Quilting Guides

Welcome to the quilting guides page. When you click on the links below you’ll find notes and instructions on how to create different free motion quilting patterns or designs. Some guides are a photo of my hand drawn notes and others have full instructions on how to think through and reproduce the design (usually a .pdf file). Clouds Quilting Design: The clouds quilting guide shows the steps in doing this clouds pattern for free motion quilting. It also includes my thinking scribbles to show how I sorted out getting the pattern right. Ripples Quilting Design: The ripples quilting guide shows how I ended up quilting the calm lagoon waters for the Pirate King quilt. Once I went from the sketch book to the sewing machine it turned out to be easier to do the design vertically than horizontally as it was easier to fill the space that way – so make sure you read to the later pages to see how to sew it if you want to try the design too. Waves Quilting Design: I also made the waves quilting design for the Pirate King Quilt. The trick with this one is to remember to start and finish with tiny locking stitches on each row, then hop to the next row. Once you’ve done all your quilting you go back and cut the threads between the rows so only the bobbing waves are left behind. It’s fun when you get in the rhythm of it! If you’d like to see some more of what the design looks like, click the link in the categories list for the name of the quilt and you’ll find the blog posts that will tell you more about it.

The other references I like to use for free motion quilting guides are: http://columbiariverquilting.com/roll_patterns.html for inspiration Deb Louie’s articles in Australian Patchwork and Quilting Magazine  And loads of great designs from http://ivoryspring.wordpress.com/   Add some comments on this page when you try out the designs so I know what you like best and what else to do next!