Tips and Motifs

Free-motion macHine Quilting Quilting Daily 81 tiPS and motiFS

quiltingdaily.com the better you will become. Keep quilt sandwiches by your sewing machine to practice on. I always make a small sandwich of the fabric that I have in a quilt, and I use that sandwich to try surface. Drag will cause you to be needle, like paper under a pencil. I out threads and needles and patterns jerky in your motion and will create position my hands on either side of an before I begin quilting on my finished tension in your shoulders and arms. area no larger than a dinner plate and, quilt. It is extremely important to have by grasping the quilt on either side, your arms supported and relaxed. I move the quilt around. Once I have Your arms should rest on your sewing filled that area, I reposition the quilt A pAttern surface, and you should use your and my hands, then start quilting for success hands like a hoop to move the quilt again in a new area. I always try, What follows are some basic patterns around. I have found that you should when possible, to work my quilting for you to create. By starting with avoid pushing or pulling the fabric away from myself. This allows me to simple shapes and moving into more through the needle, but rather move see where I am going. It isn’t always complex designs, you can learn to it as if moving the fabric under the possible, but it is a general principle

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You’ve heard the old adage In this eBook, featuring three Quilting Daily about drawing, right? Practice highly respected quilt artists, Free-motion macHine Quilting 81 tiPS and motiFS makes perfect! The same goes FriedaQuilting Anderson and Robbi Daily Joy Quilting Arts presents Free-MoTion MacHine for free‑motion stitching. It takes Eklow share their knowledge QuilTinG TecHniQueS time, patience, and commitment and expertise for successful You’ve heard the old adage In this eBook, featuring three 81 Tips for Free-motion to get those stitches smooth and free‑motion quilting, and Susan Quilting Daily about drawing, right? Practice highly respected quilt artists, Machine Quilting, Thread Sketching, even, and your motifs to look Brubaker Knapp teaches you the and Quilting Motifs makes perfect! The same goes Frieda Anderson and Robbi Joy Quilting Arts presents impeccable. basics of thread sketching. We Free-MoTion MacHine for free‑motion stitching. It takes Eklow share their knowledge editor Vivika hansen denegre hope you enjoy this compilation QuilTinG TecHniQueS time, patience, and commitment and expertise for successful online editor cate Prato of exercises, tips, techniques, and 81 Tips for Free-motion to get those stitches smooth and free‑motion quilting, and Susan motifs to help make free‑motion Machinecreative Quilting, Threadservices Sketching, even, and your motifs to look Brubaker Knapp teaches you the stitching fun and enjoyable. diVision artand director Quilting l Motifsarissa davis impeccable. basics of thread sketching. We editor designer Vivika Katehansen Binder denegre hopeYou’ll youfind enjoy a lot thisof useful compilation PhotograPhers larry stein information packed in this online editor cate Prato of exercises, tips, techniques, and Korday studios motifsbooklet. to I help highly make recommend free‑motion creative services Projects and information are for in- stitchingprinting itfun out and to keepenjoyable. near your diVision art director larissa davis Projectsspiration and and information personal use are only.for inspi In-- sewing machine as a handy designer Kate Binder You’ll find a lot of useful rationterweave and P resspersonal LLC isuse not only. responsible Golden reference guide. Peakfor any PhotograMedia liability isP nothers arising responsible larry from stein forerrors, any information packed in this omissions, or mistakes contained Warmly, Korday studios booklet. I highly recommend liabilityin this arisinge-book, from and errors, readers omis should- printing it out to keep near your sions,Projectsproceed or mistakesandcautiously, information contained especially are in for this with in - spiration and personal use only. In- sewing machine as a handy e-book,respect andto readerstechnical should information. proceed terweave Press LLC is not responsible ViVika Hansen Denegre cautiously,Interweave Pespeciallyress LLC grants with respectpermission to reference guide. tofor photocopy any liability any arisingpatterns from published errors, in Editor, Quilting Arts MAgAzinE technicalthisomissions, issue information.for orpersonal mistakes useGolden only.contained Peak Warmly, mediain this grants e-book, permission and readers to photo should- copyproceed any patternscautiously, published especially in thiswith

