QA Beginners v3

Quilting for Beginners
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quilting for beginners:
Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners

2
1
5 Easy Quilt Patterns

3
1 2 3
Branch and Bird Mini Quilt Series

Candy GLEndEninG
Small Felted Wool Quilts

Morna CritEs-MoorE
4 5
Quick and Easy Silhouette Quilts

Maria ELkins
Stitch This: Free-motion Quilting Motifs to Try

HEatHEr tHoMas
Art Quilting Made Easy

LEsLEy riLEy
quilting for beginners: 5 easy quilt patterns for beginners
Q u i lt i n g D A i lY. c o m
interweave

If you've wanted to learn how to quilt but didn't know where to begin or didn't want to take on a big project, our new free downloadable eBook, Quilting for Beginners: 5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners, is for you! The eBook offers you basic quilting techniques and advice from some of the most experienced quilt artists and teachers around. Each of the projects is small and manageable, just right for beginning quilting, and the quilting how-to information is easy to follow. In Branch and Bird Mini Quilt Series, Candy Glendening shows you how to make small, simple, yet adorable quiltlets. These easy quilts offer a perfect way to try your hand at simple construction, composition, and free-motion stitching. Morna Crites-Moores Small Felted Wool Quilts make an easy beginning quilting project because you use small scraps of felted wool to make a patchwork design and sew it by hand. Its a fun, low-stress way to learn to quilt. In Art Quilting Made Easy, Lesley Riley shows you how to make a simple quilt with two easy quilt patterns and directions for making it your own. Maria Elkins, famous for her portrait quilts, shows how to make Quick and Easy Silhouette Quilts. This easy quilt pattern is one that you can make and show off to family and friends with pride. Finally, you will learn to quilt pretty quilt stitching patterns from Heather Thomas in Stitch This: Free-motion Quilting Motifs to Try. With Quilting for Beginners: 5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners, you dont have to wait to quilt any longer. Its time to begin! Warmly,
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quilting for beginners:

5 Easy QuiLt PattErns PLus LEssons on How to QuiLt for BEGinnErs
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Projects and information are for inspiration and personal use only. interweave Press LLc is not responsible for any liability arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cautiously, especially with respect to technical information. interweave grants permission to photocopy any patterns published in this issue for personal use only.
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mini quilt series

s a quilter, I love taking small units and joining them together into larger compositions. But sometimes deciding which arrangement I like best can become overwhelming. This is one reason why I decided to create a series of mini quilts depicting a whole flock of wee birds sitting on branches. Making many small finished quilts allowed me to focus on the composition of each individual piece, and at the same time create a larger work that could be endlessly rearranged.
I worked on the whole series at the same time, cutting out elements and trying them in different combinations before fusing them down. These mini quilts have a layer of both batting and stabilizer. The extra stiffness from the stabilizer makes them easy to hang, and it also gives an extra bit of dimension to the quilting lines. Whether youd like to start working in a series, or you enjoy endless rearrangement, creating your own batch of Branch & Bird quilts is easy and will provide you with a fun exercise in creating compositions both small and large.
branch& bird
Directions
1. Begin by selecting a group of
AdApted froM internAtionAl Quilt festivAl: Quilt scene Winter 2011/2012
fabrics that work well together. I chose a series of jewel tones from my stash of hand-dyed fabrics. These colors have plenty of value and hue contrast, and most importantly, made my heart sing when I looked at them all stacked
by
C AnDy g lenDening
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up together. From these fabrics, cut (10) 7" 7" squares, 1 for each mini quilt background.
2.
Following the manufacturers instructions, apply the fusible web to the wrong side of the remaining fabrics; these will be used for the appliqus and backing squares. Use pinking shears to cut (10) 412" 412" backing squares, 1 for each mini quilt; set these squares aside.
interfacing, leaving the paper backing on the opposite side. After the layers cool, cut (10) 5" 5" squares, 1 for each mini quilt.
4.
note: Remove the fusible webs paper
backing before cutting the backing squares and appliqu shapes.

