt sandwich. I tried it in my first days of quilting and I hated it.
I wanted to free motion quilt and I wanted to make it easy and fun so I tried something else. I just put my right hand under the quilt.
I fold the quilt near the area I am quilting. I put the right hand on that fold.
With the left hand I keep the quilt flat. I use the right hand to move the quilt. The left hand helps moving the quilt as well, but the right hand is mainly doing the job.
If you are frustrated that your quilting doesn’t look the way you want, I urge you to try to quilt this way. Don’t think you need more skills or you need more talent. All you need is easiness in moving the quilt under the needle.
I don’t have any special talent for free motion quilting. I progress because I do it often (90% of my quilts are free motion quilted). I do it often because I like it. And I like it because I made it easier. I truly believe that 90% of the easiness to free motion quilt I owe to that right hand I keep under the quilt!
Will you try this way to free motion quilt? Let me know if you like it more than the traditional way.
Want to learn more tips about easy free motion quilting?
Download my free ebook below (if you didn’t already do it).
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Happy quilting!
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I will definitely try this method, Geta! I’m always looking for a secret to help me improve my FMQ, so thank you for this!
Wow! I thought your quilting was done with a long arm machine. You are good! I am definitely giving your technique a try and will let you know if it makes it easier for me.
Thanks.
I just got your FREE MOTION QUILTING ebook and read through it. Thank you. There are so many helpful tips in there.
I am glad to hear this, Debbie.
I just came across this. I always would automatically want to do this, BUT everything and every person would say nooo!! I did it because it felt natural to me. Watching you made me one happy quilter that has been struggling for years, because this way always was comfortable and felt like I could control my quilt better! YEEE HAAAA! I am not CRAZY after all. Thank you so much!!
I keep watching but can’t figure how you are holding the quilt with your right hand ? would love to see a picture as making it easier would be great.
hugs from France,
Joanne
There are pictures, at the beginning of this article, before the videos.
Geta, This does look a lot easier to move your sewing area around, like you have more control of where you are going. My question is: Are you left handed? I asked because I am and that is a problem I’ve had with my right hand getting tired from keeping constant pressure on the quilt. I will give this a try. Thanks
Sandy, I am right handed and I use the right hand because that is the most important job and I want to do it as good as I can. If you are left handed, you can use the left hand. I feel that the right hand underneath is a better option though, because to the right of the needle there is that bulk of the quilt that creates issues and I can control that better with the right hand. Does it make sense?
Yes, it does! Thanks. Love Getaway.
It looks like you are sewing sideways. My machine doesn’t do that. What would you do in that case?
In front of the needle only you quilt with the walking foot,Susan. You have to switch to a free motion quilting/darning foot. It allows you to sew in any direction. You drop the feed dogs and set your stitch length to zero. You have the control over the movement of the quilt under the foot.
Thanks for sharing I’ve never free quilted before but you made me want to give it a try !
I am glad to hear this, Carey. Start with a small piece.
Geta — I have been doing this for years, and I totally agree with you. There is SO much more control with this method. So glad you shared this!
Diane
Geta I am a long-time admirer or your quilts and more especially your quilting – mind-blowing! I was amazed to hear your “secret” for FMQ. It’s what I have done for years! Never could manage to glide the quilt around (with or without gloves or many other devices sold with the idea of helping this process) so I developed my own method. Sometimes I even just grab a chunk of quilt in my hands on either side of the needle. If the quilt is well-basted and you get the tension just right, there is no distortion of the quilt under the needle. I have kept my guilty secret all these years but feel vindicated now that I know a real expert in quilting does it too. Love your work!
Yes, Pam, the traditional way of moving the quilt under the needle seems to be one of those quilting rules that not many quilters break. Not sure what Quilt Police thinks about it! Anyway, I have never experimented distortion of the quilt due to this way of moving the quilt- thank you for mentioning this, Pam.
I just bought the Husqvarna Viking Platinum 16 and haven’t used it yet. I think this technique will work well with my new machine. I can’t wait to try it, but I have to finish a wedding quilt first. It is done with a quilt as you go technique, so the blocks are already quilted and I’m just assembling them now. Can’t wait to try this on my next quilt. I have 42 pieced tops to choose from.
Happy quilting, Susan! Good luck with your new machine, I am sure you will have wonderful experiences quilting with it.
Wow. This is a new technique. I will be trying it soon. Thank you for the detailed pictures and video.
I do this occasionally esp when my quilt does not move well but am always afraid that I might pull my quilt too much and end up with long stitches. How do you manage when there is a lot of quilt on your right side. Won’t it be very difficult to fold and hold then?