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creativity in your life OUR boosting staycation ISSUE put texture 10PROMPTS P. 66 moreQuilting Arts mAgAzine® explores ideas, textiles, and techniques resultsfrom our sketch to related to embellished and contemporary art quilting. art quilt reader challenge in your life creativity P. 69 Inside, you’ll find design inspiration, step-by-step directions, boosting texture 10PROMPTS P. 66 gorgeous photo graphy, and® for developing your create Quilting Arts mAgAzine exploresmotivation ideas, textiles, and techniques uniqueresultsfrom our fabricsketch to personal style, at all skill levels.    related to embellished and contemporary art quilting. art quilt 3 readertechniques challenge to try P. 69 Inside, you’ll find design inspiration, directions, step-by-step800.406.5283 (U.S. & Canada) Leaves Stars Stitched samples above and on previous page 760.291.1519 are by Frieda (International) Anderson. Triangles quiltingarts.comgorgeous photo graphy, and motivation for developing your uniquecreate pivot point is very important in this fabricMany great quilting designs can be personal style, at all skill levels. Feathers – Feathers need to be made    Quilting Arts mAgAzine®, p.o. box 469087, escondido, ca 92046-9350 allover design. from the outside in. Repeat to yourself:3 techniques found just by looking at the world to try outside in, outside in. I tell my around you. The upholstery at the Leaves – All kinds of leaf shapes can 800.406.5283 (U.S. & Canada) students to think of big Roger Rabbit local coffee shop can be the perfect be81quiltingarts.com made Free-motion very easily withmachine free‑motion quilting tiPS 760.291.1519 anD motiFS (International) from Q u i lt i n g A rt s Q uiltingdaily.com 2 ears. They need to be floppy and hang pattern to re‑create in machine quilting. They can be linked together ©interweave Press llc ® quilting. The pattern in the carpet at with lines, clustered onQ topuilting of each Arts mAgoverAzine a little., p.o If. byouox 469087,don’t make escondido, the ears ca 92046-9350 the hotel might be just what you are other, or connected top to bottom. floppy, you will make hearts. Hearts are okay, but for feathers you need looking for. Visit the library often and 81 Free-motion machine quilting tiPS anD motifloppy.FS from You Q ucan i lt i neven g A rt s lookQ atuiltingquiltingdaily.com books on alld aily.comkinds of design 2 leave a little space and art. Take lots of© ifieldnterweave trips toPress llc ADDITIONAL between the feathers interesting places and open your eyes. TIPS for a different looking You never know where a great idea is design. going to come from. • to help the quilt sandwich slide smoothly over the surface of your sewing area, use spray sizing when Feathers you iron the backing of your quilt. this keeps it slick. • Use clover Non-slip Finger on your hands instead of gloves. this keeps your fingers tacky so you hold the fabric better. • try different battings, making samples and quilting them to see how you like them. at the big quilt shows you can often buy small samples from batting vendors. • change your needle often. Most needles only last for about eight hours of sewing time. • Keep your sewing machine cleaned and oiled. Get in the habit of cleaning your machine after each project. remove the needle plate from your machine and clean out the lint created from machine quilting. Follow the directions in your manual. • Have your machine serviced at least once a year by a reliable dealer. • Keep your machine covered when you are not using it. Dust and animal hair are a sewing machine’s worst enemies.

81 Free-motion machine quilting tiPS anD motiFS from Q u i lt i n g A rt s Q uiltingdaily.com 7 ©interweave Press llc Free-motion macHine Quilting Quilting Daily 81 tiPS and motiFS Adapted from Quilting Arts MAgAzine, February/March 2008 all the right moves tips for successful free-motion machine quilting, part 1

by Frieda anderson

ack in 1984 I started a Bking‑size Ocean Waves quilt for my sister’s second marriage. It was machine pieced and hand quilted. She didn’t receive it until after her third divorce. At that time I realized I needed a quicker way to finish quilting my quilts, so I started machine quilting. When I began machine quilting, I started right in on a queen‑size quilt. I did mostly stitch in the ditch and outline quilting around the elements of the block patterns I was making. But I soon “Sun Dance” • 28" × 26" branched out and started doing basic stippling. Once I got bored with that, I began to do allover free‑motion quilting, which is quilting without marking designs first, creating my own and copying any free‑motion designs that I saw. I learned mostly by trial and error, looking at other people’s machine‑quilted quilts and then going home and trying to duplicate what I had seen. I take a lot of photographs of machine quilting when I go to quilt shows, and I am still always looking for new ideas. What I have included here are a few simple tactics that I have discovered that will help you to be more successful with your free‑motion machine quilting. I am happy to share my discoveries with you. first you need cover up the throat plate, but that ips for will create drag, and drag is one t some bAsic of our biggest enemies. So, if your getting eQuipment machine does not have feed dogs stArted • A sewing machine with the ability that drop, treat yourself and buy a to drop the feed dogs is essential. There are five basic elements that I new machine that does. You cannot do free‑motion machine think will make machine quilting quilting well if the feed dogs on • You also need to have a darning or more enjoyable for you. your machine do not drop. You can embroidery foot on your machine.

