13. Learn to Quilt a Tiny, Stacked Version of Flame Stitch

It’s time to play with designs and today I’m playing with a very old friend. Flame Stitch was actually the first design I ever created by slightly changing a design I knew, and it can easily be credited with giving me the original idea for the Free Motion Quilting Project. From small seeds, massive things can grow and bear fruit!

But today’s version of the design is very specific – I wanted to use this design to form the “feather” body of Duchess Reigns:

free motion quilting | Leah Day

In order to create a layered, regimented texture like this, the design can’t be random or freeform. Here’s another version of the same design, stitched slightly differently to form this texture:

free motion quilting | Leah Day

The difference is short, stacked shapes verses long, wiggly flowing shapes working in all directions. Two different styles, two different textures. Never underestimate the power of a wiggly line!

So for Duchess Reigns I know I need to keep things short, stacked, and under control. Here’s a video on how this design was filled through one of her arms:

As you can see, filling flame stitch through this section will be a very different experience than if I stitched long wiggly lines very randomly through her body. It’s really down to finding the texture you want and figuring out the best way to make it happen.

free motion quilting | Leah Day

So definitely give both the short, stacked version and long wiggly versions of Flame Stitch a try and link up with us tomorrow to share where you’ve quilted them in Express Your Love!

Let’s go quilt,

Leah Day

LeahDay

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.

9 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

    Gorgeously slick videos, Leah! Your Craftsy training is shining through, but it still feels as if you are just chatting to us all in our own sewing corners. A very good balance. Well done! And thank you. JJ

  2. Leah, how big is the duchess? I'm having a heard enough time FMQ express your love on my tiny singer, I can't imagine quilting such a big piece on a regular machine! Do you have a video about quilting a big piece on a small machine?
    By the way, she is stunning, I LOVE the red dye!
    And thank you thank you thank you again for everything. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate your website and videos.

  3. Jacqueline says:

    You are plain unbelievable in your quilting talent. !!!

    I love seeing your work.

  4. tadeyishu says:

    oh were to start,.. I was looking at blog for inspiration as i normaly do,after seeing the duchess reigns thought oh yes il have go at a wholecloth quilt, and somehow lost the last ten hours! havent fed the dogs or left the coutch just sat and watched one video after another..i now have inspiration overload….and hungry dogs!

  5. Dom says:

    Wouah, c'est spectaculaire.

  6. Lovely quilting, Leah. I love to FMQ.
    Here is a quilt I made using some of your designs:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/johanna-fritz/8158792395/sizes/h/in/set-72157631672815639/
    Thanks for all the great tips. I may have to try a whole cloth quilt.

  7. Lovely quilting, Leah. I love to FMQ.
    Here is a quilt I made using some of your designs:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/johanna-fritz/8158792395/sizes/h/in/set-72157631672815639/
    Thanks for all the great tips. I may have to try a whole cloth quilt.

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