3.
On each 7" 7" background fabric square, center an interfacing/batting square (batting-side down). There should be a 1" border of fabric extending beyond the batting on all sides. Carefully flip the layers over and fuse-baste each fabric square in place with a small scrap of fusible web. For the branch appliqus, cut arcs and simple forks long enough to extend to the edges
of the background squares. Cut several from different fabric colors and begin placing them on the backgrounds. When you are happy with the layout and color distribution of the branches, fuse them in place.
6.
Remove the paper backing from the fusible interfacing. Outline the branches with free-motion machine sketching (see Free-motion machine sketching), stitching to the edges of the background fabric. To finish the edges of a mini quilt, place it right-side down on a pressing surface. Gently pull 1 corner of the extending fabric
7.
Using a lot of steam and little pressure, fuse the batting to the rough side of the fusible
5.
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free-motion macHine sKetcHing

What i call free-motion machine sketching is very similar to free-motion machine quilting: the feed dogs are down, you use a darning foot, and the needle goes fast while your hands move slowly. the difference is that when im sketching, i am purposefully retracing my steps and trying to miss; this took some practice after years of trying to follow lines exactly. What im trying to emphasize here is that although im using a machine, the process is still created by my hands. i love the beautiful imperfection of a strong line that is created by drawing over and over its just that my pencil is an electric sewing machine.
to the back and tack it to the interfacing with your iron. Repeat for the 3 remaining corners. Wrap the sides to the back and fuse them in place, being careful to avoid touching the iron to the exposed fusible glue of the interfacing. Turn the mini quilt right-side up and place it on the backing paper you removed from the interfacing. Press the square, let it cool, and peel it off the backing paper.
8.
varying the fabric colors. Move them around the different squares until youve created several squares that each combine a few of the hues in your palette in a different way.
9.
11. To finish the back of each mini
quilt, center and fuse a 412" 412" backing square in place, covering the fabric edges and thread ends. Use a needle and embroidery floss to stitch a hanging loop onto the back, being careful to catch some of the interfacing without stitching through to the quilt front.
12. Display the mini quilts on your
When youre happy with the placement of the birds, fuse the top only of each bird in place. Free-motion sketch the legs, beginning and ending under the bottom of each bird. Fuse the rest of the bird in place, then freemotion sketch an outline and eye for each bird. Its amazing how a small change in the angle of the wing can make a sitting bird fly, so play around with the placement a bit before fusing. Fuse the wings in place. Free-motion sketch an outline around each wing.
wall in a long line or a grid. My favorite way to hang these little guys is on some butchers twine with wee clothespins that you can find at any big craft store. They look so cute hanging in a row, and you can change their order however many times youd like! candiedfabrics.com
10. Freehand cut a wing for each bird.
Now for the fun partthe birds! I freehand cut all my birds; theyre just 2 S-curved lines connected at both ends. A small change in the inflection point of the curve can make a bird with an entirely different personality. Freehand cut 1 or 2 birds for each mini quilt,
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small
felted wool
quilts
AdApted froM Quilting Arts MAgAzine June/July 2010
recycling sWeaters into Hand-stitcHed artWorK
by
M ornA C rites -M oore

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Previous page: Dreams of Spring 512" 5" This is the twelfth item in my Pieces of Dreams series. Its colors represent the beginning blossoms of spring, the green grass, and the blue sky.
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M A T E R I A l S
Wool sweaters in a variety of
colors Washing machine and dryer laundry detergent good quality shears material for the background, cut to about 2" larger than your finished piece, in a color that complements your wool sweaters (i like to use a recycled sweater, a single piece of fulled wool, or cotton fabric; use whatever material you like.) Wool tapestry thread in multiple colors (i use Paternayan Persian Wool yarn.) several tapestry needles embellishments of your choice: buttons, beads, jewels, or anything else that is small enough to stitch to the top of a 1" square a thin piece of wool or batting for the middle layer material for the backing embroidery floss Hand-sewing thread a small piece of muslin for your label a pen suitable for writing on fabric
muse. Is it that the garments carry the stories of where they have been? I dont know. I only know that once I have felted these garments, they seem to speak to my hands; my mind disengages and I go with the flow.
The process of making small quilts from felted wool pieces is very meditative. The first one I made came about because I was playing with scraps left over from other projects. I kept finding little pieces in colors that particularly pleased me, so I set them aside. Then I started playing with these scraps, without any idea of what I was making. I just enjoyed the process: the choosing, the stitching, and the adorning. Soon I had quite a collection of little stacks of wool scraps with lovely buttons on top. It was time for more play, so I arranged and rearranged these squares. Eventually, I started sewing them to a backing. I decided to call these small quilts Pieces of Dreams because thats what creating them feels like. This series is definitely guided by an invisible force.
here is something about felted wool, made from old sweaters and other discarded articles of clothing, that speaks to my
Optional
foam board or corrugated

