Tag Archives: quilt design

I am participating in the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge over at SewCalGal.  The multitalented quilter, Don Linn, has created a video tutorial for April.

I decided to use a design that I drew in EQ7.

Don Linn has a great transfer method for quilt designs!  All I need are simple tools…a Sharpie, an embroidery hoop, and a piece of tulle.  Put the tulle in the hoop, lay it over my design (tulle pressed flat over the design), and carefully trace with the Sharpie.

After heat setting the traced design, place it back into the hoop and lay it over my fabric (again, tulle pressed flat to the fabric).  Now here is where I screwed up…don’t be like me.  I used my favorite chalk marker, but my marks were gone before I could actually free motion stitch.  So I faked it, and my stitching is not as accurate as it should be.  Perhaps with a less complicated design, the chalk would have lasted longer.  With the right marker, the transferring works great!

I used a purple rayon in the top, and a purple 50 wt. Aurifil in the bobbin.  I also used a 90/14 denim Schmetz needle and loosened my top tension. 

The fabric is my own hand-dyed fabric.

Don Linn also describes an easy way to come up with quilting designs.  I chose a simple design from one of my favorite, well-used books.  The copyright is 1994.  I got mine several years ago (maybe in 1994) from Dover books, but in doing a quick Google search, I see it is still available in several places. 

This is so simple!  I cut out the teardrop shape.

And I tried it rounded side up (top left of photo) and rounded side down (top right of photo).  I like it rounded side down, but tucked under the heart (lower half of photo).  Ta-da!  New design!