48. Learn how to Quilt Pearled Feather, Design #400
We’ve just hit design #400! And this is the week of our 4th anniversary! It’s been a busy day finishing up lots of different things for our anniversary sale and a few surprises coming your way on Wednesday.
But before I announce anything, let’s learn how to quilt Pearled Feathers!
This is a pretty straight laced feather with the addition of simple pearls down the center stem. The key to this design is spacing your center stem wide enough for nice sized circles to fit within. To space the circles themselves, watch the video to learn my trick for visualizing the circle shape without marking:
No, freehand circles are never perfect. As you can see from this close up of the quilted square, many of my circles are closer to ovals, but when you step back from it, they still appear like a row of circles. As always, don’t sweat the small stuff!
If a circle is particularly weird shaped, swirl inside it with a spiral and fill it until it looks right. The only person that knows it’s hiding a mistake is you!
Make sure to stop by Wednesday to celebrate the 4th anniversary of this Free Motion Quilting Project!
Let’s go quilt,
Leah Day
Happy Anniversary! Awesome design. It makes me think it could evolve into a butterfly in the blink of an eye. I love your patterned blouse today. Very pretty. It goes well with the Pearled Feather.
Thank you very much for explaining the new pattern. But the number are false. It is number 48.
Greetings Guilitta
Guilitta – Sorry for the confusion! This is the 400th design I've posted to this blog since starting in 2009. For reference, you can check out all the designs here: http://www.leahday.com/project1/
Love this design and the tips on how to make the strand of pearls. I have been trying to figure out if they need to be marked. Thanks for permission to eyeball it!
Congratulations on 400 designs and your 4th blogoversary!
Thank you for posting this design. I was trying to determine what to use for the last section of hair on my EYL quilt. I am a long arm quilter so it is all done on my Gammill machine.to see it go to http://myquiltplace.com/photo/express-your-love-on-longarm?context=user
Hi, Leah, I love the last week and this week design. I'm a feather lover. So I will try to post something of mines real soon. Thank for all the tutorials. I also enjoy your Craftsy class I have enrolled in for the sample quilts. You break down the quilting process to a beginner's level. I also like it when you remind me and others that it's okay to make a mistake and leave there if we can live with. This give me confidence and encourages me to ask myself, " If it's a quilt not to be judged but loved, then leave it." I now feel I can complete more quilt than having UFO's because I'm afraid of making a mistake on my quilts. But I still strive for perfection….LOL. Thanks again
Terry
Tea's Quilts & Etc.
I love your designs and am new to FMQ. I have two of your Videos and have a question. You say to start in the middle of a quilt but, in your online videos when you demonstrate your working with a oh 12.5 X 12.5 square and you "never" start in the middle. Why is that please?
Thanks for another super good explanation!