Have you ever wondered what people mean when they use the term freemotion? In quilting this refers to hand guiding the machine to create your stitching design rather than relying on a computerized pattern that the machine is programmed to stitch out on its own.
In our age of advanced technology, computerized quilting is innovative and lovely in its own right. It gives the operator freedom to do other things while keeping an eye on the computerized machine to ensure all is working smoothly. With many, many digital patterns available, it allows for the quilter to choose according to taste and design.
Freemotion, on the other hand, relies entirely on the vision and skill of the operator, who is always in control of how the stitches are being executed. Envision the machine like a large, glorified pencil and the fabric as the paper. The artist creates their masterpiece by moving their pencil/needle around on the paper/fabric to fill the space. Stitching patterns are endless and your imagination is the limit! 😊
Freemotion quilting is a learned skill that, like many things, improves with practice, trial and error and patience. Often quilter's will have favorite designs that become second nature to them. However, no matter how expert you are, every quilt is it's own unique creation. Freemotion quilting, done well, is the epitome of modern quilt making.
I work on a Handiquilter Avante machine that has not been computerized; so all of my work is done in the freemotion style.