Mistletoe and Berries-Free Motion Quilting Tutorial
Good Morning, Quilters and Quilt-Lovers! Are YOU ready for Christmas? The countdown continues…just 16 days to finish your Christmas gifts! I’m sure someone on your list would love a table runner with Mistletoe & Berries!
MISTLETOE & BERRIES FREE MOTION QUILT TUTORIAL
The leaves for this motif are very similar to quilted feathers.
If you’re a pro at feathers, this pattern will be easy for you.
If you are new to feathers, this is a great motif to start your practice.– just three feathers at a time…Soon YOU will be ready to take on Quilted Feathers…(tutorials coming in 2015!)
DRAWING RAILS
Begin by drawing two lines one inch apart. These are “rails” – guidelines to keep our stitching tidy. (Of course, YOUR rails can be any distance apart!)
In between the lines, draw a very shallow curved line. All of the leaves and berries will come back to this line.
Begin stitch on the curved, center line. Stitch at an angle toward the right rail. Curve around and back to the center line-leaving a small gap above the starting point.
Next, stitch another petal angling toward the left rail. Again, stop just above the previous stitching–ON the drawn, curvy line.
Stitch one more petal to the right and STOP on the line. This is a good place to stop (with the needle down) to think and plan, or adjust the quilt as necessary.
Stitch UP several stitches along the curvy, drawn line. Stop. Stitch a circle. (Circle tutorial HERE)
Add two more circles, traveling on top of the previous stitching if necessary, to create a cluster of three berries.
BEAUTIFUL!
Continue UP the curvy line to create the next Mistletoe and Berries.
NOTE-One side will always have two Mistletoe leaves. Alternate the double-leaf side from right to left for a more balanced look.
String some Cranberries between the rows of Mistletoe–PERFECT!
Add Mistletoe & Berries to YOUR Christmas quilts and you’ll certainly be smothered with kisses!
Also, be sure to try one of MY FAVORITE Free motion quilt tutorials: The Snowflake
And you might also like The Snow Crystal Quilt….
Lots more quilting this week…
Smooching in Stillwater,
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, Pin with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
I love this design. Very festive indeed.
I agree so pretty and perfect for a holiday theme but I would even use it for other seasons or types.
Absolutely! If it were on a different color fabric it wouldn’t look Christmas-y at all.
This is such a pretty design……it’s going to look so pretty in my Christmas quilt sashing. Thank you so much. Blessings….
Oh, Lori, I *LOVE* this! I have fabric for a Christmas quilt that this design would be absolutely perfect for; I guess I have some motivation to start that quilt now!
From one Lori to another: So glad you like this one! Start NOW!
A perfect motif for those oh-so-narrow borders/sashings!!!! Great tute, once again!!!
that is great design and will be perfect in any quilt, I am enjoying your designs, they are giving me courage to try more machine quilting. Thank you
So pretty Lori–the green is such a fresh look. Thank you.
I love this and have trie many of your designs which, I am so grateful that you share these with us. I have a very hard time moving my hands a rhythm with my machine. I am wondering if any one has tried any of the quilt frames that you attach your “home” machine to and then move the whole machine similar to a long arm but using your home machine? I am considering one but just wanted to have to personal knowledge if these really work all that well.
Brenda, I have tried them and found they work quite well. The problem is that there is very little harp space in a typical domestic machine, and the roller bar has to fit inside of that-shrinking the space even more. You might be able to get away with it for small quilts, but not large. Then again, small quilts aren’t that hard to sit and sew-the normal free motion quilt way. Definitely TRY before you BUY!
Thank you Lori
I have found that the small harp on a domestic machine is too restrictive for use on a frame.
This is a wonderful design for a Christmas quilt. Simple but lovely..thank you so much!!!
LOVE!! A new favorite! Very pretty Lori! I just love Christmas!
I just love your site. I am learning machine quilting still quite jerky. I feel like your friend, I am from MN and live in AZ. Stillwater is a beautiful place. I have 5 daughters and many son-in-laws.
oooOOOOOooo~!!! You are so timely 😀 This would work great for the last Laurel Burch ornaments on my quilt that have been driving me nuts trying to figure out the quilting I want on them 🙂
Send us a link when it’s done. We’d all love to see your quilt!
I think this is so elegant …
Love your designs and the way you “teach” them! Easy to replicate! Thanks!
Your designs just keep amazing me, over, and, over, I love, love, love them. I am from chilly Montana, spending winters in AZ. It never seems like winter here because it is so warm. but when I see your beautiful Christmas designs, it “warms my heart” as well, thank you so much Lori, you are a blessing and inspiration to all of us who love to quilt and sew, what a wonderful gift you are sharing with us!!!!
Thank you, kindly, Carole. If you miss winter…come visit me in Minnesota. It’s very cold today!
Thank you Lori ~ love all your work and tutorials. Thanks again for sharing!
I love love this design – so perfect for the Christmas placemats I am working on. Thank you for sharing your awesome talent. Merry Christmas!!
Great design I have a table runner that it would look great on!
Hi Lori, I just found you and I am sure enjoying your ideas and tutorials. I am about to quilt a disappearing pinwheel quilt which is a churn dash with pinwheel in the centers, it is in snowman fabrics thinking of quilting it in snowflakes, any ideas for me? It has a wool batt so I don’t want too pack it down too much. Thanks & Merry Christmas. I am from Vancouver Island Canada.
Send a photo and we can ask the group.
This is absolutely delightful! I’m going to use it on a jelly roll quilt I’m making for my sister – though it’s not christmasy at all. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us.
That sounds perfect!
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful tutorial, it is beautiful!
I love the berries design. Just in time for Christmas. Thank you Lori for all the you do. Have a Jolly Holiday Season