In 2016, I asked for a fancy sewing machine for a holiday and my husband took me shopping (awww, isn’t he sweet?). I figured that because I used my sewing machine so much, I should invest in an expensive machine. I purchased a fancy Husqvarna Opal 690Q. I took the classes that came with it. It had lots of fancy stitches and all the bells and whistles. I hated it. If only someone had explained to me how to choose a sewing machine that met my needs– not theirs. Buying the most expensive sewing machine with new-fangled features is not necessarily the best move you can make. Before buying a machine, always ask yourself what you’re going to use it for, whether or not you need all the extra features or if they are something you can live without, given the kind of tasks you intend to do with your machine. Also consider what future use you may have for the sewing machine. For instance, if you aren’t doing embroidery stitches now but you are planning to do so in the near future, then getting in a machine that can handle embroidery might be a good idea. The best advice I can give is to look on Amazon (I know I know...local dealers are great too but the choice between machines is not the same). On Amazon you can kind read the reviews, and even test the machine during an entire month. Look atthe ones I've selected for you on Amazon

I do wall hanging size FMQ on an old 1970s Kenmore with great results. I release presser foot pressure and drop feeds. I also reduce upper thread tension a bit. I make a note to myself about those settings and keep it nearby as I go back to straight sewing a lot. My FMQ teacher says to quilt in ditch first and do fancy stuff after. I suppose it depends on style of quilt really. If I stitch in ditch I just use regular sewing settings and feed dogs up. I don't use rubber gloves now that my FMQ teacher said to use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula body emulsion lotion on my hands instead. It gives you grip without hurting fabric. I have a modern Janome I also use but prefer the old Kenmore for the FMQ. I think the heavy weight makes it more stable. I built a table for it to make a level surface since it's basically a portable without top case on. I just used an old prefinished shelf piece about 18 x 24" and cut it out with a jigsaw from a cardboard template I made first. (I can explain to anyone who is interested.) I may make a larger one for occasional use later.

I do have an extension table...not as big as the ones on Clutter Gutter, but it was designed by Viking & that's what I have. It's better than nothing. I cleared off the table I'm using of debris, but don't have much room to set up any more tables around me...so I gotta make do with the room I got. I don't see myself pushing a Qn quilt through this machine. I think I'll send it out! I might try the teflon sheet if I can find one. The "Circles" I'm doing are actually straight sided hexagons & not true circles, but I'm pushing the fabric through like I'm doing a circle. I think it was the middle ones that really made me frustrated. Of course those were the ones I started on. The ones on the edges weren't so bad. 1/2 of each hexagon was easy (being on the edge) & 1/2 I had to wrestle with the bulk. The ones in the middle were wrestling with bulk the entire time. I did 11 before going to bed so far...no puckering in the back! My walking foot is installed properly with the "fork" attached to my needle position. I found that as long as I was holding the quilt scrunched up between me & the machine...it went through the machine pretty easily. I finally gave up on the quilt clips. And I do leave the needle down. However, I feel that I'm being rough on my machine because when I pull my quilt around with the needle down...the needle moves around. But I guess it's pprobably good that the machine gives a little Fran, I just might try the free motion foot on the purple triangles that are left between the hexagons. That might help because I will need to turn the quilt 3 times for each of those & maybe I can stitch backwards/sideways for those. ShirlUK, what kind of polish do you use? My machine is plastic. Can't stand gloves. Will only resort to those whem I'm desperate! When I put gloves on, I feel like I'm enclosed in a small box. It's weird. Wome advice from the experts & a bit of practice. :) Thanks all! Will post a picture when I'm done quilting.

I looked at the link. That is very impressive. How do you like it? I was thinking of something like that is kind of industrial or for very thick quilts. I have all the presser feet for my machine but not the walking foot. The walking foot which 120 dollars, and I can't really see buying that. I have the open tooth foot, the bulk foot, the circular quilting foot, and the daring foot, and even more. I don't know why I bought so many feet, but I did it on a binge years ago. I have a Bernina 1000 and the singer feather weight, and since my goal was to quilt with the feather weight, I don't think it has a walking foot. I did find the foot number 5, I think it was with a big thin piece of metal in the center useful for stitch in the ditch, but I am trying to use the featherweight and I have no special feet for it. The machine they had did look a bit bigger then mine, so maybe it has more ability to take a thicker quilt. Anyway, on sunday I am taking a class the store in san jose.