Build A Rock Solid Routine-Be Ready

October 29, 2014
Lori Kennedy Quilts, The Pumpkin Sampler

Free Motion Quilted pumpkinWhen inspiration strikes are YOU ready?

You may have only 20 minutes….

If everything is ready, 20 minutes is enough...but ONLY if you are organized…

Free Motion Quilted pumpkinDo you have a quilt sandwich ready?

Today’s assignment in Building a Rock Solid Routine for Free Motion Quilting is to make 10 quilt sandwiches.

A nice quilt sandwich size is 18 x 20–a fat quarter.

12 x 12 is the smallest I would recommend.

Free Motion Quilted pumpkinYOUR ASSIGNMENT

Choose a size that works for you.  This is YOUR SIZE.  Write it down somewhere!  If you have a lot of fat quarters-go with 18 x 20″.

1.   Cut 10 -12 batting pieces.

Either use what you have or buy a twin size batting and cut it up into pieces slightly larger than YOUR SIZE.

2.  Cut 10-12 pieces of quilt top fabric in YOUR SIZE.

Make sure some of the fabrics are solids.  Choose seasonal colors.  Skip the muslin and  ugly colors -you won’t feel inspired by these fabrics and when your stitching looks fabulous you will be disappointed by the fabric.(NOTE:  If you have any “orphan blocks” they make great little projects for free motion quilt practice.  Use them “as is” or add a border.)

Fold the top fabrics neatly.

3.  Cut 10-12 backing pieces slightly larger than YOUR SIZE.

Again, this is no time to use up your “dogs”.  It is okay to use fabrics you don’t love anymore, but don’t use fabric you HATE...there is a difference.

Avoid white on white fabrics -they don’t slide well as backings.  Also, avoid very tightly woven fabrics like hand dyed and batiks.

Fold the backing fabrics neatly.

MIX AND MATCH WHEN INSPIRATION STRIKES

You should have three neatly folded piles:

  • Batting
  • Tops
  • Backing

All mix and match (the sizes are all the same)…

Free Motion Quilted pumpkinNOW you are READY TO GO!

Pick one from each pile and iron all three layers… (I don’t recommend ironing all the fabrics at once–they stitch best when ironed just before stitching…)

You only have 20 minutes to quilt you say?

I can’t wait to see what YOU do in 20 minutes!

(For  ideas and inspiration…check out the entire library of free motion quilt tutorials…)

Happy Stitches,

Lori

You might also like other posts in this series:

Build a Rock Solid Routine for FMQ

Build a Rock Solid Routine Supply List for FMQ

Build a Rock Solid Routine:  Machine Set up for FMQ

PS…All images, information and tutorials are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt.  For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com.  Thanks!

Free Motion Quilted pumpkin

 

 

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