Free Motion Monday: The Beginner Edition, Week 3

We're leaving the Loop-D-Loops of the last two weeks behind and moving on with what I call the open-S shape. It's not all that exciting by itself, but other designs build on its double curve.


It's good for flames, wood grain, a lovely fern-feather, and once you are used to the basic shape, tighten up one end into a spiral scroll.

Fern Feather Free Motion Quilting design

This design helps you practice the double curve, making good points, and changing directions. I love going from the open S shape into scroll spirals.


I just taught a fun class of ladies from the Appomattox Courthouse Quilt Guild this weekend and we had a blast. I'm not sure if we had more laughter or quilting going on! I came home to be greeted by Ironman. Every 4 year old should get an old welding helmet to play with, I think.


No one has linked up their work in the past two week's link ups, so I'm leaving it off this week. Looks kinda sad to have an empty link party. I'm having flashbacks to high school...will anyone come to my party?

No worries, I'm guessing that many of the folks learning these designs just aren't ready to share their work online yet. That's OK with me. Link parties are not just fun and a way to share our work with other blogs, but it also helps your blog's rankings with Google. So next week, our last for this beginner's series, be ready to share either some of these designs or, if you are a more experienced quilter, share one of your beginner projects to encourage the newer quilters out there. Show us how far you've come.

Don't forget, free motion quilting is full of variables that affect your stitching success, so make sure you practice, problem-solve, and persevere.

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful. I definitely need to practice this design. Yours looks great.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  2. I totally love to watch you FMQ and I always get some great pointers. I even use my mouse to follow your stitching in the photos! Too many things going on right now to have time to practice but it's all great infor and I'm adding to my memory bank!!

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  3. I meant to tell you earlier that I took Patsy Thompson's FMQ class last Tuesday, and she recommended your website and videos to the class!!!
    Thanks for all your tips and videos. Now--if I could just get my machine to cooperate!!!

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    1. Really?! I’m on Patsy Thompson’s radar? Squeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is awesome! Thanks for telling me.

      What’s up with your machine? Anything I can help with?

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  4. Love your version of the fern/feather! Great info!

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  5. New reader and I haven't had time to comment or link up, sorry! It seems I have time to quilt but not actually post to my blog. :) quilti.com

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    1. There's definitely a balance to be struck between blogging and quilting! The more I blog, the less I quilt. Sigh.

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  6. You're quite welcome! Thanks for reading and commenting.

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  7. Amy, I wrote to you last week! Thank you for your lessons. You help me a lot. I would be glad if you take a look: http://karita958.blogspot.ru/2014/10/blog-post_19.html#more

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  8. Amy, please don't be discouraged by the lack of links! I read EVERY post and am learning so much from you! I am not a beginner but these beginner lessons have been like a refresher course for me and I get something new from every lesson. I am not very computer savvy and am not blogging right now (though It's have in the past --- maybe again) but I look forward to your postings and look for them over breakfast every morning. Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us!

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  9. Dear Amy, I really like your lessons and exercises in stitch. Accept me as a student, my samples stitches here.

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  10. Amy, did your job. Thank you very much for the lessons very interesting. You can see: http://karita958.blogspot.ru/2014/10/2.html#more

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  11. Hi Amy
    I have a question regarding stitch in the ditch quilting around applique shapes. I have a quilt with a lot of berries, would you stitch in the ditch around each one separately first or would you do this as you are doing the free motion work around the applique in general?
    Hope you don't mind the question thanks in advance.

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    1. I prefer to stitch around applique as I get to it. Unless quilting around large areas of applique would help stabilize the quilt first. Make sure the quilt doesn't shift its layers as you go. I doubt that berries alone would be worth doing individually. I know several folks who are very adept at working the background fill around applique so it looks like it's been completely SID'd but it actually isn't done completely. That saves time, but I like it to be done all the way around (especially if you can tell on the back) so I usually do my fill until I hit the applique then I go completely around, and then fill around.

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    2. Thank you so much for sharing your information. Much appreciated

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