Doodle Your Way to Better Quilting
Today’s Topic: Doodle Your Way to Better Quilting
Happy New Year, Quilters and Doodlers!
Let’s start the quilting year by getting back to basics–doodling!
You CAN doodle YOUR way to better machine quilting!
In my humble opinion, doodling is the fastest way to improve your quilting. It improves your hand-eye coordination and helps you plan your quilting design.
I guarantee–if you doodle every day for 15 minutes, within two weeks your quilting will improve!
With that in mind, let’s begin January 2022 with a series of doodling exercises.
Today, we will doodle spirals.
Spirals-A Basic Letter in the Quilting Alphabet
If free motion quilting had an alphabet, spirals would be the letter A. It is the alpha in my quilting repertoire. Spirals can stand alone or be the center of a flower. Spirals can be a background fill or a central motif. I’m pretty sure there are spirals in every quilt I’ve ever made!
So let’s doodle spirals!
Get out your favorite pen and a notebook (For this series of exercises it will be best to keep everything together in a notebook.)
Begin by doodling rows and rows of spirals. Practice the spirals three ways:
First, create the spiral by starting on the outer edge and rotating inward.
Next, doodle spirals by starting in the center and rotating outward–see how big you can make your spiral.
Finally, start on the outside and in one continuous line, spiral in and then back out again.
Spirals Large, Spirals Small
Continue doodling spirals by making big spirals, then small spirals.
Then try patterns of big and small spirals.
And be sure to practice both clockwise and counterclockwise spirals!
Pencils and Pens Make a Difference!
Try a variety of writing tools for doodling. Some pen/paper combinations are easier than others.
For example, I usually love to doodle with a fountain pen, but this paper was too smooth and I found it difficult to control. The crayon and pencil worked much better.
More Doodling All Month
I plan to dedicate a lot of time to doodling this month.
We will add a new motif tomorrow.
So get your crayons sharpened!
And of course, if a doodle makes you feel like quilting–jump right in and try it!
This Made Me Laugh Today
I saw this on Instagram today and had to share! Living in MN, I can relate!
What about YOU?
What made YOU laugh today?
Are YOU ready to doodle and quilt your way through winter/2022?
Do YOU have any quilting related resolutions for 2022?
YOUR Doodlicious Quilter,
Loodle Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com!
Check out my books on Etsy: LoriKennedyShop
Quilting better was and is my only resolution for 2022! I started doodling again on the first of January and I can see a difference already. I stopped last year for about six months and didn’t get anything quilted! So your “doodle along” is perfect timing for me. Thank You!
Cheri..you are not alone…I’m going to start up again as well. Thank you Lori for continuing to inspire… and add humor!
Hooray!! Thanks for reinforcing my assertion—doodling makes quilting easier!
Another great suggestion. Thank you.
I quite enjoyed that cartoon too. Doodling has improved my quilting, thanks for the suggested plan.
Love your quilting doodles , Lori. Thank you for making them available.
I’m glad we don’t have that much snow in central MN yet! Now that I’m retired I will have to doodle as I do want to improve my FMQ! Thanks
West-central Canada here. We don’t have that much sno where I am. Calgary would certainly get it. I think it would be hard to choose..deep snow or minus 40 and windy. It will be a great time to doodle, I think.
Yes! Winter is quilting season! We’ve had some bitter temperatures (-20). But -40 is unimaginable!
-36 C in Northern Alberta this morning! It’s a good day to practice FMQ!
You are so right! I love to doodle and have since I was little. When I teach I have students draw their motifs and trace to make a “memory” of how it goes.
Obrigada pelo ensinamento. Nunca é tarde para aprender Lori. Vou fazer meus rabiscos também. Tenha um 2022, abençoado.
I hope the quilt shop is open by the time she trudges thru that snow! If not, she can go home and doodle some more!
Lololol!!!
JUST SHARED this link to your doodle/draw exercises with my Postcard Fabric Art group on Facebook, Lori. I’m hoping those who want to learn with join in as well as those who want to improve their skills. I’ve followed you for years, have taken one of your classes on CRAFTSY and think you’re just FABULOUS! Much thanks for all you do and share.
Wow! Thank you Ann! I really appreciate whenever someone shares!
Dear Lori, Happy New Year to you. Happy doodling lessons. Yes I love them as it has improved my quilting. I am definitely looking forward to it. Thanks for continuing to inspire us.
Here it is, January 12th, and I plan to catch up. I have a dedicated notebook. I set my timer for 15 minutes. I’m making notes. Now if I can get started on my exercise plan. Maybe I can join these two goals together.
I’ve lurked on your site for years. Thanks for your continued great examples of how to improve in so many different areas of quilting.
I’ll share this with my group, Azalea City Art Quilters.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Anne! Don’t think, just doodle LOL!