cardboard
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Directions
1. Decide on a color scheme for your
project and start accumulating wool sweaters to fulfill your vision. The sweaters must be predominantly wool and they cant be washable wool. They can, however, contain other materials. The more sweaters you collect, the better; the variations in color give these pieces much of their movement and charm.
2. Turning the sweaters into felted
wool is a fairly simple process. Before washing your sweaters, cut them apart along the seam lines, then wash them in very hot water with laundry detergent, about four or five at a time. Be careful not to mix colors, because there are always sweaters that bleed. I
Above: Pale and Peaceful 7" 7" I completed this piece a couple of years ago, but have since dismantled it and plan to add stitching to the squares. I have always envisioned it as being a perfect addition to a sweet babys room. Below: When designing my small felted pieces, I like to pin the squares on a piece of foam board or corrugated cardboard so I can easily fiddle with their placement until I find a composition that I like.
collecting
the materials
The most difficult aspect of making one of these little quilts may be collecting the raw materials. I get my old wool sweaters from a variety of sources: thrift stores, yard sales, friends, relatives, and the occasional stranger who hears about what I do and mails me a few sweaters that were destined for the rubbish bin. When I started making my felted wool items about 15 years ago, I had a sizeable collection of old buttons that I had been amassing since childhood. I quickly realized I needed to find another source. There are stores that sell antique buttons, such as the iconic Tender Buttons in New York City. Flea markets are another good source. I also attend the occasional button show, where vendors sell antique buttons. quilting for beginners: 5 easy quilt patterns for beginners Q u i lt i n g D A i lY. c o m
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Sunset Dreams 6" 6" This is the eleventh item in my Pieces of Dreams series. While I stitched this little piece, I dreamed of the beautiful sunsets I see from my kitchen window: reds, pinks, blues, purplesa collection of colors stitched upon the sky. This piece is made from recycled sweaters, embellished with wool stitching and antique buttons, and has a silk border.
leave my washing machine lid in the open position, which causes it to stop at the end of the agitation cycle. I then reset it to start all over again, usually putting the sweaters through about four agitation cycles
before allowing the machine to finish with rinsing and spinning.

note: The felting process happens
when wool fibers are subjected to heat and agitation. When heat and agitation are applied to knitted or woven wool,
it is called fulling. Technically, what you will create is fulled wool; for the sake of expediency, I refer to it as felted wool, a term that is much more widely recognized and understood.
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3. Dry the sweaters in the dryer, then 7. Next comes some fun with
5
stitchingthis is the part of the process that I enjoy most. Using wool thread, add as many stitches as you like, sewing through both squares and/or just the base square. My earlier pieces had no decorative stitches, and I think they are beautiful, but lately I am enjoying adding more and more stitches.
8. Once you have completed your
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press them with a steam iron.

