However my common sense ran completely out of the window
when it came to density. I realized that the quilting was way too
dense for a lap quilt. I didn’t like the density at all.
I spent a week ripping out the quilting. GASP! (I have totally
wiped that week from my memory bank!) They say that negative experiences like this are character building. Hmmm – let’s
just say that I built a LOT of character as I patiently took that
quilting out. Yes – the quilt was almost done when common
sense took hold of my brain.
In order for all of us to learn and become better free motion
quilters, here are some tips to help you with your free motion
quilting – especially choosing a design!
Tips for successful free motion quilting
Density – this is a personal taste, but I love very densely quilted
quilts. If the quilt is to be used as a table runner or wall hanging,
dense quilting is great. But a too densely quilted lap or bed quilt
doesn’t drape well and isn’t cuddly. Think about the end use of
the quilt as you contemplate the density of the stitching you’re
planning.
Ready to start quilting
Overall designs – while overall designs are great and can be
expertly done on a domestic sewing machine, be careful. The
area in which you’re quilting (around the needle) is small so it's
harder to get that sweeping motion for a loose design. It can be
done, but be very careful. Check often – are you happy with it?
Quilt in sections – it is super easy to break a quilt down into
sections (visually – not physically) and then quilt section by
section or block by block. So you need to consider how you can
do that on your quilt. My problem was – I didn’t want to break it
down in sections.
Quilt is supported on the left by the extension surface of the quilting table
Practice – doodle your design on paper before you start to
quilt. Do you have the flow? Can you travel from motif to motif?
Try to doodle in the size you need on your quilt. Too dense, not
dense enough?
Thread – pick your thread colors wisely. While the thread
doesn’t have to match exactly, the more it blends in, the more
any mistakes are disguised.
Busy backings – a busy backing will disguise a whole multitude of sins.
The good news
I’m happy to report that although my quilting skills were a bit
lacking – I had no problem working on this size of quilt on the Ruby
Royale. There were no skipped stitches and the stitches were well
formed - a bit too well since I had to remove them all! The Ruby
Royale was a lot of fun to quilt on.
Another question that I frequently get asked is how to deal with the
bulk of the quilt under the arm of the sewing machine. We tend to
think of how much space we have to the right of the needle. In this
case, the Ruby Royale has 10" of space.
Quilting design from the front
28
QUILTsocial
.com
●
spring 2015