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Your machine should come with Embroidery one, but you might want to needle – This purchase a new, clear one that has needle has the front of the foot open. This a larger eye makes it easier to see where you and special are going while you are working. scarf (groove Check with your sewing machine above the manufacturer for this item. eye) to • I recommend getting a protect single‑needle throat plate for your decorative sewing machine. This has a smaller threads from hole where the bobbin thread shredding comes up to help create a smoother or breaking. and flatter surface for the quilt to This needle glide over. is good for use with • An adjustable chair is essential, rayon and like an office chair that will allow acrylic you to sit up high so that you are fabrics and looking down on your quilting, not threads. sitting in a hole. You should be able “Tall Trees” • 50" × 50" to rest your arms on your sewing Microfiber/ thread in the top with that in the table surface. You don’t want to Sharp – This needle is best for silks, bobbin. I personally use a heavier have to hold your arms up while microfibers, and for penetrating weight thread most of the time, such you are machine quilting. They densely woven fabrics. as a 30 in my top thread, but I always will get heavy very quickly, so you Metallic – This needle is larger use at least a 50‑ or 60‑weight thread will get tired very fast, and that will and has a specially coated eye that in the bobbin. Again, experimentation affect your quilting. accommodates metallic thread flow is the key. Remember, the thicker the at all stitch speeds. A large groove in thread the smaller the number. The second, you need the shaft protects the thread and helps weight of the thread is printed on the the right needle prevent shredding. spool. There are several kinds of sewing hird is threAd machine needles that work well, but t fourth, you need A you should be sure to use the one The kind of thread you use will flAt work surfAce most appropriate for the fabric and give your work a distinct look, You will need a flat surface for your thread you are using. This can make a so experiment; there are so many quilt to rest on as you work. I have big difference in both the appearance different threads on the market now. an area that surrounds my sewing and ease of your quilting. These are I suggest you use a lighter weight machine that is flat for at least two the four needles I use the most: thread in your bobbin than in the feet and extends all around the needle, because this will help keep Quilting needle – This needle is sewing surface of my machine. This is the bobbin thread in the middle of designed to work through multiple especially important for larger quilts. the quilt sandwich where it belongs. fabric layers and across intersecting Drag happens very easily when your Or, if you are using a very thin thread seams. It is best to use cotton quilting project rests on different heights, so it in the top, then the bottom thread thread. is best to have the surface all around weight should match what is on the you be the same height as your sewing top. I also match the color of my

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to help you be more successful while free‑motion quilting. Roll your large quilts so that they will fit nicely as a package inside the arm of the machine. And lAst but not leAst... The fifth and most important factor in successful machine quilting is quite simple: practice, practice, practice. You cannot get any better if you don’t quilt! The person who has a positive attitude and works hard at trying to improve will be the person who succeeds. There are a lot of books out on the market about machine quilting, and I suggest you read them. Don’t just look at the pictures, but actually read them and try some of the exercises in the books. Everyone brings their own quilting expertise and has some little trick that you might find is just the thing to help you get better at machine quilting. Only by experimentation and practice can you discover what works best for you. The more comfortable you are with your quilting and your setup, the better you will become. Keep quilt sandwiches by your sewing machine to practice on. I always make a small sandwich of the fabric that I have in a quilt, and I use that sandwich to try surface. Drag will cause you to be needle, like paper under a pencil. I out threads and needles and patterns jerky in your motion and will create position my hands on either side of an before I begin quilting on my finished tension in your shoulders and arms. area no larger than a dinner plate and, quilt. It is extremely important to have by grasping the quilt on either side, your arms supported and relaxed. I move the quilt around. Once I have Your arms should rest on your sewing filled that area, I reposition the quilt A pAttern surface, and you should use your and my hands, then start quilting for success hands like a hoop to move the quilt again in a new area. I always try, What follows are some basic patterns around. I have found that you should when possible, to work my quilting for you to create. By starting with avoid pushing or pulling the fabric away from myself. This allows me to simple shapes and moving into more through the needle, but rather move see where I am going. It isn’t always complex designs, you can learn to it as if moving the fabric under the possible, but it is a general principle

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draw with thread, just like drawing the presser foot of your sewing needle in the down position, with with a pencil, using free‑motion machine. After you have started the needle inserted into the quilt. machine quilting to quilt your moving, release the thread and Readjust the quilt and your hands, creations. If you think of the needle with your left hand grab the fabric. and then begin to quilt again. as your pencil and your quilt as Later, when you have stopped, tie the paper, you will move the paper a square knot and bury the thread some shApes to try with your hands under the pencil in the same hole it came out of Square stippling – Try to turn your to create the design on your fabric. in the quilt sandwich, pulling the rounded stippling into squares. Make It is important to develop a rhythm knot tight to make it pop into the your corners crisp and clean; just between your hands and your foot to sandwich. keep moving. You can make this make smooth stitches. Consistency is into triangles and stars. Inevitably • Start out at a steady speed with what you are striving for. By moving someone asks in my machine quilting the machine, one that you can your hand to the speed of the needle, classes if it is okay to cross lines while control. Visualize the design you you will make clean, smooth stitches. machine quilting. My answer is this: wish to make. Start moving the You don’t have to have “artist” it is okay as long as it is part of the fabric under the needle to create abilities; you just need to practice, be design. the design. Move your hands at the consistent, and try hard. same speed as your foot is making Me, me, me – It’s all about “me.” This is If you are having trouble working a the needle move. Try to always my friend Laura Wasilowski’s favorite design without a pattern to follow, work your pattern away from you. pattern, a series of Ms and Es. The draw out your designs ahead on a Look ahead to where you are going, piece of paper and place the paper on just like when you drive a car. your sewing machine without thread • Remember to think about spacing. in the machine and practice going No matter what the size or shape around the pattern. Get used to the of the design, there needs to rhythm of the stitch. Start out making be consistent spacing to create small projects to quilt, working the best look. If your spacing is yourself up to larger projects. Go consistent, then you can change beyond stippling. designs while you are quilting and In order to go beyond stippling, you no one will notice. need to be able to create good pivot • Try not to let the needle go up points and sharp, tight right angles and down in one place as this will that are not rounded and wimpy. I Squares create knots on the back of your often find that when I am working a work. design, I count to myself. By counting out the design I know when to change • Work back and forth and up and direction. When you change direction down, filling in an area about the don’t hesitate, just switch direction. size of a dinner plate. Once you can no longer move the fabric stArt Quilting comfortably without stretching Okay, let’s start quilting. Keep these your arms and shoulders into things in mind when you begin: an uncomfortable position, stop. If you have the option of • Bring the bobbin thread to the needle‑down on your sewing top of your quilt. Hold your machine, use it. If not, when you bobbin thread and top thread in stop, take a moment to put the “ME” your left hand and press down on

