Your Freemotion Questions, Answered | The Fernery

I get asked a lot of questions about my work, especially when people see me sewing on Instagram. So I thought I’d pop the most common ones together in one place – consider this your freemotion FAQ!

What kind of machine is that?

It’s just a regular domestic sewing machine. It’s a good one – I have a Bernina 570 – but it’s basic, so likely does all the same things yours does. I work solely in freemotion, which means I drop the feed dogs leaving me free to move the fabric where I need to, to follow my designs.

What foot is that?

Freemotion can be done footless, or with a darning foot. Most are a full hoop, but I use an open toed darning foot. Mine is a Bernina no. 24 – a quick Google should tell you what you need to fit your machine.

What stitch is that?

I just use a straight stitch for all my work. Nothing fancy!

What stitch length are you using?

When you freemotion it doesn’t actually make any difference what length your stitches are set at. The stitches are determined by your control of the foot pedal, and how you move the fabric. It’s all about the rhythm between your hands and your feet.

How can I learn what you do?

Practice hard! There’s no cheat code, I’m afraid. Hours a day, every day for 15 years and you’ll make it look this easy too! Freemotion is one of those skills that really does come down to time and patience. Start small, be kind to yourself, and keep going.

Have I missed anything?

These are the questions that come up time and time again, but if there’s something I haven’t covered, drop me a message or leave a comment – I’m always happy to chat about sewing!