Day 5 - 21 Days to Free Motion Quilting Success!

By now, you must be thinking "Let's just stipple already!!". I'd like you to start today with a fresh quilt sandwich (8" square is fine). As you can see from the grainy photos, I'd like you to get a feel for making lumpy stipply (is that a word?) shapes. So, instead of trying to make the familiar puzzle shape pieces, let's start with smooth round "hills" randomly placed around each other. So:

• Look at the photo top left and start with making hills in the middle of your sandwich.


• Without rotating your sandwich, follow around your "hills", with more "hills"(top right)


• Continue around and around your sandwich with these "hills" until it is completely filled (bottom right then bottom left).
  

Your sample may look like a frilly flower. Again, don't worry too much right now about spacing between hills but instead, try for smooth, consistent motion. Also take a look at what you've done to determine if you need to slow down or speed up your hands (see Day 4).

Tip: I hold my hands about 6" apart and they act as a frame to my work. I complete the work "inside" my hands, stop (needle down), reposition, and start again.

Here is a list of my all-time favorite Machine Quilting Books (they may be at your library):

• Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques by Sue Nickels (pub by American Quilters Society)


• Guide to Machine Quilting by Diane Gaudynski (pub by American Quilters Society)


• Easy Machine Quilting edited by Jane Townswick (pub by Rodale Press)

Enjoy the process!! Keep Quilting!

-Kris