Frustrated with backtracking!

[JanicePearce]

As a newbie and trying to do some freehand quilting, I can\'t seem to backtrack well when doing formal or informal feathers. Is there a method of doing the backtracking well and keeping the stitching overlapping perfectly? Is it use of a tool? Is it just practise for a long time? Is there a DVD I should know about? OH, just getting flustered. Any and all advice from you experts would be appreciated.:mad:

[Mary Beth]

Practice is the key to LA quilting period!! But a small ruler doesn\'t hurt either. Don\'t give up. I am slow, but have been quilting for about 4 years...my feathers are just now starting to look like I want them to. Ooops, I just read the last sentence in your post....I\'m no expert....sorry....someone will pipe up - they always do

[jkerekes]

Practice, practice, practice..........................and don\'t be too hard on yourself. I find that going faster---yup, faster---helps me backtrack better. Keep your eye slightly ahead of where you are. A little wobble here and there doesn\'t really matter on a large quilt. I got over my fear of feathers by forcing myself to put feathers on a couple of my own quilts. I used a thread that almost blended--and I wouldn\'t pick anything out. If you do that a couple of times, you should be well on your way.

Jill Kerekes

[quiltmonkey]

In my book "Formal Feathers 101" by Sherry Rogers Harrison, she says: Low contrast or same color thread is your friend.

She also says to practice and practice some more, and then when you are done with practicing, then practice again.

[Quilting Heidi]

Janice,

Not an expert but for me it is just getting the rhythm down and practice. I also like the rice bags that Sharon Schamber suggests using because you get a little resistence and your slightest move isn\'t caught in stitches!!! You will get better and better as you ppp. Don\'t give up it is so wonderful when you get it. I also find that I do much better quilting sitting down that standing. I think it is because I\'m tall and have long arms...I need to get up close and personal!

[SherryRogers]

Try decreasing your stitch length. It is easier to backtrack in stitch regulation mode when your stitches are as small as you can get. Try it and you\'ll see for yourself!

[JanicePearce]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Shall try them all and practice, practice and practice some more!! lol

[mrmquilt]

This is going to sound really stupid but I do better when I don\'t think real hard about what is going on. If I focus

hard on keeping it right it doesn\'t stay on the line. If I do what I call a Soft Focus I stay right on the line.

Do you remember the computer generated art they had where you had to look at the surface softly. It\'s

like that for me, although I never could see that kind of art. LOL.

PPP and find what works for you.

Michele

[LynnQuilts]

The rice bags are worth their weight in gold. They will help you more than you can imagine.

[Quilting Heidi]

So Michele are you saying your a softy?

[mrmquilt]

Heidi, Actually I\'m goofy with no focus. LOL

Michele

[juliagraves]

Where can I find out more about this rice bag concept? I\'m not clear on this.

Julia

[Quilting Heidi]

Julia,

Sharon Schamber is the one that uses the rice bags. You can see them in some of her free videos. She used to have directions for them on her site but I can\'t find them anymore. She just used a small towel, stitched it in a tube and fills with rice. You can use how ever much you feel you need. I use anywhere from 1 - 3 lbs on my wide base.

[Quilting Heidi]

Michele,

We like goofy too! I don\'t know about this no focus stuff though...aren\'t you the one focused on creating the best technique ever to paint fabric!

[JanicePearce]

Heidi,

I saw the utube video on rice bags and she used foam also. Do you? And do you use your ruler base and place the rice bags on it...it didn\'t show the frame not loaded so I could\'nt see. Oh, you said your husband made the extended ruler table for you 12X24" out of plexi...and how did he attach the plexi legs, he cut out, securely to the top? Oh, gosh, thx for all your help guys!!

Jan

[cattracks]

I joined sharon schamber group and have downloated some of the dvd\'s but have not seen the rice bags or even seen where she uses them. but I will keep looking.:P

[JanicePearce]

Bettie,

It\'s on utube for Sharon Schamber under free stuff I think.

Jan

[JanicePearce]

Or it could be on the network under "free area".

[JanicePearce]

AHA found it....click onto free area not onto members area!! when on network.

[Jess]

One other way to approach the feathers when learning to backtrack is to only backtrack to the point where you are comfortable, then swing out & start back on your next feather. This works if you are using the "bump, bump & back" type of feather stitching. This will help to build your confidence & you can gradually try to go further back along the bump backtracking, as you practice.

This will produce feathers that are not as structured, but more of a art nouveau type style, more organic, but still beautiful. There\'s just no counting out how many are on one side of something vs. the other, because the feathers start to grow out of each other.

I have some of these types on our pattern website, since this is what I had to do so that I could get the backtracked feathers right without getting overly fustrated in the beginning.

[Quilting Heidi]

Jan,

I use the extended base plus an additional base that hubby made for me. I posted pics of my bigger base in a previous thread you can find it at:

http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=9411

I have not used the foam and haven\'t decided yet if I\'ll add that too. I was super happy with the results from the rice bags and big base.

Heidi