4. Now you need to cut the squares,
some for the bases and some that are slightly smaller. My base squares tend to be about 1", but you should choose whatever size you prefer. To make Sunset Dreams, I cut 25 base squares and 25 slightly smaller squares. I dont use a template; I just eyeball it.
5. Put a small square atop each
base square, choosing color combinations that please your eye, and stitch them together with an embellishment (a button, a bead, etc.) on top.
6. Now its time to play with your
decorative stitching, turn the edges of the background material under, leaving a small margin as the border. Add some decorative stitching to the border using embroidery floss; this stitching will also secure the folded edge.
9. Turn the little quilt over so it is
Figure 1
and background fabric, but be hidden on the front. I stitch in a grid pattern so that the stitches are hidden in the spaces between the squares.
11. Your little quilt is now finished.
wooly squares. Arrange and rearrange them until you have a pattern that suits you. I usually do this on a piece of foam board or corrugated cardboard (you can also use a table or tray), so I can easily pin the squares in place. Then I transfer the squares to my background material, one at a time. I sew the squares to the background with just a couple of stitches that I hide under the button. This step is just to secure everything in place.
lying face down (Figure 1), and lay your chosen middle layer onto the back. Then place the backing fabric, turning its edges under.
10. Stitch around the edge of the
Add a signature label by writing your name and date on a piece of muslin and stitching it to the back of the piece. mornacrites-moore.com
backing, securing it to the background material, and then add additional stitches using ordinary thread to hold the three layers together. These stitches, which add necessary substance to the piece, should go through the backing fabric, middle material,
Q u i lt i n g D A i lY. c o m 10
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art quilting
by
l esley r iley
Thinking Chair 7" 12"
AdApted froM Quilting Arts MAgAzine fAll 2004
Q u i lt i n g D A i lY. c o m 1 1
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omething has kept you from making an art quilt.
Maybe its the word art that has stopped you. Perhaps the endless products and embellishments seem overwhelming. Whatever the reason, there is only one solutionjust begin. With a few simple tools, a little fabric, and a desire to play, you can create a small art quilt of your own design.
An art quilt is an expression of your own individuality. It can draw on traditional patterns and techniques, but the end result is a totally newunique to youdesign. The beads, paints, transfers and other applications are there for your use if the spirit moves youif not, save them for another day. In fact, because art quilts are not meant for use, and therefore will not be washed, you are free to experiment with nontraditional methods and materials. There is no right or wrong. To get you started, I will lead you through the processes I used to make two small and simple art quilts. When you are ready to move on to bigger, more complex things, there are many excellent resources available. You may even decide you want to take a class on design or learn about specific quilting techniques that will enhance your new passion. But keep this in mindmany wonderful art quilts have been created by self-taught artists and quilters. Dont let a lack of formal training hold you back. The most
Dont let a lack of formal training hold you back. The most important quality that you can bring to your art quilt is your own vision.
important quality that you can bring to your art quilt is your own vision. Good workmanship is important, but it should not inhibit your creativity, especially when you are just starting out. Perfectionism should not be pursued at the expense of creativity, learning, and enjoying yourself. I like to tell my students, If youre not having fun, youre doing something wrong. Confidence, certainty, and expertise come from doing what you love over and over and over again. So lets begin. Art quilts generally follow the same construction techniques as a traditional quilt:
1. The quilt is composed of three 2. The quilt top is created by one of
three methods: piecing, appliqu, or whole cloth.

3. The three layers are held together
by stitching, tying, or fusing. You do not need to own a sewing machine to make your first art quilt. Just like our ancestors, you can sew your quilt entirely by hand. But unlike those women before us, you can now create a quilt entirely by fusing. Fusing is a term for joining fabric using an adhesive material that is activated by heat from an iron. Quilt fabrics backed with a sheet of fusible webbing, such as Wonder Under, can be fused together to create a no-sew art quilt. Optional hand-stitching can add depth and detail.
layers: top, batting, and backing, also known as a quilt sandwich.
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aPPliqud quilt
1. I scanned and printed an old photo 5. I used a simple finishing method
M A T E R I A l S
an assortment of fabrics in
coordinating colors ink-jet printer fabric copyright-free image scanner ink-jet printer straight pins fabric scissors (scissors that have been used to cut paper may be too dull for fabric cutting) Wonder under batting (commercial batting, flannel, or felt) Hand-sewing needle or sewing machine embellishments
Appliqu is a French word meaning to apply. In an appliqud quilt, small pieces of fabric are applied to a larger, background fabric by sewing or fusing. Shapes can be recognizable, such as a door or tree, geometric, or simply freeform shapes. Traditionally, any fabric that lies under another piece of fabric and is not seen is trimmed away to reduce bulk when hand quilting. With my appliqu method, I find that trimming is not necessary. To prevent layers of fabric from slipping, I use a walking foot attachment on my sewing machine. A walking foot is an attachment or a built-in feature on your sewing machine that feeds the fabric layers evenly through the machine and prevents the layers from slipping. If you do not have a walking foot, use more pins to prevent slipping or puckering, or fuse all layers before machine stitching.
onto fabric treated for ink-jet printers.