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Leaves Stars Triangles

pivot point is very important in this Feathers – Feathers need to be made Many great quilting designs can be allover design. from the outside in. Repeat to yourself: found just by looking at the world around you. The upholstery at the Leaves – All kinds of leaf shapes can outside in, outside in. I tell my local coffee shop can be the perfect be made very easily with free‑motion students to think of big Roger Rabbit pattern to re‑create in machine quilting. They can be linked together ears. They need to be floppy and hang quilting. The pattern in the carpet at with lines, clustered on top of each over a little. If you don’t make the ears the hotel might be just what you are other, or connected top to bottom. floppy, you will make hearts. Hearts are okay, but for feathers you need looking for. Visit the library often and floppy. You can even look at books on all kinds of design leave a little space and art. Take lots of field trips to ADDITIONAL between the feathers interesting places and open your eyes. TIPS for a different looking You never know where a great idea is design. going to come from. • to help the quilt sandwich slide smoothly over the surface of your sewing area, use spray sizing when Feathers you iron the backing of your quilt. this keeps it slick. • Use clover Non-slip Finger on your hands instead of gloves. this keeps your fingers tacky so you hold the fabric better. • try different battings, making samples and quilting them to see how you like them. at the big quilt shows you can often buy small samples from batting vendors. • change your needle often. Most needles only last for about eight hours of sewing time. • Keep your sewing machine cleaned and oiled. Get in the habit of cleaning your machine after each project. remove the needle plate from your machine and clean out the lint created from machine quilting. Follow the directions in your manual. • Have your machine serviced at least once a year by a reliable dealer. • Keep your machine covered when you are not using it. Dust and animal hair are a sewing machine’s worst enemies.

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Adapted from Quilting Arts MAgAzine, all the April/May 2008 right moves tips for successful free-motion machine quilting, part 2

quilt around. Move the quilt under have filled that area, I reposition the Quilting the needle as you “draw” your motifs, quilt and my hands, then start quilting Once you are comfortably seated thinking of the needle as your pencil. again in a new area. I position my hands on either side of at your flat surface, with your arms When you are quilting, try to have the an area no larger than a dinner plate, supported and relaxed, use your work move away from your body, so and by grasping the quilt on either hands like a hoop as you move the that you can always see what is right side, I move the quilt around. Once I in front of you. If you do it the opposite way you can’t see behind the presser foot very well, and you may run into things, such as already quilted areas or design elements that you don’t want quilted. It’s like driving a car; you want to have your eyes more on where you are going next, not on exactly what you are doing. You should be looking in front of the needle, because that is where you are going next.

by Frieda anderson

“Georgy Porgy Puddin in Pie” • 24" × 24"

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Modern Baptist Fan Traditional Baptist Fan Individual Motif

more free-motion and straightforward, but you can motifs are usually surrounded by stitching shApes throw in a few curves and variations some kind of simple stippling or filler to create a modern version of an old design. to try favorite. Clustered designs – Almost any shape As you continue to work at your can be clustered. Go from making very Individual motifs – This is one place quilting, remember it takes lots of simple clamshell designs into bigger, you might want to actually mark your practice. Look all around you for bolder flower shapes. You start a new designs on the surface of the quilt. I inspiration—study the machine design on either side of the shape you always use chalk or soapstone to mark quilting when you attend quilt just finished. individual designs on the surface of shows, read books, take classes, and my quilts. That way I just need to use watch for designs in your everyday Modern Baptist Fan – The traditional a damp cloth to remove the marks surroundings. version of this motif looks very rigid after I’ve finished stitching. Individual

Clusters I Clusters II Clusters III

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or some people, quilting is a means to hold the Fquilt together. For me, the opposite is true: the it’s polite quilt is there to keep the quilting thread from flying off into space. My quilts are made from hand‑dyed fabrics that I have put together using fused raw edge to stare appliqué, and because my quilt tops are generally free-motion quilting motifs pretty simple, I rely on intricate free‑motion machine that invite a closer look quilting to draw the viewer in closer. My free‑motion quilting designs consist of motifs that are generally about 1" square, with a different motif being used in each shape. More complex motifs, such as flowers, are slightly larger, maybe 2" square. I coordinate the color of the thread to the color of the shape on the quilt, and change both color and motif when moving from shape to shape. I avoid using the same motifs on adjoining shapes: if one shape has a motif with curves, the shape next to it has one with straight lines.

