Modern Quilting new Placemats for QUILTsocial

 This past week was my turn over at QUILTsocial. I am finally into the groove of free motion quilting thanks to the PFAFF performance icon. 

The  simple placemat pattern would look great in any fabric combination. I used a collected fat quarter, leftover parts from another project and a light gray solid to make mine. 

Modern placemats made easy with the PFAFF performance icon

On the first placemat I finally tried out some straight line, or matchstick quilting. I understand now why modern quilters like the texture it creates.

Straight line quilting with the PFAFF performance icon

I purposely made simple placemats to try out different quilting designs this week. For the second placemat I used several different decorative stitches and found a new stippling stitch that I will probably use again.

How to use decorative stitches for a perfect quilted finish

For the third placemat I revisited a favourite stitch - the large curvy stipple. It works up quickly and makes such a fun statement. 

Quilting made easy with a stipple stitch

The final placemat found me using a new-to-me presser foot and pretty much deciding this is my new favourite for free motion quilting. 

Fun with free-motion quilting on the PFAFF performance icon!

In fact, I had so much fun that I finally quilted my Celebration Leaves wallhanging. Now it's almost ready for this Canada Day!

The Celebration Leaves is a free block pattern for newsletter subscribers; subscribe and get yours!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Free Motion Quilting week at QUILTsocial

Last week I wrote about free motion quilting at QUILTsocial. I have been learning to drop the feed dogs and have some creative fun while completing projects. I am close to being a convert as free motion quilting really does take less time and is easier to do the more you practice!

My first post talks about getting ready for free motion quilting. In this case I'm using the PFAFF performance icon sewing machine so getting it ready is an important part of the process. But also, I had to get ready mentally and prepare myself for trying something new and knowing that I wouldn't get it perfect right away.

Getting Ready to free-motion quilt with the PFAFF performance icon

I surrounded myself with knowledgeable quilters and then I practiced. I know there are common problems and really just getting used to doing the motions of moving the quilt increased my confidence.

Practicing free-motion quilting with the PFAFF performance icon

Then it was time to put some play into my practice! I had purchased a panel with two Canadian maps on it a year or more ago with great plans to have pillows made for Canada Day. Well, I managed to get one done - and started enjoying the process of filling in the background of a project with free motion quilting.

Oh! Free motion quilting! Oh! PFAFF performance icon!

My project to put my practice to the test was yet another cushion cover - can you really have too many? I loved mixing the bold print with the solid blue fabric. Adding the hand look embroidery stitch that is built into the performance icon really helped make my vision for this project come to life.

Appliqueing a heart on a cushion cover using a decorative stitch

Then I had to go for it! I knew I had gained some free motion quilting skills and that I would never get any better if I didn't put them into practice. I'm starting to learn that I can explore using tools and techniques to help me create. I'm looking forward to doing more free motion quilting now and really hope my posts inspire some more quilters to practice and try it out too!

Free-motion quilting adds accent to heart cushion cover

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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