If the quilt hangs off the edges of the table you work on, you can’t easily move the quilt under the needle and sometimes you will end up pulling the quilt too much and ruining your stitching. You must be sure that you can easily move that small area.
It’s not more difficult to manage that bulk with the hand underneath. Cram most of the bulk near the arm and keep flat only a few inches around the needle. I hope this helps?? You could try this technique first on a smaller quilt, like a baby quilt.
I’ve used your technique for moving the quilt, and it works really well for me. I love your designs and your tips for FMQ. Thanks, Geta!!
I am glad to hear this, Judy, happy quilting!
Thank you for sharing I have just started free motion so I will definitely try you’re way
It appears that your machine has automatic needle down when you come to a stop. My Pfaff does not have that feature. I would have to use my right hand to manually roll the wheel that puts the needle down. Aside from that, this method appears to be great. You also seem well-practiced at this. I am not previously familiar with your work, but may now take notice!
No, Lee, I don’t have automatic needle down on my machine. I use a lot the wheel! I do have a knee lifter that allows me to lift the presser foot without touching it with my hand, which is really helpful.
I absolutely agree …. I’ve been placing my right hand under the quilt for years. A lot less stress on your shoulders. Love your posts. CATHY
May I ask how big the neck is in your machine and what machine you have? I don’t think I have as big a space to the right of the needle as you do.
Karen, I have an industrial machine (JAKE) with 10” under the arm. But in my first 7-8 years of quilting, I quilted on my domestic Pfaff, which has 7” under the arm, using the same technique. I “developed it” and started to use it while sewing on that domestic machine.
Thank you!
I thought I had to keep this secret, that I don’t hold my quilt the ‘correct’ way. I too find this hand placement the easiest.
Your work is beautiful. I’ve seen a video of you on YouTube using 12-wt Aurifill thread to free motion quilt, and I was wondering what machine you were using.
I have been machine quilting on my home machine for years, and when I do a lot of quilting I have lots of pain, especially in my left shoulder. I can’t wait to try this and see if it makes a difference! Thank you, Geta!
Ich habe immer mit beiden Händen oben gequiltet. Ich werde Ihre Methode versuchen. Es sieht aus, als würde der Quilt mit Leichtigkeit geführt. Danke für den Post.
Question – what do you use to draw the free motion quilt design on the fabric? You probably don’t need to do this but I sure do – I’m just starting down this road.
I have the same question. I was never a doodler so I don’t have that muscle memory to just flow. But I must say that Geta’s tip has improved my FMQ. My stitches are still not good, inconstant lengths, but definitely hoping to improve with practice.
Dang! I need to give this a try….thank you!
Thank you Geta for showing a new (different way) to FMQ. I am just learning and I struggle with the 2 hands flat. Such an inspiration to all of us quilters!
I am anxious to try your method. I’ve been so intimidated with free motion quilting, but I really want to be able to do it! Thank you so much for your tip!
This is a wonderful tip! I will try it soon. I would get so physically tired when I did free motion quilting. I think this will alleviate the stress.
I tried your method and LOVE it! So much easier to quilt this way. My back and shoulders used to get so tense and go into muscle cramps when I quilted. Now I can go longer periods of time at quilting with less stress on my body. Thank you for sharing this information!
I am new at GMA I am anxious to try your method . Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I been sewing since I was child. However, I took up quilting when I turned 60 last year..and I’m having the time of my life. I’ve been navigating through youtube for direction, however recently I discovered your site…I so wish I had found you a year ago, you are such an inspiration 🙂 I have been doing FMQ for a couple of months now and found practice, practice, practice is what gets you to the finish line. But yet, I find your amazing tips and talent are going to help me get to the next level 🙂 Thanks for sharing, I love your story and your work,
Hi, I watched and like your method with right hand under quit as you quilt. Ive not done any quilting yet but I wonder are you right hand dominate or left.? Im a righty so Im not sure Id want my right hand under. Thanks
As I right-handed individual, I think this idea may be the answer for me. It’s so obvious that having my right hand pretty-much control direction is just what I need.
And I suspect left-handed quilters will love it.
Wow! What an awesome revelation! I see you posted this in 2018 and I am just reading it in 2024. I love free motion quilting, but I struggle. I have always had a problem with putting both hands on the top of the quilt, I’ve tried slider mats and silicone spray but the quilt just doesn’t move smoothly. I’ve even tried grabbing it in two fists, and the quilt gets lifted off the Machine bed. Seems like everyone needs a king size quilt and they are heavy! I haven’t tried your one hand under quilt approach yet, but I have one quilt that needs to be finished and I’m going to do it today! Can’t wait to try. I also like your suggestion regarding the jeans needle. I rarely comment on articles, but yours really grabbed me. If I can follow you, I will. Thanks!