Free Motion Quilt Tutorial: The Feathered Leaf
Good morning, Quilters!
I hope you had time to create a little rose garden using Nora’s Rose free motion quilt tutorial last week…
Today, I have a gorgeous free motion quilt leaf pattern for you: The Feathered Leaf.
This pattern is a Beginner free motion quilt pattern…It can be used on a border or as a background motif...
THE FEATHERED LEAF FREE MOTION QUILT TUTORIAL
Begin by drawing two parallel lines or “rails”. Rails are drawn lines that provide guidelines for our free motion stitching. In the sample below, the lines are two inches apart.
In the middle of the lines, add “tick” marks every four inches. This will be the length of the leaf.
(NOTE: In the sample below, I stitched horizontally from left to right, but you could stitch from right to left or vertically--whichever works best for you and the quilt on which you are working.)
Begin stitching on the first tick mark. Stitch a curvy line and end at the second tick mark and STOP.
Next, stitch close to the wavy line a short distance to create a point, then stitch scallops back to the beginning of the wavy line. Stitch the last scallop to a point at the beginning of the wavy line.
Now stitch the scallops on top of the wavy line…
Again, stitch a point at the right end of the wavy line…That completes the first Feathered Leaf.
Now stitch the next wavy line to begin another Feathered Leaf.
Once the entire row of Feathered Leaves is complete, echo stitch and add a little spiral occasionally.
Stagger the Feathered Leaves in a row to fill a large space.
Or stitch angled Feathered leaves…
In a border…
This is an elegant free motion quilt pattern that would look great on ANY quilt!
TOMORROW: A small quilt featuring The Feathered Leaf in the border…
See you then,
Leafy Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, Pin, Tweet, Share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
Your tutorials are so clear; I love them! However, could you please continue to update your tutorial index? I just realized that Nora’s rose, the baseballs, and this Feathered Leaf are not on the index, so I will have to start making my own index if I am ever going to find these motifs again.
I try to update monthly. Scroll through the last three Tuesday Tutorials to find those.
Another great idea for that narrow inner border that sometimes stumps me for a motif that’s appropriate!!!! Thanks so much!!!!!!
Absolutely gorgeous…thanks so much for sharing. I hope you know how appreciated you are!
Have you considered putting your tutorial in either .pdf or a printable form? I cut and paste the tutorials in Word so I can print them and refer to them more easily when at the sewing machine. It doesn’t work well to have the PC by the machine because of room. If you do this – make cure the copyright is on the page.
I’m looking forward to trying this in borders! Lovely. I am learning to free motion quilt with an Bernina Artista 640–what is your favorite batting? I’m having tension issues and was told it might be the batting.
Thanks for sharing!
Love! Love! Love!!!!! So cute! Good job Lori! I can hardly wait to try it! How do you come up with these! So happy you share…thanks :)!
Very nice idea Lori!
Very nice pattern Lori! You come up with the greatest stuff! I particularly love the border!
I think this is what I have been looking for to put in a block made of 4 3inch strips.
Thanks
It would look cool if you alternate the stem and tip ends! Love to see it!
This is a lovely addition to your wonderful tutorials! It made me think of pea pods, however, especially after the echo stitching was added with the swirls. Whatever you call it, it is great. Thanks so much for doing this for the quilting world.
So glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites! I will be showing the peapod version later this month.
Rosemary b here:
I love this. 🙂
I needed a new one and will adopt this one. Thanks for the tutorial and I’ll give it a try.
Another great pattern! And easy…for people like me. Thanks!
This was just what I needed to finish the border of a small quilt. It’s the perfect finish. Now just have yo get the binding on. Thanks so much.
I don’t know, maybe it’s the green fabric, but I thought if you made the outer outlining smooth, they look like peas in a pod. Very cute!
Definitely! I will show the peas later this month
I think this motif is one of the best I have seen I have not tried it yet but I will tomorrow, I think the pdf idea is good thanks
just when I was wondering what and how to do the 4″ border in the baby quilt here you are, saving my soul again, thank you Lori!!