2016 Free Motion Quilt Along - Part IV Let's Get Quilting!

Greetings fellow quilters!

Welcome to Part IV of the

2016 Redbird Quilt Co.

Free Motion Quilt Along

using the whimsical 

Lewe's Balloons Growth Chart

by Susy Bleasby

for World of Susybee

It's time to Free Motion Quilt!! 

If you're just joining us be sure to checkout the previously published
Free Motion Quilt Along Posts:

Introduction => here

Sponsors =>  here

Supplies =>  here
Part I Pieced Borders =>  here
Part II Pin Basting ==>  here
How to Quilt That ==>  here

Part III Tools, Machine Setup & Practice ==> here

Also, do checkout our fantastic Sponsors and the awesome Giveaway products they've provided!
See that post ==> here

This week you're invited to watch 4 YouTube videos that cover

• Straight line stitching with Aurifil 12Wt thread to stabilize the quilt top
• FMQ Motif practice & quilting simple swirls, pebbles and echoes

Note: when watching the videos be sure to view on a device that allows you to see the embedded annotations.  There is a lot of useful information included via annotation.

Here is the Part IV video series:

Quilting Motif Practice:

It's very important to practice any and all quilting motifs before you begin to quilt them.  I love practicing with pencil and paper, a whiteboard, or with a dry erase pen on a mirror!   You can practice with clear plastic sheets, Press 'n Seal, or plexi-glass positioned over your quilt top!  Do whatever it takes to draw-out and practice your quilt motif, building muscle memory each time you practice. When you finally sit with needle and thread the motion will be simplified if you practice ahead!

In this video (click image below) I share (on a whiteboard) the swirl, loop, pebble and echo motifs that we'll use for some areas on our Lewe's Balloons Growth chart.   

Stabilize the Quilt: Top Stitch w/ Walking Foot

We've discussed using straight line stitching to stabilize the quilt top before you begin to FMQ.   I LOVE to use Aurifil 12Wt thread and a walking foot for this step.

This video is specific to Stabilizing the Quilt top using a Walking or Even Feed Foot.

FMQ Motif Quilting - Lewe and Swirls

Woohoo!  Now let's get quilting Lewe with Swirls and Loops... we'll do some outline quilting too!

This is an image of the Janome Convertible Free Motion Quilting Foot Set.  The foot holder has an adjustable spring used to raise or lower the quilting foot on the fabric.

Ideally your quilt foot should rest just above the quilt sandwich.  A foot that is too high may cause your machine to skip stitches.   A foot riding too low may push the quilt top and risk the creation of puckers when quilting.

The video below introduces you to swirls and loops on Lewe!

Here is still image once Lewe is quilted:

I love the texture and the Aurifil 50Wt color #2600 is perfect for Lewe.

FMQ Motif Quilting - Pebbles and Echoes

How about that bee!  Adding pebbles and echoes gives dimension and implies movement.   We also outline and echo the cloud for beautiful texture.

Watch this video for more information (click image below).

Here is a still image of the bee pebbles and echo quilting

Here is a still image of the cloud outline and echo quilting

 Congratulations on another FMQ lesson under your belt!  If you like, apply your new motifs to the other clouds, bee and ewe on the panel -- I'll share still images of those next week!

Thanks for stopping by and for joining us for the 2016 FMQ along!

Social Media Details....

You can write me anytime:  

karen@redbirdquiltco.com or 

redbirdquiltco@gmail.com

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Thanks again for stopping by...