Objective: Complete a small quilted mug rug using the MC8200's core piecing and straight-line quilting settings, proving you can run the machine through a full project cycle.
A mug rug is the ideal first resale item: it uses every basic skill in miniature and finishes in under an hour. You will do three machine operations on the MC8200, each with its own setup. For piecing, use the 1/4-inch seam (foot O, the quarter-inch foot you attached earlier) with straight stitch #1, stitch length 2.0, and the needle in center position; an accurate 1/4 inch keeps your blocks square so finished sizes stay consistent for customers. For quilting the sandwich (top, batting, backing), switch to the Even Feed (walking) foot so all layers advance together without puckering; keep straight stitch #1 but raise length to 3.0 for a cleaner quilting line, and engage the AcuFeed Flex if your model has it. Tension stays near the auto default of 4, but always test on a scrap of the same sandwich first and adjust if the bobbin thread pulls to the top. Lower the feed dogs only for free-motion; for straight-line quilting leave them up. Backstitch (the reverse button) at the start and end of piecing seams to lock them; for topstitched binding you can rely on overlap instead. The MC8200's speed slider should sit at medium for control on a small piece.
Example: Cut four 2.5-inch fabric squares, one 8.5-inch backing, and one 8-inch batting square. With foot O and stitch #1 at length 2.0, sew two squares right-sides together along one edge at 1/4 inch, backstitching at both ends; repeat, then join the two pairs into a four-patch about 4.5 inches square. Press seams. Layer backing (face down), batting, then the four-patch (face up) and pin. Swap to the walking foot, set length 3.0, and quilt diagonally through the middle of the patchwork, then a second line the other diagonal, forming an X. Trim to 8 inches square, fold the backing edges over twice onto the front, and topstitch all the way around to bind. Result: a square, flat mug rug with an even X of quilting.
Try it: Make one mug rug following the example. Before quilting, sew a test line on a scrap sandwich of the same three layers and inspect both sides: top and bottom stitches should interlock in the middle of the batting with no loops. Adjust tension up or down by half a number until balanced, then quilt your actual piece.