1st Quilt Ever -- Quilting, Pt 1: PRACTICE

Show of hands, who's scared?

Don't be! Let's practice!

If you have a scrap of batting, pin baste it between two pieces of fabric to create a little practice piece. Or, bust out an old dish towel or bath towel to practice on. You just need something with a little thickness to it to do a practice run!


You always start free-motion quilting the same way: Start with two or three stitches in place (this is the quilting version of backstitching), then start your design.

Here are a couple super short videos of stitches you can practice.

For this one you can start with a shape you've drawn directly onto your fabric using a disappearing ink marker. If you are using a design that has corners, pause slightly at each angle to ensure a sharp point.



This meandering stitch is the quilting method I use most. There is no need to mark anything. The only guidelines are:
A) Try and keep your stitching lines a consistent distance apart. My distance was approximately 1 1/2" in this example.
B) Try not to cross your own stitching lines.
Other than that, you can go to town with this design!



If you are too nervous to freehand a design, or your fabrics are too dark or scrappy to draw your design on, you can create a paper template and simply sew around it.

In this little video my paper template popped over the top of my free-motion foot. All you have to do is stop sewing, lift the foot, and stick the paper back underneath it. I also accidentally sewed over the edge of my paper. No big deal! Just tear the paper away!



WHAT YOU WANT TO PRACTICE:

~ Remember that YOU are controlling the stitch length! Practice coordinating your foot pedal speed with your hand speed to get a consistent stitch length.

~ Practice the design you want to do on your actual quilt.


You can do this!! Try it out and see how it feels!
I have LOTS more to share -- stay tuned!