A common problem many quilters face when free motion quilting is the stress of wrestling with the weight of the quilt to get smooth motion. A suspension can make all the difference. It takes the weight so you’re not fighting gravity which helps you achieve smoother motion. These are available at many sewing machine dealers as well as online.

FM Quilter Peggy Spitzer has come up with a novel solution. She has added the arm of a dog grooming halter to her sewing table. The arms hold up the far end of her quilt so she’s not fighting gravity, can move her quilt more freely, and reduce strain on her neck and shoulders.

If you don’t have a dog (or one of these to hand) another low cost solution is to screw two eye hooks into the ceiling or the wall behind your sewing machine, and use bungee cords to hold up the quilts weight.