Wow! I’m super surprised by all the attention my new machineis getting this week! It’s so nice to be able to pass on my experience and hopefully help others eliminate pain and body issues by using a different machine.
Today we’re speeding ahead with Building Blocks with two videos on how to quilt straight lines in a Sawtooth Star block:
My version of this design was to stitch straight lines for form a star in the middle of the Sawtooth Star, then carefully stitch the straight lines in the background 1/4 inch apart.
Yes, I most definitely marked all these background lines! I don’t want to see what it would have looked like if I had tried to free hand quilt that section. Watch my take on this block in this video:
Josh choose a “less is more” approach by quilting just two lines in the center of the star and 2 lines through the background. Either way you choose to free motion quilt it, this block will have more than enough quilting to be stable and hard wearing.
What do you think of these combined posts? Since we’re speeding up this project through the end of October, this makes the most sense to us.
If you’re missing Josh, make sure to comment and beg him to continue to post on Tuesdays! He might be persuaded to keep posting about his other passions like cooking and raising backyard chickens.
Leah Day has been teaching online since 2009. She's the creator of the Free Motion Quilting Project, a blog filled with thousands of quilting tutorial videos. Leah has written several books including 365 Free Motion Quilting Designs, Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day, and Mally the Maker and the Queen in the Quilt.
Hi Leah–I have been thinking about a Janome to start free motion quilting….I know that you have an old Bernina but I have not seen you machine quilt on it……there must be a reason. do you not like to free motion on it???..I am going to look into the Juki—-and isn't the price on them good as well???? I was in a car accident 30 years ago and still suffer with neck and upper back issues……Thanks so much for the great advise to all of us on these machines…..
Actually, having the two (yours and Josh's) videos combined is a good idea. It helps to be able to easily see how you both handle the block. It's true that I could hunt them both up to watch but this is much easier. Josh's quilting has definitely improved over the course of these videos; it's nice to see that. I still struggle and sometimes think I'm not progressing at all; I do realize that some days are better than others. I'm sure I'm getting better; I'm so hard on myself!!
Please tell us about your chickens!
Hi Leah–I have been thinking about a Janome to start free motion quilting….I know that you have an old Bernina but I have not seen you machine quilt on it……there must be a reason. do you not like to free motion on it???..I am going to look into the Juki—-and isn't the price on them good as well???? I was in a car accident 30 years ago and still suffer with neck and upper back issues……Thanks so much for the great advise to all of us on these machines…..
Actually, having the two (yours and Josh's) videos combined is a good idea. It helps to be able to easily see how you both handle the block. It's true that I could hunt them both up to watch but this is much easier. Josh's quilting has definitely improved over the course of these videos; it's nice to see that. I still struggle and sometimes think I'm not progressing at all; I do realize that some days are better than others. I'm sure I'm getting better; I'm so hard on myself!!
Thanks!!! I'm doing this quilt along and loving it. I think the shop in NC where I work is going to do the quilt along too!