Best Sewing Machine for Free Motion Quilting Compared 2024 Leave a comment

What is Free Motion Quilting?

Free motion quilting stands out for its ability to transform a simple quilt into a canvas for artistic expression. The nature of free motion quilting is where your sewing machine becomes like a paintbrush. In this technique, you separate the feed dogs of your machine, those little teeth that typically guide the textile. This hand over control over the fabric movement to your hands, allowing you to create swirling loops, creative feathers, or even unusual motifs directly onto your quilt sandwich (the layered stack of quilt top, batting, and backing).

Why to try Free Motion Quilting?

• Unlike the geometric precision of traditional quilting, free motion quilting allows you to add-on your quilt design with unique stitching, for example adding playful vines to a floral quilt.
• Every stitch you create is a unique expression of your hand and vision. This adds a personal touch that mass-produced quilts simply cannot replicate.

Tips on how to start Free Motion Quilting?

• Not all sewing machines are created equal for this artistic pursuit. Ideally, you’ll want a machine with a walking foot (it helps the fabric layers feed evenly) and the ability to disengage the feed dogs.
• Before working on complex designs, take some time to get comfortable with the free motion process. Start with simple lines, circles, and curves on a fabric. Focus on coordinating the movement of your hands with the sewing machine to achieve smooth and consistent stitching.
• The internet blogs and quilting books offer such a large collection of free motion quilting designs. You can start with simple loops or feathers and gradually work your way up to more complex patterns like pebbles or stars.
• Practice is key to mastering free motion quilting. The more you practice, the smoother and more controlled your stitching will become.

What sewing machine do you need for free motion quilting?

The main key for a sewing machine for free motion quilting is ability to separate the feed dogs.

Feed dogs are the little teeth that typically hold the fabric and move it forward as you sew. In free motion quilting, you should to move the fabric yourself in any direction, so the feed dogs need to be out of the way.

Regular sewing machines and quilting machines can sew fabric, but quilting machines are specifically built for frquent use on large, bulky quilts and thick fabrics

Quilting machines often have higher stitching speeds to help sew through multiple layers of fabric efficiently.

Some quilting machines have features like stitch regulators that ensure consistent stitch length, critical for correct sew.

Quilting machines typically come with specialized presser feet:

• Walking foot
• Quarter-inch foot
• Free-motion quilting foot

Due to their specialized features, this type of machines tend to be more expensive than regular sewing machines.

What is the best sewing machine for Quilting?

Key Features:

• You can cut both the needle and bobbin threads with a simple press of your heel on the oversized foot controller.
• Built-in Automatic Thread Trimmer cuts your threads for you at the end of your seam with a single push of a button.
• Automatic Needle Threader
• The microcomputer-controlled speed allows you to work with the thickest fabrics like leather or multiple layers of textile, at low speeds for ideal stitching and accurate control.
• Even Feed Foot ensures smooth feeding on delicate silks and large velvets
• Predetermined Needle Stop lets your sewing machine to stop with the needle down or up, depending on your preference for free-motion quilting.
• You can simply detach the feed dogs with a switch for perfect free-motion quilting with build-in Drop Feed function
• Knee Lift Lever frees your hands by raising and lowering the presser foot with a simple knee press, it’s expecially useful when maneuvering your quilt, giving you more control.
• Bright built-in LED lights up your workspace so you avoid eye strain, ensuring clear visibility for better and efortless stitching.
• The thread tension scale lets you adjust the tension based on your thread and textile.
• The new bobbin case lock and enlarged bobbin space make changing bobbins efortless.
• You are able to adjuste Presser Foot Pressure to perfectly match the thickness of your textile material.

Features & Specification

• The innovative presser foot sensor ensures you never start sewing with the presser foot up, preventing unexpected needle jams
• The memorized needle up/down settings lets you program the needle to stop up or down when you finish sewing.
• The independent bobbin winder lets you wind a new bobbin while you continue sewing, maximizing your productivity.
• Sewing speed from 70 to 1600 stitches per minute.
• This sewing machine lets you cut both the top and bobbin threads effortlessly with a single press of a button.
• The easy reverse button lets you soothly stitch backward for perfect seam finalize.
• The ergonomic knee lift frees your hands to control your textile material while maneuvering.
• The Janome 1600P-QC Sewing Machine can handle even the thickest layers of textile effortlessly since it has 11 lbs of presser foot pressure.
• High-quality parts, vibration-dampening rubber, and hollow needle
• The side-loading, industrial rotary hook bobbin allows for easy bobbin access and changes, even when your sewing machine is on a quilting frame.
• The pre-tension thread regulator smooths out your thread before it reaches the tension discs, such way avoiding thread kinks.

Main features, you need to know:

• The top-loading full rotary hook bobbin system provides consistent thread when working on Janome Memory Craft 8200 QCP Sewing Machine
• 170 built-in stitches, including wide decorative stitches up to 9mm and a buttonhole alphabet.
• Ability to create professional-looking buttonholes with help and thanks to the 10 one-step buttonhole options.
• The revolutionary detachable AcuFeed Flex system ensures higher-level fabric handling for even feeding of even the most complex textile materials.
• The memorized needle up/down function and needle position adjustment allow for high-level precision when rotating, topstitching, and creating complex, creative details.
• Built-in one-hand needle threader
• Sewing speeds of up to 1,000 stitches per minute
• The high-resolution LCD touchscreen and tactile jog dial provide a user-friendly experience, allowing you select stitches, adjust settings, and navigate the machine’s features easily.
• The adjustable knee lift frees your hands for better textile control
• Extra high presser foot lift offers large space for thick materials.
• The easy-set bobbin system and the auto-declutch bobbin winder make bobbin changes very intuitive
• The machine effortlessly handles thick materials with the included twin needle guard and the buttonhole stabilizer plate.
• 11 inches of space to the right of the needle provides enough working area for large projects, useful for free motion quilting.
• Janome Memory Craft 8200 QCP Sewing Machine lets you quickly switch between the included straight stitch needle plate and specialty plates for different sewing techniques.
• Markings on the needle plate is useful for correct stitch placement.
• Last stitch recall function helps you never forget your stitch pattern.
• Five ultra-bright LED lamps ensure optimal visibility for sewing at day or night.
• The special wind holder easily take in larger winds of thread.
• Adjuste Presser Foot Pressure to match the thickness of your textile material exactly for your needs.
• Handy pattern stitch length calculator