![]() Avoid crossing over previous pebbles by travelling back along a pebble to a point where a whole pebble can be made.Make some of your pebbles appear to be behind each other for interest.Extend the design by adding a swirl inside some of the pebbles, back-filling the space between the pebbles and adding echo lines to break up the area of pebbles.Mix up the sizes for a design that is pleasing on the eye and less tricky to execute.Stitch length is usually smaller for rounder shapes.Pebbling is usually done at a faster machine speed to allow for flow.Everyone loves the look of pebbles, but they require practice to make them look good.To keep your loops circular, be sure to continue your loop to make a full circle before going off onto a meander again.Bigger loops are harder to keep circular than smaller ones.Vary the number of loops and the size of loops for interest.When completing double or more loops, start at the outside loop so that you know how much space the design is going to take up.Alternate the direction the loops come from the meander line, otherwise they look like they are hanging in a row. ![]() It is best to keep your movement steady and reasonably fast for smooth circles.Never sew down the edges of the border before quilting as this will usually result in puckering and bunching at the edge as the quilt is spread out at the edges from the middle.The centre of the quilt will always be the hardest to work with, but it gets easier as you go out to the borders. I find pushing the excess quilt into the harp of the machine works better than rolling the quilt into a log.You will also find that you may be stitching on a larger piece, so you will need to control the quilt sandwich as you quilt.By repeating the process on your final piece, you are reinforcing the skills you have learnt.Step 3: Stitch out the designs on your final piece This is practising the motion, but also you might find that you do not like it stitched out and you can then choose another design. It is always worth testing out a design before you stitch it out on the main quilt.Step 2: Stitch out the design on a practice piece If you are getting a bit lost down the track when you are stitching, go back to this step to get your motion smooth again. The whole point of this step is to smooth out your hand movements, so do not rush it.Again, when you are stitching, this would lead to short and long stitches. Always trace at the constant speed that you would be quilting at, not jerking or speeding up and slowing down. ![]() This would mean more ends to sew in and the design not flowing freely. If you think about it, every time you lift the pen it is the equivalent of cutting your thread. ![]() The key to the tracing process is to keep your pen down on the plastic without lifting it off.This means you can trace over the lines with a white board maker many times. Cover that design in a piece of template plastic, vinyl, or a page protector.Draw out your design on a piece of paper.Step 1: Drawing out your design tracing with a pen Steps to stitching out free-motion quilting designsįor every new design you try, follow these three steps: Using the practice sandwich, or edge of your quilt, test tensions and movement/stitch length.Ensure the machine is threaded correctly.For a frame quilting machine, load your sandwich to the machine as you would a normal quilt.Put on your gloves if you use them to quilt.The advantage of using your ruler foot is that you can change styles of quilting without changing your foot. If you are working on a sit-down or domestic machine, set up your machine with your free-motion foot or ruler foot, extension table and a slip mat.Always use good-quality needles and threads, even when you are practising.When you begin, use a thread with a little contrast so you can see it, but not so much that all your mistakes shine brightly.Consider wearing quilting gloves for a good grip of the quilting sandwich, without straining your hands.You do not need to unpick a practice piece! Create a practice sandwich to use before you go into your real project it’s great for checking tensions, stitch length and myriad other things.Have a nice flat surface to quilt on, so the quilt flows well and does not get caught up.Make sure you are comfortable and that the space around your machine is tidy, so you do not keep bumping into things.There are a few things to think about before you start: This issue I am going to show you how to make those simple free-motion shapes to use with your ruler work or on their own.įirst, a reminder on the things to consider when starting free-motion quilting ![]() The last article explored how to combine ruler work with free-motion designs. We have been discussing heaps of things to do with ruler quilting in the last couple of articles. ![]()
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