This Is Not A Toddler Toilet Seat...

These are toddler toilet seats. What you see below  is a free motion guide grip.

Similar in shape, but actually for very different purposes. As we wandered round the show last Thursday I talked to Elisabeth about Free Motion Embroidery. When we both lived in Leicester we had a mutual friend [another Rev's wife] who was very good at it, and maintained it was easy.

I said to E that I had made a few attempts but couldn't get the hang of it. She said she went to a workshop last year and did some stuff on the day, but nothing since...She found manipulating the hoop quite difficult. At the very end of our day., almost the last stand in the far corner of the 1st floor, we met Steve from Sewing Machine World in Kings Lynn.
He was using one of these guides, and producing superb stuff. "That's what I need!" I said, and he stood up, and said "Sit down, have a go" And I sat and squiggled and spiralled and did straight lines
and tried to write my name Angel&
For the first time in my life I actually felt I had some semblance of control over the machine embroidery work. Elisabeth had a go too. I bought one of his grips on the spot [and had 1p left from my allotted budget for the day!] Then we went and had a cuppa, and E. decided she was going to buy one too. 

Saturday afternoon I sat down at the machine to practice
I began with words
Yes
Angela
hallelujah
AMEN
then I did three beach huts
under a sky with pointy clouds
and a squiggly sun
and wavy sea
with a fish.
Tuesday I tried again

A house with windows, and a smoking chimney [it may be on fire!] A king with a crown and a cheery smile. A five pointed star, and sew good
I felt very pleased with myself. I can see I have the bobbin tension wrong [too much pink thread coming through from underneath] but it is a start. 
I found it so much easier to steer the guide than grip a hoop.  This video was very helpful. 
No. I do not think I shall be doing an embroidered portrait of Bob, or even a landscape full of trees and flowers just yet. More practice needed. But I am Getting There and that's what matters.

Have you ever done free motion machine embroidery?
What are your best tips, please?
Can you recommend any good YouTube tutorials?