To practice these methods, gather the following supplies: • Twelve 9" × 12" rectangles of felt, any color Before I start quilting one of my fused quilts, I warm up on either a sample square, or on two pieces of felt, stacked together. Felt makes an excellent practice surface since it’s cheap, allowing you to throw it away without feeling badly. Felt pieces are also perfect for testing new motifs. • Sewing machine All your machine has to do is move the needle

Originally published in Quilting Arts MAgAzine, Fall 2003

by robbi Joy eklow “Groovy Guitars”

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up and down and give you good sAmple 1 sAmple 3, tension. Set it up for free‑motion This is the easiest and most versatile curvedFigure 1 spirAlsFigure 2 Figure 3 stitching. I drop the feed dogs; if of all the motifs. Start at the upper left Same as Sample you can’t or don’t want to, just set corner, move down, move over to the 2, but moving in 1 your stitch length to zero. You will 2 right, go back up, move over to the a circle. The trip 3 be controlling the stitches, not the 4 right. When you’ve done about an inch intoBlue into center the center is machine. It’s as if the machine is Green out from center 5 square, change the proportions, so the clockwise; come out Figure 2 the pencil, and you are moving the longer lengths are going vertically. If you counterclockwise (Figure 2). You can paper. If you have a straight stitch aren’t in a good place to start another fill almostFigure 4 any shape withFigure a spiral—5 Figure 6 plate, now’s the time to use it. It 1 square, stitch a straight line along the just follow along the edges,1 leaving 1 helps avoid skipped stitches. 3 outside of the squares you’ve made until room for a return trip. You can3 also 2 2 2 • Fo o t You will need either a you get to where you want to be. make the return trip squiggly. 3 free‑motion embroidery foot or a darning foot. I prefer a foot with an open circle (on a Bernina, foot #24). The open toe lets you see what you are doing and you can back up if you have managed to sew your foot into your quilt. Make sure your foot clears the surface of the quilt when the needle is up; some feet still put pressure on the quilt, Figure 1 Ample Figure 2Ans Figure 3 but you want to be able to move the sAmple 2 s 4, f quilt freely when the needle is not A square turned into a Similar to Sample 1, you are just sticking into the quilt. curving the long lines. Start at the spiral. Start at the upper 1 left, move right to the center with a short arc, and make • Thr ea d I prefer polyester or rayon 2 them longer each time. When they machine embroidery thread, edge of the square, and 3 move down just short of Figure 1 get too long, they get messy, so do 40‑weight. Wind a bobbin full of 4 Blue into center only about six arcs, and then start a the same thread you will use in the the edge of the square, leaving enough 5 Green out from center new fan, using the edges of the quilt needle. I like to use a thread stand room for the line of stitching on the shape and the last line you quilted as to allow the thread to feed off the return trip. Then turn left, leave enough boundaries for the arcs. top of the spool. I have been having room again for the return trip, and go good success with Isacord Polyester back. Each time, leave room forFigure the 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 return trip. When you get to the center, Embroidery thread; it comes in 1 1 1 a myriad of colors and the spool turn around and come out between the 3 stands up on its own. “lane” you left before (Figure 1). 3 2 2 2 • Needle I use both the Schmetz 3 Embroidery needle, size 75, or Organ Titanium Sharps, size 12. Both of these needles help keep the thread from shredding. • Eye protection I wear my bifocals while quilting. I’d rather not have a needle come flying into my eye.

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Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

sAmple 5 1 2 I call this “garlic.” Start 3 4 Blue into center at the upper left corner, 5 Green out from center some tips make a small clockwise Figure 3 loop, then switch directions and BEFORE YOu START Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