2. Using the photo as a starting
point, I chose a blue background fabric as the base for my appliqu because blue is complimentary to the orange in the photo and it provided a good, strong contrast. Three other fabrics in blue and orange tones were layered behind the photo to offset it from the background, and the composition was pinned in place. I tucked small pieces of my chosen border fabrics under the image to visually pull the outside edges of the quilt in towards the photo.
3. Using a straight stitch and my
to create the outer border, one that also serves as the quilt backing and edge finish: Cut a piece of batting 2.5" inches larger than finished quilt top. Cut backing fabric 3" larger on all sides than quilt top. Place backing fabric right side down, with batting on top. Fold backing fabric to front, mitering corners as if wrapping a package. Iron down. Place quilt top on top.
6. I removed the paper backing from
sewing machine, I stitched down all of the fabric layers to the background fabric, starting with the image and working outward. I started with the topmost layer, and stitched the exposed edges of every layer. This secured all layers underneath. This construction technique is similar to paper collage.
4. To mimic a border, I ironed
the Wonder Undered strips and slid them under the quilt top edges and on top of the folded-over backing fabric to mimic a border. To form the border, I sandwiched the strips of fabric with Wonder Under on them between the quilt top edges and the folded-over backing fabric, then ironed them in place.
7. I stitched the quilt top to the
batting and backing with a straight stitch going around the edges of the quilt top and again around the plaid borders.
8. To give the completed quilt a nice
Wonder Under to the back of the plaid fabric (a commercial fabric consisting of already pieced plaids.) Cut four strips, each 1.5" wide by the length of each side of the quilt top plus an additional two inches in length to make sure they overlap at the corners.
finished edge, I stitched around all four sides of the quilt 1/4" in from the finished edge, with a second line of stitching 1/4" inside of the first line of stitching.
9. I appliqud a vintage leaf to the
lower left corner of the image, with the tip of the leaf directing the eye towards the childs face in the photo.
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Move Over Moon 9" 14"
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WHole clotH quilt

M A T E R I A l S
cotton canvas or muslin copyright-free image scanner ink-jet printer transparency golden acrylic matte medium 1" foam brush golden quinacridone gold fluid
acrylic
fabric scissors (scissors that
have been used to cut paper may be too dull for fabric cutting.) backing and binding fabric batting (commercial batting, flannel, or felt) Wonder under Hand-sewing needle and thread buttons or embellishments sewing machine (optional)
In a whole cloth quilt the emphasis is on the surface design of the fabric and/ or the quilting stitches. Using paint, stamps, screening or transfers, a plain piece of fabric can be transformed into a work of art. The addition of quilting completes the overall design.
1. I scanned a favorite photo of mine
into my computer and printed it onto an ink-jet transparency.

2. The image was transferred to fabric
3. I chose to machine stitch a red
5. I layered the backing fabric,
line around the images to add definition. This could have been hand-stitched or omitted.
4. Using the fluid acrylic, I randomly
batting, and quilt top to form the quilt sandwich.

6. I ironed Wonder Under onto the
by applying acrylic medium to the fabric, laying the inked side of the transparency down on the fabric and burnishing the image to transfer the ink to the fabric.
added color to the quilt top, leaving the paint concentrated in some areas and adding water to thin it out to make it more subtle in others.
binding fabric. Four strips were cut the length of the quilt sides plus 1". Before removing the paper backing, the strips were folded in half and ironed. The backing paper was removed and the strips were
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quiltmaking
You can make an appliqud art quilt without ever taking a stitch. Fusing is a method that joins fabrics together using a heat-activated bonding material. A paper-backed fusible is ironed to the back of fabric. You can draw designs on the paper backing, or cut out free-form shapes. Remove the paper backing from the fabric and following manufacturers directions, iron to another piece of fabric to fuse them together. Fusible batting allows you to adhere your quilt layers together simply by ironing. Strips of fusible-backed fabric can be folded and ironed over the quilt edges to bind the quilt. Voila! You have created a quilt without sewing a stitch.
N O - S E W
a few Words about quilting

