Aids For Free Motion Sewing

Since I love to do free motion embroidery and quilting and I was having some difficulty getting my fabric to move easily under my machines, I started looking for solutions. There are several professionally made items for this problem.

There are two different slider "sheets", one you have to tape and one you don't, that are each about $20. Then there is an electric motion slider thingy that costs $1000. Being of meager budget and a bit inventive myself, I first tried using one of those thin chopping mats you find in kitchen stores. This helped but it wasn't really slick enough, or really quite large enough.

Then when I got my new Babylock machine, I decided to use my "chopping" mat on my old White with it's extension table. Therefore I needed to find something to improve movement for my new machine. Then when looking around my local Meijer (like a super Wal-Mart) I noticed the For Sale & For Rent signs. I pulled one out, noticed the back is all white, and very, very slick feeling. This thing is 15" X 19" and cost only $2.49. It took it home, prepared to "make it work".

The first thing I did was take a piece of newsprint the size of the sign, and laid it on my sewing table, with the front edge at the front edge of the table, and the right side up against the machine at the throat's deepest part. I then traced the metal "plate", and the area for the bobbin. I removed the paper, cut on the traced line, and then layed the paper back where it had been, to check the opening. I also figured out where the switch for dropping the feed dogs (on the back, behind the needle on my Babylock) and drew in a square that I felt would be large enough for me to get my finger through, so I could switch it at will.

Once I was happy with my openings, I layed the paper over the plastic sign and traced the openings with a permanent marker. I then used a utility knife to cut the opening. I used an emery board to sand the cut edges smooth. When I was happy with the edges, I layed the plastic on the table, with the holes aligned in the correct position, and used masking tape to keep it in place. Please see the picture below for a full shot.












Below is a close up showing the opening around the plate and bobbin area, and how I taped it, so my fabric can't snag on it.

This plastic sign made sooooo much difference! It is much easier to move the fabric around. Because my machine is dropped into my sewing table (the opening was originally made for my White), and there is an open area behind the left portion of the machine's bed (because of the shape of the back of the Babylock), when I sew I sometimes get a bit of sound from the vibrations of the machine on the plastic sign. This is not loud, and is easily ignored, especially at a savings of $17.

I think one of the most important things anyone can do to improve their FME and FMQ is to have their machine set down into their sewing table, as this greatly reduces the drag on your fabric from gravity. Below are several pictures of my Babylock, set into my sewing table.

The legs and the lower shelf are from a computer desk that we no longer wanted and decided to remake into my sewing table. We first measured from top of my legs to the floor, to ascertain the minimum height (it could always be higher, more room is always better)to put this lower portion. Then I sat with my arms held at a comfortable position, (like I was sewing) and measured from there to the floor so we knew what the maximum height of the upper level would be. Then using the measurement on the machine from the top of the bed to the table, we figured what space we needed between the upper and lower decks, and what length the legs needed to be.

I would suggest that if you are going to err on the space between the two levels, make it a bit larger than needed, you can always put something under your machine to make the bed level with the top of the table(We used a premade shelf, 3/4 inch thick, with a bullnose at the front). NOTE: Be sure to take into account the thickness of the material you will use for your upper level when figuring out how much space between the two.

My White, for which the table was originally made, has the old style bobbin, that is put in from the front, so we made (and attached with hinges) an L shaped piece that went in front of the machine, and to the left of the machine. The front piece was kept in place by a latch (kind of like a wing nut, only larger) which kept the piece from vibrating and lifting during sewing. You can see the latch in the next photo, just to the right of the Babylock's base (under the table top, near the dark vertical line-which is the opening)

I know these discussions are a bit long for a posting (for me at least), but several people on the QuiltArt list had asked about my system, after I had talked about my "sign slider" and I had promised to put pictures on my blog.