1 make a counterclockwise1 loop1 around 3 it. Then repeat.3 Start a new “garlic” • start quilting in the center and work • For thread, i choose to have the needle 2 2 2 your way to the edges, then trim the thread and the bobbin thread match. whenever you want. I don’t have3 the quilt to size when you are done. as i even when the tension is adjusted loops all go back to the beginning of use small motifs and only concentrate perfectly, you will see both threads. i that specific motif; they “bounce” off on a small portion of the quilt at a time, don’t ever use clear thread; i like the earlier loops (Figure 3). i don’t have to move the entire quilt thread to be visible. from top to bottom or side to side • When you are in the middle of the while i work. i am only concerned with quilt, it’s easier to move the quilt up the 3" or 4" area i am about to quilt. and down than from side to side. i i bunch the quilt up and shove it into usually start with a vertically oriented the machine, leaving just the working pattern. On patterns with corners, i area free. find myself using one hand to control • Grip the quilt with your fists. i don’t the “up-down” movement, the other to use my hands flat on the work surface, move the quilt from side to side. as some people do. Because i can get 1 a good grip on the quilt, i don’t need • i space my free-motion lines about ⁄4" special gloves or a free-motion quilting apart. You might want to work a little sAmple 6 guide. the quilt does not have to be flat larger. it takes me about an hour to fill up a square foot of quilting. You can This is the same as Sample 5, except on the surface of the machine—the only part that has to be flat is what is directly use the edge of your presser foot as a the tops of the loops are pointy. under the needle, and the foot takes guide, and glide it along the edge of the care of that. shape or along the last line quilted. that is one reason i prefer a smaller foot to • Devise a way to support the weight of a larger foot. Figure 1 your quiltFigure 2 (like a long flat table) soFigure that3 the weight of the quilt is not pulling • Don’t look at the needle when you against the needle. are quilting; look at the line you are 1 drawing on the quilt. and please do Don’t worry about a consistent stitch2 • 3 not look at this article while you are length; this comes with practice. 4 running the machine. Look at the Blue into center Green out from center concern yourself more with striving for 5 picture, and then look at your quilt a smooth, rhythmic line. also, don’t while you sew. worry about crossing stitch paths. i sAmple 7 Figure 4 crossFigure them5 all the time. Figure 6 1 1 1 This leafy design reminds 3 3 me of waltzing: you take 2 2 2 one step forward, one step Figure 4 3 back, then one step forward through the center of the shape you just made (Figure 4).

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2 3

4 Blue into center Green out from center 5 Free-motion macHine Quilting Quilting Daily 81 tiPS and motiFS Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

1 1 1 3 sAmple 8 sAmple3 10 sAmple 12 2 2 2 This is similar to Sample 7; just take This is similar to 3 Make the ends of the lines pointy, then the back and forth steps a few more Sample 9, except the Figure 6 start curving them enough to “bounce times before moving on. spiral comes in the second step. You off” the last line. Work in sections can make this follow a line. Echo the going up and down. outline to get back to the beginning of the line if you want to do another row (Figure 6).

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

2 3

4 Blue into center Green out from center 5

sAmple 9 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Same as Sample1 7, 1 1 sAmple 13 3 except this time, 3 Combine a spiral with straight lines to 2 2 2 make a spiral during make flowers or suns. Figure 5 3 the last forward step. sAmple 11 You can vary this motif infinitely by Curved lines are easier to repeat doing all kinds of interesting things gracefully than straight lines. within that shape created by the first two steps (Figure 5).

What I do could be called “organized meandering.” I don’t do any marking or planning ahead of time.

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sAmple 15 Make more flowers. Form a center No one except you knows what you spiral, and make the spiky lines go meant to do. This is not billiards back and forth around the spiral. where you have to say what you plan to do before you try to do it. If you are striving for a motif and it morphs into another shape, go with it. If you get bored filling space with one motif, then switch to another. The final effect is all that matters. Sometimes I try to make a sAmple 16 feather and end up with a flower. Combine curved long lines and leafy That’s fine with me. shapes to make a design that looks like wood.

sAmple 14 The spiky lines in Sample 12 can become a feather. Draw a curvy horizontal guideline from left to right, with a chalk marker. Start this feather at the center left edge, making spiky curves running along the line. Make them bigger as you move towards the right. This creates the top of the feather. When you are at the right edge, stitch right along the drawn line, then form the bottom of the feather by Practice and see what new motifs you making spiky curves along the bottom can come up with. Next, we’ll cover half. After a while you won’t need the free‑motion quilting for borders, guideline. You can also use the edge playing with variegated thread, of a shape as a guideline and move up and combining motifs in a more and down it, building up the design to complicated fashion. fill space.

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1 3 “A New Box” • 14 ⁄4" × 7 ⁄4" thread sketching 101, lesson 1: White fabric and cotton thread were the only materials used to create the surface Focus on color of this small piece. came to art quilting from a traditional quilting background, and in traditional iquilting, most color decisions revolve around fabric. Thread is almost an afterthought; you usually don’t even consider it until the quilt top is complete. And in many cases, Originally published in Quilting Arts MAgAzine, the quilting is done to add texture rather than color to the quilt. February/March 2010