originally, small closely spaced quilting stitches were necessary to keep loose cotton batting from shifting around between the quilt layers. naturally these early quilters wanted their stitching to be as attractive as their piecing and appliqu were, and they designed patterns for their stitches to take. the care and attention put into these stitches later became the basis for judging workmanship and mastery of the craft. quilting stitches also added another dimension to what is basically a two-dimensional surface and often complimented the design of the piecing and appliqu. With todays technology in manufacturing, batting no longer needs to be stitched at such close and regular intervals. many manufacturers now recommend stitching only every 6 to12 inches. todays quilters have the choice of using quilting stitches as an integral part of their overall quilt design or purely for functional purposes. if you love to hand stitch, a small art quilt can serve as a canvas for your stitching. Perhaps you want to use a machine, but are afraid of ruining your quilt; you can use simple straightstitch quilting methods. stitch-in-theditch hides your machine stitching in the ditch, or junction, where two fabrics are joined together. by following these seam lines, you can add dimension to the quilt surface and secure the quilt layers together. stitching-in-the-ditch can also be done by hand. another simple quilting method, called the outline method, is to stitch by hand or machine, 14" from the ditch, or seam lines. stitching can be done 1 4" inside or outside of the pieced or appliqud edge. this method is easier than free-form or free-motion quilting and adds dimension and definition to your quilt top. two very simple methods that are perfect for anyone new to sewing or someone who does not have a sewing machine are tying and button-quilting. tying a quilt is as easy as tying your shoe, but you do have to know how to thread a needle. a heavier thread, like Pearl cotton or embroidery floss, is usually used. starting from the top put the needle and thread through the quilt top to the back leaving a 4" tail of thread. come back through to the front, close to your original stitch, and tie a double knot in the two thread tails. using decorative thread, or thread in a contrasting color can add another element to the overall quilt design. to button-quilt your quilt, sew on buttons in a random or planned pattern, stitching through all three layers of the quilt sandwich. you can hide your knots under the buttons. the color of the buttons can be subdued to blend in, or serve as an element of the overall design as in the quilt opposite. and last, but not least, the easiest and most portable method, called stippling, is to quilt by taking random stitches across the surface of the quilt with a matching, contrasting or decorative thread. these randomly scattered stitches are similar to the tied method, but without the loose hanging thread tails. Pieced quilts and appliqu can be enhanced by background stippling. many close stitches tend to depress the background and cause unstitched shapes to puff up. While a few well placed stitches are sufficient to hold your quilt together, you may find that you enjoy the relaxing rhythm of hand stitching.
ironed to fuse the binding to the quilt edges. Any additional fabric at the corners was trimmed away.
7. I chose to quilt this whole cloth
quilt by sewing on buttons (buttonquilting.) This was a decision I had made once the image transfer and painting was completed. I wanted an additional dimension and more visual interest for this simple quilt top, plus more color. The buttons served all three purposes. Three sizes of red buttons were sewn on with the largest at the bottom to provide visual weight and lead the eye upward. lesleyriley.com
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quicK & easy
silhouette quilts
ve always been drawn to portraiture. Silhouettes, in particular, hold my interest. I find it amazing how much a silhouette can look like the
was looking to their left they were looking backwards, into the past, perhaps reflecting or remembering.
person portrayed even when all of the details have been removed.
face. Eliminate distractions by having your subject stand in front of a plain white wall or door.
note: If you will be combining several
For my latest project, I wanted a fresh twist on a traditional black silhouette, so I decided to try some fun prints and favorite colors. When designing a silhouette, the direction the person faces is a matter of personal preference. Ive read historical references where it was thought that if the subject was looking to their right they were symbolically looking forward, to the future. If the subject
Directions
c reate
the silhouette pattern
1. Take a profile (side view) picture
people into a single project, hang a gridded rotary-cutting mat on the wall and take individual photos. Make sure each person stands the same distance away from the gridded surface. Place the camera on a tripod so it remains the same distance away from the wall, too. This will make it easy to combine
of a loved one. Hold your camera at the same height as your subjects
by
M AriA e lkins
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M A T E R I A l S
digital camera Photo-editing software computer and printer red gel pen fabric (two contrasting colors for
the quilt top) fusible web (i use lite steam-aseam 2.) small, sharp scissors iron and ironing surface thread sewing machine batting fabric for the backing and binding
Optional
gridded rotary-cutting mat tripod

