Product Review: The Fabulous Fabric Glide

I squeezed in a few minutes today to finish quilting the mother’s hair. Yesterday, I asked a friend and fellow quilter if she had any free-motion quilting aids I could try out.

She let me borrow The Fabulous Fabric Glide by The Gypsy Quilter. This product comes as a set of square “hoops” in two different sizes. I definitely liked that these had a rubbery, bumpy bottom that actually gripped the fabric. I tested out the larger version. Despite my preference for using bare hands, I thought this product might actually be a help for some quilters, especially newbies. For one thing, I didn’t have to spread out my fingers to create a smooth area. I suppose that would minimize hand fatigue if I was quilting all day. The quilt I’m working on is very small and lightweight, so I’m not sure how well it would work on a heavier, bed-size quilt.

I was working on this section of hair, which was mostly long, curvy lines. I didn’t attempt anything with sharp curves like feathers or stippling, so I don’t know how well they would grip under those conditions. Honestly, I still think it’s better to just use my own hands. I feel like I would be able to control intricate designs better if I’m actually handling the fabric. I guess it’s a good thing that I learned to free motion quilt before all of these different products were on the market. It forced me to make friends with the fabric, even when I had to bully it a bit. Yes, there is a learning curve. I learned by doing free motion quilting on a slew of baby quilts that I all gave away. The new mothers all loved the quilts and I no longer have any evidence to show how bad I was in the beginning!

So, the hair is done. Next up is the table along the lower edge, the mother’s face, and finally the background. I hope to finish the quilting this week, if I haven’t forgotten some other commitment I already made.