When quilters talk about building exact same thread color as your base When stitched heavily, their stashes, they are often referring fabric). For “A New Box,” I used thread can completely cover the to fabric. But art quilters have stashes white fabric as the background to background fabric, changing it of thread, too. When I started art demonstrate just how much color you entirely. When stitched lightly on quilting, the number of spools of can add to a piece with thread alone. a background of a different color, thread I bought grew exponentially. Generally, the heavier the weight of thread adds flecks of color that can Luckily, they are small, fairly cheap, your thread, the more color you add. change the viewer’s perception of the and easy to store. Heavier threads have lower numbers, background fabric. This phenomenon so a 100‑weight silk thread will add was exploited by the pointillists, who It seems overly simplistic to say it, almost no color at all, and a 12‑weight painted using tiny dots of color. In but thread adds color to your art quilt cotton thread will add a lot. their work, a field of small red and (unless, of course, you are using the

by susan brubaker knapp

81 Free-motion machine quilting tiPS anD motiFS from Q u i lt i n g A rt s Q uiltingquiltingdaily.comdaily.com 15 ©interweave Press llc Free-motion macHine Quilting Quilting Daily 81 tiPS and motiFS yellow dots of paint would mix to give the impression of orange. The same is true of an art quilt composed WHAT IS THread of yellow background fabric stitched sketching? with red thread. When i use the term thread sketching, much heavier threadwork that could i am referring to a technique in which be considered free-motion machine You can use thread sketching to thread is free-motion stitched on the embroidery. change the appearance of your base surface of an art quilt. thread sketching thread sketching is fun, and it is an fabric’s color, or to make it stronger is not quilting, which has the primary effective way to add color, line, texture, or more subtle. For “Postcard From purpose of holding the layers of the quilt dimension, pattern, and movement to Glacier National Park: Avalanche sandwich together while adding texture. your quilts. in this six-part series on thread sketching happens before the Lake,” I started with only five fabrics, thread sketching, i will: quilting, but after the fabric base of the then added many different thread • Discuss each of the aforementioned quilt top has been constructed. aspects of thread sketching. colors to achieve the subtle variations the difference between thread sketching show you examples from my work in shading. • and thread painting can be compared that illustrate these elements of thread The mountain range, for example, to the difference between the general sketching. features a bright medium‑blue thread disciplines of sketching and painting. • Provide technical information on When sketching, the artist is primarily for the lowest mountains, a blue‑gray considerations like your workspace, concerned with capturing the essential needles and thread, stabilizers, and for the middle mountains, and a shapes and lines of the subject. it is useful tools. very light blue and white for the light, quick, and bare bones. Painting is • Give you some exercises to improve tallest peaks. These thread colors heavier and far more nuanced, capturing your thread sketching. subtleties of color, light, and form. Most demonstrate the basic artistic principle come along with me and learn something artists who do thread painting are creating that objects far away appear lighter new!

than those in the foreground. In the water, brown and green threads of different shades create work. But you have to choose and use the reflections of the dark pines, the variegated threads carefully, being sure green grass, and the foliage. Lines of to consider how much control you a Quick noTe want over the color shifts. horizontal blue stitching tone down ABOuT these thread colors to make the water stabilizers appear more unified and to create the color stabilizing your work is critically sensation of peaceful ripples on the important when you thread sketch. i do all my thread sketching on fabric surface of the water. exercises pinned to a layer of non-fusible, Here are a few ideas for exploring One great way to add shades of color nonwoven interfacing such as Pellon® color. To get started, be sure to read and make realistic subjects appear 910 or Heavy Weight shaping aid Setting up Your Workspace and A (a product i purchase at Hancock more lifelike is to use variegated Fabrics). if you are working on a thread; I use it frequently in my plain piece of background fabric, i recommend backing it first with a piece of fusible web such as Lite steam-a- seam 2®, and then pinning it to the interfacing. some people also use a hoop to stabilize their piece. Watch for more information on stabilizers in the next installment of this column.

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SETTING uP YOuR workspace Above (detail below): “Postcard From Glacier 1 3 Make sure your machine is level with if you use an older machine that can’t National Park: Avalanche Lake” • 9 ⁄2" × 6 ⁄4" • • Only five fabrics were used in this piece: your work area. Working on a large flat drop its feed dogs, try reducing your one each for the sky, the water, the hill with surface will improve the quality of your stitch length to 0, or covering your trees, the mountains, and the bank of the lake stitching immeasurably. feed dogs with a piece of heavyweight (fabrics shown on opposite page). All the • if you can’t afford a custom sewing paper, such as a business card, taped color variations were created using the threads cabinet, consider building your own down on top. shown above, plus black and white. from inexpensive plywood. • You’ll also need a special presser foot • if you do primarily small work, you for your machine; most feet that are may be able to get away with an acrylic designed for free-motion stitching have extension table that fits around your a round or oval base and are spring machine. loaded to move up and down with the needle. some people use a clear acrylic For thread sketching, you need to have • free-motion quilting foot. Others prefer a sewing machine capable of dropping a metal darning foot. its feed dogs (those little teeth under the presser foot that pull the fabric • a straight stitch throat plate (with a along as you stitch). When you drop the small hole) will improve the quality of feed dogs, you control the movement your free-motion stitching. of the fabric under the needle, not the • Good lighting is a must. machine.

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exAmples Here are several visual examples of how thread can be used to add color. Right: Detail from “Magic Beans” Yellow thread is used to accentuate the lightning bolt designs stitched into the green background.