the pictures in a digital photo-editing program, and it allows you to ensure that each persons silhouette will be the correct size.
2. Open your photo in the
digital-editing program of your choice. Mirror the image, and size your picture as desired. Make sure you leave margins around the silhouette. If desired, you can digitally erase some or all of the background. (To combine multiple portraits, start with one image and paste the second image onto a new layer. Reduce the opacity on the second image to 50%. If needed, adjust the size of the images until the grids match.)
3. Print out your picture to the
Dawning 20" 14" Cotton fabric (hand-painted background), cotton batting; fused appliqu, machine stitched. 4. To create your silhouette pattern
desired size. (If you have multiple portraits, it may be easier to print each silhouette separately.)
on the printout, outline your subjects profile with a red gel pen. This is your chance to add subtle facelifts or stylized hair curls. You will also need to decide how to deal with the neck and shoulders area. For instance, you can have
your subject extend off the lower edge of your quilt or, if you want a vintage look, draw a gentle S curve that echoes the curve of the shoulder and flows down to the front of your subjects chest.
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2. Cut a piece of fusible web slightly
larger than your silhouette pattern. Remove one of the paper backings and fuse the webbing to the wrong side of the silhouette fabric. (If you are using a third fabric to create an outline, apply fusible web to the back of that fabric too.
3. Remove the remaining paper
backing from the applied fusible web. Using your hand, press the paper printout (with the marked red silhouette pattern) to the wrong side of your silhouette fabric. Do not iron.
tip: Pay attention to where you position
the paper pattern on the fabric. You may want to position the eyes/nose/mouth area so it is not interrupted by specific designs on your fabric.
4. Following the outer edge of your
silhouette pattern, cut out the silhouette fabric. (If you are using a third fabric, position the cut-out silhouette fabric on the third fabric. Remove the paper pattern and fuse with a hot iron. Create an outline by cutting the third fabric 18" beyond the edge of the silhouette fabric.)
Stephanie 16" 12" Cotton fabric, cotton batting; fused appliqu, machine stitched.
f use
anD finish
1. Position your silhouette on the
s elect
anD prepare the fabrics

1. Choose two contrasting fabrics.
the planned size of your finished portrait quilt.

tip: If you choose background and
background fabric. Fuse with a hot iron.

2. Prepare your quilt sandwich. Quilt
and bind. mariaelkins.com
Typically, the darker color will be the silhouette and the lighter color will be the background. Cut both fabrics about 3" larger than
foreground fabrics that have similar colors that merge, choose a third fabric to create an outline that will visually separate the similar colors and add contrast.
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eAsY Quilt pAtterns

