Good morning, Quilters!
Today–A Free Motion Quilting Quick Tip: Escapes…
Adding this little skill to your “bag of tricks” can dramatically improve the look of your free motion quilting!
Whenever stitching a “shape-within-a-shape” motif–for example, a leaf with stems in the center, or a flower with a stamen…
Leave a small opening in the bottom of the shape. It will still “read” as a closed shape…
Leaving this small gap allows the INNER stitching line to exit without a stitching over any previous line of stitching.
The “closed leaf” below looks messy with “overstitching”…
For other examples of leaving an “escape” take a look at The Basic Leaf, The Closed Umbrella, The Open Umbrella, and many of the other motifs found on The Free Motion Quilt Motif Page.
Using an ESCAPE to avoid “stitchovers” will give YOUR quilts an instantly improved appearance!
Give it a try!
Happy Stitches,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, information and images are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, share, tweet with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
15 comments
Hannele
This is just a small detail but so so important to bear in mind – a great tip!
Linda Swanekamp
Great tip! Thanks. Love the flower at the top and how the leaves vary. Very nice.
Freda Payne
Hey -wise words and a pretty design too! Warm Scottish summer day and sunflowers -I am smiling -so thanks for that.
Marianne
Thank you for this great tip, Lori! It will solve some problems with my messy spots.
Cheryl in PA
Excellent tip! I see improvement coming!
Barb E
Thanks such a small thing that will make a big difference.
laceyirish
Thanks for sharing that excellent tip. I’ve fussed over thread buildup sometimes and now I have the answer!
Caroline Sullivan
Most excellent tip Lori. Thank you
Karen
Lovely flower and excellent tip! My free motion quilting just keeps getting better and more fun to do, thanks to you!
WordPress.com Support
Music to my ears!
Kelly
Honestly it is a great tip if you feel that way about it, but I always felt like open ended objects look unfinished and sloppy compared to closed end. The thread play has never bothered me, but rather I believe adds an artistic flair that I find appealing.
Carol Hungerford
What a delightful way to begin the morning — I had been looking for a sunflower design. Now I need to figure out how to continue it in an all over pattern.
Ness
Love love this flower too…Thanks for the escape route! I have been trying to mimic that as I hate that uh oh trapped feeling…makes me stress and so does the cringe when I got myself in a pickle without being able to eek my way past somewhere. Won’t be so nerve racking with a planned escape. I agree with Karen, you definitely make this more enjoyable and projects are turning out so much cuter. Thanks bunches and gobs.
Marjorie henwood
Oh my!!!!! I just now found you….following via email… I love your tutorials!!!
thank you!!!!
Lori Kennedy
Welcome, Marjorie! So glad you found us! Please tell all your “quilty” friends about us!
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