Above: Detail from “Indian Corn” Variegated purple thread adds an additional color to the corn while defining the kernels. Right: Detail from “Round Red Barn” Shades of brown, gray, and black thread, stitched on a mottled gray fabric, create a realistic looking stone foundation.

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Originally published in Quilting Arts MAgAzine, it’s (still) Winter 2003 Polite to stare variegated threads for free-motion embroidery

love to use variegated iembroidery thread. I think it makes a much nicer line on the quilt, and the change in color breaks up the line—your eye is more occupied with the color and doesn’t see as many flaws. Have a look at a sample of the same motif done with solid color thread, and with variegated. (Sample 1) Variegated thread comes in many types of fibers: rayon, polyester, metallic, and cotton. The rayon threads usually have a consistent “variegation” or color change. In other words, the length of each color on the thread is consistent. My understanding is that polyester thread is not as consistent. If you have a thread that is consistent, there are “games” you can play as you quilt.

by robbi Joy eklow “Citrus Moon”

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Sample 1. Left shows solid thread, right shows variegated thread.

First, try isolating a color with colors together in one motif. When using twin needles with any stitch that a motif. (Sample 2) Start putting the second color comes up, it’s time to is not the straight stitch. down a motif, and when you see work my way out of the center of the Remember that when you are moving the thread color change, start a spiral. Again, don’t worry if you can’t the quilt, your motions to the left new motif right away if you can. separate the colors in the beginning. and right will create a skinny line Eventually, you’ll have filled a space Try a twin or even a triple needle to with both threads going along that with leaves or whatever, with each free‑motion quilt. If your machine line, while forward and backward one stitched in one color. Don’t doesn’t have two spool pins, use a movement creates two separate lines. worry that it takes a while to get thread stand for the second spool. Think of this as similar to calligraphy, it going. No one will notice you Thread the machine putting one where the thickness of the line is didn’t get them all; they’ll notice the thread on each side of the tension changed by the directional movement cool mosaic effect of the ones that disk. (If you have tension problems, of the needle. use two different colors, worked. try threading them together on one two different types of thread, perhaps Another game to play is what I call side of the disk). You may have to a rayon and a metallic, or whatever “musical thread chairs.” (Sample 3) increase the bobbin tension if you seems entertaining. (Sample 4) One I pick two motifs — let’s say square are using two different thicknesses downside to using a twin needle is spirals and round spirals. When the of thread and the bobbin thread that you will have a zigzag line on thread is one color, I quilt “in the comes up. Newer machines have a the back of the quilt. Decide if that round” and when the next color twin needle limitation that keeps the bothers you or not. comes up, I switch to the square needles from swinging too far to the You can free‑motion quilt using other motif. I usually have to group two left or right; activate that if you are settings on your machine besides

Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4

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Sample 5

Sample 6

the straight stitch. Set the machine up for zigzag, drop the feed dogs as you normally do, and move the quilt towards and away from you; moving the quilt sideways doesn’t produce very good results. The beauty is in having the machine move the needle left and right while you vary the forward and backward motion. You can make an effort to line the patterns up next to each other, or just go for Sample 7 whatever feels good. One stitch I love to use is the “elastic” or “stretch” Sometimes I like to have a wavy motif stitch. It’s a three‑step zigzag — three move along the borders of the quilt. stitches towards the lower left, and To get some regularity, I will mark a then it zags. (Sample 5) You can also center wavy line around the border, Sample 8 try this with a twin needle. (Sample 6) and “bounce” motifs along that line. That line becomes a divider between the motif. For example, make flowers filling in borders motifs. I can do “garlics” all oriented that fit in the space to the left of When quilting a border, I start in the upward and to the left, on the inside the line and garlics to the right, or lower right corner, with the bulk of of the line, all the way around the even straight lines running from the the quilt on the table instead of in my quilt. Then I go around doing garlics wavy line to the edge of the quilt. lap, and sew along the border as if I pointing up and to the right. The Sometimes I will use one thread color were driving along a narrow road. finished border resembles a feathered to the left of the wavy line and another cable. (Sample 7) You can also change on the right. (Sample 8)

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You can also mark circles along the one direction, imagining a line drawn The more patterns you use, the more border, fill them in with flowers or on the background. Then I’ll go back interesting the quilt will be to the some other round motif and go back and fill in around it with a rectilinear viewer. The viewer doesn’t know what and use a rectilinear motif to fill in the pattern; when I get bored with that, patterns you were intending to use, space between. (Sample 9) I’ll switch to a third pattern, or even a so feel free to switch around and try fourth. (Sample 10) new things as much as you want. Keep combining your eye out for patterns that you can pAtterns translate to free‑motion quilting. If you have a large area to fill, one way to make it more interesting is to Need fresh combine two or more patterns. I will i N spiratioN ? start out with a curvilinear pattern, look inside such as garlics, and move it along in cloth paper scissors®

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