stitch this!
b
eing a life-long doodler is one of the things that makes machine quilting so fun for me. Whether Im watching TV, talking on the phone, or resting with a cup of coffee, I have a sketchbook and pencil in hand. We all have our own doodles inside us. I like to draw trees, flowers, hearts, and suns along with plenty of swirly designs. Ive even found evidence of my swirly-centered, five-petal flowers on old schoolwork from high school.
Doodling has led me to new and expanded designs that I can interpret into freestyle machine quilting. I know that if I can draw a design as a continuous line without having to lift my pencil, then I can quilt it without
free-motion quilting motifs to try
having to knot off. In this third installment of my column on free-motion stitching I invite you to pick up your pencil, start doodling, and discover the designs waiting to be released.
Heart
M A T E R I A l S
sketchbook Pencil sewing machine with free-
beginner
h earts
Stitched hearts are a great design for baby quilts and can add a feminine touch to any project. Most of us can easily draw a heart. You may like long, thin hearts or prefer thick, squat hearts, or maybe your favorite style of heart is somewhere in between. When stitching hearts, draw from the tip (point) up rather than from the center cleft. Here are three variations of heart-based fillers just waiting for you to give them a try. Get comfortable with each design by doodling it first.
motion capabilities free-motion or darning foot (i use an open-toe foot.) fabric batting Pins thread (in various colors contrasting with your fabrics) marking tool (i use a Hera marker.)
D ouble
heart
The first stitched sample features meandering double hearts. Each set of hearts is about 1" in size. Beginning near the center of the area you want to fill, stitch a small heart beginning at the pointed tip. Stitch up and around, then down slightly to form the cleft in the center of the heart. Then stitch
by
H eAtHer t HoMAs
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eAsY Quilt pAtterns
Spiral heart
Double heart Large heart
back up and around and back down to where you started to form the tip of the heart. The first heart should be about 1/2" wide and a little taller. Next, echo the heart along the outside edge, stitching in the opposite direction and keeping the echo line about 1/4" away from the original heart. Once the echo is complete, stitch a second small heart in the same manner and echo it. Keep stitching sets of hearts, nestling new hearts between previously sewn ones, and angling them in different directions. Strive to keep a similar distance for a neat and tidy fill.
positioned to stitch a second echoed heart. Continue stitching echoed hearts, linking and surrounding them with loop-d-loops, until you have filled the space. Strive for equal-sized hearts stitched at various angles as well as equal-sized loops and balanced negative space.
l arge
heart
s piral
heart
The second stitched sample features the same echoed heart shape, but the hearts are larger (about 11/2"13/4" in size), and instead of nestling the echoed hearts into each other, the echoed hearts are linked by loop-d-loops. Begin by stitching a set of echoed double hearts. Once you have echoed the heart and are back at the tip, stitch away from the heart and form a loop that is about 1/4" in size. Stitch away from the loop and form a second loop. Keep stitching small loops around the heart until you are
The final heart design features larger, thicker hearts linked by spirals. Each heart is about 11/2"2" in size and is about as wide as it is tall. To keep the design looking neat and tidy, try to make the spirals about half the size of the hearts. Beginning at the tip (point) of a heart, stitch up one side forming a very round peak and a deep cleft; then stitch the second side of the heart. As you reach the bottom tip of the heart, stitch a small spiral about the size of
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Quilting for Beginners a nickel. leave space in the spiral to stitch back out again and complete the spiral. Once you are out of the spiral, stitch away and form another heart. Keep stitching thick hearts and using spirals to travel between them. Strive to keep the hearts about the same size with an equal amount of negative space between them.
eAsY Quilt pAtterns
Basic flower
intermeDiate
f lowers
The wonderful thing about flowers is that they are organic and therefore you dont need to worry about each one looking exactly like the othera misshaped petal is a natural thing. The example shows a basic flower, with a swirly center and five-pointed petals, stitched out in four slightly different ways. Doodle out each one before you begin stitching.
b asic
flower
To stitch out the basic flower, begin in the center and stitch a swirl about the size of a quarter. Once you have completed the center swirl, stitch the end of it into itself to close it up. Begin forming the first petal by stitching out and away from the center and toward the right about 1"; then begin angling toward the left, stitching another 1" and then stop. Now stitch down and out to the back, toward the center, to form the second side of the petal. Strive to keep the base of each petal about the same size (about 15 the circumference of the center). Stitch the remaining four petals in the same manner.
Basic flower
Take note of the other flowers shown. Each variation on the basic flower has a different type of center and differentshaped petals. The base of one flower has small circles that are stitched so that they abut one another to form a larger, circular center. The petals are long and narrow, with wavy edges, and some of the petals are nestled in such a way as to make them look as if they
are behind the other petals. To achieve this effect requires some backtracking.
a sterisk
flower
An asterisk flower begins with an asterisk-like center surrounded by elongated, round-ended petals. To form the center, stitch a short line, about 1/2"; then double back to the starting point. Stitch another short line about 1/2" and a scant bit away from the first line; then stitch back to the starting point. Keep adding doubled-up lines that radiate out from the starting point until you have
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eAsY Quilt pAtterns
Asterisk flower
Variation on a basic flower

formed the asterisks center. The petals that surround the center are about 2" long and about 14" wide at the base and about 34" wide at the rounded end.
tip: You can doll up your flowers in so
many ways! Flowers can be used as an allover design or as a focal point. In the detail (opposite far left), I stitched out loads of flowers and linked them together with stems and leaves. The design looks neat and tidy when the leaves are much smaller than the petals of the flowers. heatherthomasblog.blogspot.com
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