Free Motion Quilting shouldn’t scare you

Here is my new small wholecloth quilt – a new version of this quilt –  I left the center rosette unquilted and there is a different – and such FUN – background quilting.

The quilt is 20” and the rosette – 16”.
The fabric is Fossil Fern (Benartex) and I quilted with Aurifil.
This quilt was entirely free motion quilted – but the center rosette can easily be quilted  with the walking foot.

The rosette has 40 repeats and I quilted it in one continuous stitching –  isn’t this what quilters love most? I know I love this!

Free motion quilting shouldn’t scare you!

I posted pictures of these small wholecloth quilts on Facebook and there were many comments like these:

– so difficult
– I only wish I could do that
– I’ll never be able to do it

I ASSURE you – free motion quilting following a design on fabric is much easier than you think! I know it because when I started free motion quilting, I thought the same myself. And I was so wrong!

Here is what I have learned – in my first months of quilting!

• half of the job (of doing a great free motion quilting) is done if you can clearly see the design you have to stitch; you want to focus on quilting exactly on the lines and not struggling to see the lines; so it’s essential to have a very well (and safe, of course!) marked design on fabric. 
• it’s a huge difference between free motion quilting a small quilt and a large quilt; if you already enjoy free motion quilting, it’s the same difference that you see when quilting the center of a large and, let’s say, the borders of the same quilt.

So, if free motion quilting still scares you, start with SMALL pieces! 

Try this free motion quilting TRICK!

Free motion quilting allows you to freely move the quilt under the needle and quilt in any direction.

If stitching diagonally or backward intimidates you, here is what you could do: move the quilt under the needle the same way you move the quilt when working with the walking foot, meaning:

– move the quilt so that you stitch only in front of the needle – where the visibility is the best
– to do this, you have to rotate the quilt a lot under the needle- that’s easy if you have a small quilt (25” – 30”); the darning foot also allows an easy rotation, because you don’t have to raise the foot to do it.

The length of your stitch will be affected by how fast you move the quilt under the needle – do not strive for perfection! A uniform stitching should be your least concern.

Did I say how much fun is this wavy background??

PRACTICING free motion quilting on PAPER!

Have you ever tried practicing free motion quilting on paper?  But not with a pen, but actually stitching through paper – with a needle kept specially only for this purpose and without thread.
It’s a great way to easily and quickly “understand” the quilting motif you want to stitch!

And of course, you could quilt through paper! Do you remember my shadow trapunto quilting technique?

More about the many uses of a design printed on paper in the future!

PATTERN AVAILABLE

The pattern for all these small wholecloth quilts is available now- click here for details. Many designs, different sizes, lots of tips for your success –  the possibilities are endless – as our love for quilting!!

Happy (free motion) quilting!
And thank you for your support.
Geta