One thing that makes the biggest improvement in free-motion quilting is to practice, practice, practice! PPP for short. Drawing out the quilting designs does something to form what is called "Muscle Memory", helping your mind and hands work together to form the shapes you want. It also gives you practice on how to work yourself into and out of tight spots as you quilt.
Sometimes having kids with lots of art supplies can be very handy when I want to do some practice. Today I picked up some pencils I had gotten at Target. They're from the Kids Made Modern line of craft stuff and have multiple colors in each pencil.
Aren't these feathers pretty? It's like doodling with varigated thread!
I also use the kids' MagnaDoodle from time to time for practice, and being homeschoolers, I have a huge dry-erase board to fill with doodles. Actually, I usually have to doodle around the to-do lists on the board!
So if you are learning to FMQ, and aren't drawing the designs you love, give it a whirl with some nice pencils or pens and see how fast you'll improve.
Finding this pencil and doodling with it was the high point of my day. The kids and I went with a quilty friend to check out 2 quilt shops that were about an hour's drive away. Just as we got near the first shop, my little guy tossed his breakfast if you know what I mean. So of course we came home. My friend really likes my kids and she was a real trooper even though this is the second time he has vomited with her in the car. I think the poor woman may be cursed! He's only done that 3 times in his life--- twice with her!
Oh well, it's not like I needed to go shopping for more fabric.
