Free Motion Monday: Grid-Based Designs Week 4

Another week has come and gone and I'm just not sure where the time goes! Not only are we nearly done with this month's free motion quilting adventure, but summer is flying by and I'm off with the kids to my mom's family reunion. This year we're off to Kentucky. Each year my mom's siblings and their kids, and now their kids, get together at a state park with a hotel and we spend a couple of days talking, hiking, and swimming.

It's a lot of fun for the most part, though travelling with three kids is a bit of a chore for me. Hubby can't go again this year, but last year the kids traveled really well, so I have high hopes for this year. It's an interesting time for me as my cousins are mostly in their early 20's while I'm in my early 40's and my aunts and uncle are hovering around the big 6-0. I feel a little like the odd man out. Not a quilter in the bunch either.

But we're here to talk quilting!


  I saw a neat grid-based design on Pinterest, I think, but can't quite remember who to attribute it to. Nor do I know what it's called. I think it might be something that Cindy Needham has done before. It looks like a garden lattice. I think it might be my new favorite of all free motion quilting grid-based designs.


I used a one inch grid for this design and stitched the lines of the grid as well as the continuous curve shapes. When I finished with that part, the centers really popped the most. Then I went in and filled in those centers with a square, spiral-type design. That flattened out the centers and caused the curved portions of the design to pop, resulting in a lattice effect. Above, you can see what it looks like with the centers filled and unfilled.


This design would look fabulous worked around a floral applique or in the background of a whole cloth quilt.


My big tip for keeping the curved part of the design fairly uniform and well-shaped? As soon as you curve out halfway, focus your eyes not on the stitching but on the next corner that you are stitching towards. Your hands will naturally come to that corner.

I shot a video of this design too! I had to learn how to splice two videos together since somebody asked me for a graham cracker in the midst of filming.There's always something new to learn! I have hopes that this learning will help keep my brain sharp though I have my doubts some days!



Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Please show us all any grid-based designs you've been working on by linking up below. Don't forget to leave a comment on my "Art of McTavishing" review post to be entered in the giveaway.

For the linky this week, link up a post of  grid-based designs you've done, if any. If you haven't done any, now's the time to draw some out, start a new practice piece or even try them out on a quilt!

Some quick rules:
  • Keep your post relevant to this quilt along please. Spammy posts will be deleted.
  • Make sure you link up to the individual post, not your home page as nobody wants to have to search around for the post if they're a little late to the party.
  • Reciprocate! Link back to this post somewhere in your post or use the clickable blog button in your sidebar. You've got to dance with the one who took you to the party, so make sure you link back.
  • Don't be a wall-flower. (Talking to myself here too. In person I am so stinking shy!) Visit the other links, be sociable, and leave comments.
  • Please make sure you leave me a way to contact you if you are a no-reply commenter, especially if you ask a question. 
Don't forget to bookmark this blog, follow, or sign it up in your favorite feed reader. Like the facebook page (I do post some short things on it pretty regularly), or even check out my Pinterest boards.  I'll be visiting you too!

I'm linking up with Connie's Linky Tuesday. Go take a look!

13 comments:

  1. That looks fabulous! Thanks for the video...that answered one of my questions. Initially I thought that you would have to break thread every time you filled the center. Very neat.

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    1. Break thread on every center?! No way. I can be a bit of an obsessive quilter but not that bad (yet). Glad the video helped. :-)

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  2. Very nice video!!! I really like the square spiral fill to flatten the centers. It works so much better than stippling which can look a tad messy. The idea is to add that flattened area to get the petals to pop and the finish is a 'clean' look. Not looking at the needle but keeping your eyes on the destination point is what I do when stitching such point-to-point curves. Works every time (after some practicing......but that's always the case!!! LOL!!!). Hugs.............

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  3. Amy, I love that design, and your video made the "how-to" very clear. I've finally bitten the bullet and done a little curved crosshatching myself; I'm not sure whether that's considered grid quilting, though I do see a grid of sorts as the quilting progresses. Here are two posts I've done in the past month using this: http://sandywf.blogspot.com/2014/05/diamond-delight.html
    and
    http://sandywf.blogspot.com/2014/06/twister-illusions.html
    Sure wish I knew if there were a way to make those links "live"!

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  4. This is a great video and such an effective design!

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  5. love that design, Amy - the quilted centres really makes the curves jump - a nice twist on the usual look.

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  6. I can't wait to try this one. I'm just getting into FMQ and I love these grid designs. I've been making bibs since they're just the right size for practicing. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  7. Now that is beautiful free motion quilting Amy! I'm going to have to try that!

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  8. Amy, if you spliced this video you're a pro cause I didn't see anywhere it was spliced!! Look forward to your videos - you're an inspiration!!

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  9. Thank you Amy, I enjoyed watching how you did this. Your videos/blogposts are a really treasure trove of ideas.

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  10. Love the video. I so appreciate your videos

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  11. I appreciate you leaving any mistakes in your videos...it helps me know what to do when I make mistakes.

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    1. Thanks! We all make mistakes and I’m more comfortable showing mine that I am putting on a front of perfection! Have you seen those signs of “Keep calm and carry on”? I say keep calm and stitch on! (And fix it later if it still bugs you)

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