Nikki’s Jigsaw Puzzle-A FMQ Tutorial
Good Morning, Quilters! Today I have an extremely fast and fun Free Motion Quilting (or Long Arm Quilting) tutorial for you–Nikki’s Puzzle. As you might recall, last month I spent some time assisting Mrs. Schellinger’s Creative Quilting Class at Forest Lake, MN High School. The girls were indeed very creative–Read more HERE. One of the students used her new free motion skills to stitch a jigsaw pattern. I adapted her idea to create this continuous line free motion quilting pattern. Thanks, Nikki!
Some patterns look easy and are challenging to quilt–like Circles (see tutorial HERE). Other patterns, like Nikki’s Jigsaw Puzzle, look complicated, but are simple to stitch. This is a Beginner Free Motion Quilt pattern. It would look fabulous on any child’s quilt and I think it would look very contemporary on any Modern Quilt.
Nikki’s Jigsaw Puzzle Tutorial
This pattern requires a little quilt marking. Begin by drawing a grid. In the samples below, I used one inch spacing between my grid lines. I used Stencil SCL-457-10 from The Stencil Company. (Available HERE) (Note–The Stencil Company is generously offering a giveaway on The Inbox Jaunt–details next week!)
If you don’t have a stencil, simply use your ruler to mark several lines equidistant apart.
Turn the stencil, and draw another set of lines perpendicular to the first set of lines.
You now have a grid to follow. We will be stitching directly ON the grid lines.
Begin stitching in one corner. Stitch along the grid line. In the middle of each square, stitch a petal shape. Stitch a few “up” petals and a few “down” petals. Do this randomly. It is preferable to avoid a regular pattern of “up and down” petals.
Continue stitching the entire row. Then begin the next row.
Stitch all of the parallel rows first. Then begin the perpendicular columns.
When you get to the end of each row or column, you have a choice: either knot off at the beginning and end or trace directly over your previous stitching to reach the next column. Either way looks nice. Decide which you prefer–lots of knots or double stitching lines.
In the sample below, you can see that some of the edge pieces are a bit darker from double stitching. If you don’t mind this look, it is much faster than knotting.
Give this a quick whirl today… I don’t think you need to doodle this one! Just go right to your machine! Please let Nikki and me know what you think!
Note: The above samples were stitched with Aurifil 28/2 (gray spool) in both the bobbin and on top-using a Schmetz Topstitch 80 needle on my Bernina 820.
I would love to see what you create with this pattern! Please post your photos to Flickr (See sidebar link.)
Pleasantly Puzzled,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, information and images are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Please feel free (in fact, encouraged) to re-blog and Pin with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. Please contact me for any other use at lckennedy@hotmail.com.
It looks great Lori – thank you again!!!
I love it. It’s so simple now that you’ve broken down in Whiteside steps. Thank you Lori.
You make everything look easy…i’ll have to give it a try!
Looks like Nikki is a natural born quilter! I wish I would have seen this before I started meandering a Jelly Roll Quilt. Next time.
Your stitching is always so perfect! Will I ever get there??? Thanks for the tutorial!
How great is this! Yes, once you’ve helped see the pieces parts….it is simple! Thanks!
I’m definitely going to try this! Thank you!
Why didn’t I think of that? LOL What a great tutorial and you make it look so easy. Thank you.
Hi Lori! I showed this post to the quilting class and all were so excited for Nikki. She, naturally, asked her classmates if they would like her autograph! Thank you for inspiring the students.
Thank you for inspiring the Senior Citizen class too!
I like this very much and will try it right away! I’m in the throes of beginning free motion quilting, and this looks doable. Thank you Nikki and Lori!
Love it!!! Always looking for more ‘child’ themed stitching and this fits the bill perfectly!!! Thanks so much!!!!! Hugs…………….
I love it….. will definitely be trying this one…
Hugz
This is really cute!!!
Thanks for this. I have book marked this page for when I start my FMQ practice.
Love it! You make everything look so easy. Can’t wait to try it.
Lori thank you for all your wonderful tutorials on FMQ…..it has helped me so much with learning just to not be intimidated and really helps me to break the pattern down.
What a great tutorial. Thanks! Can’t wait to try it.
Word to the wise from the wise (jk!)
Update your copyright to reflect 2014.
By the way, love the puzzle!
Thank you for including the type of thread and needles you use; am enjoying your posts very much. So happy that you are talking to students and hopefully they will be encouraged to become the quilters and sewers for the next generation.
What a great tutorial – thanks to you and Nicki as I am a beginning FMQ and like this very much. I can see there’s lots of room for growth! lol BTW Bonnie Hunter sent me!
A Facebook post by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville sent me here.
This. Is. Adorable. I have at least two quilts in the works on which this would be perfect. Thanks for the fun, clear, detailed tutorial!
Hi Leah, and welcome! Glad you liked the jigsaw puzzle! I would love to see those quilts!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!
My son has Autism and Autism Speaks! symbol is the puzzle piece. I’m working on a Swoon quilt for my son using Pieces of Hope for Autism fabric by Riley Blake, and I’ve been looking fora way to do the puzzle piece quilting. Thank you thank you!
I’m thrilled that you liked it! Please send a photo of your quilt! Is it a raffle quilt?
Just found your blog and just love this puzzle-quilting!
I will explore this and your other tutorials more and want to try by myself since I want to develop my freemotion quilting.
I love the jigsaw puzzle. It reminds me of christmas. I use to get a puzzle each year. I will have to find a quilt to put this design on. Thanks for this tutorial. And thank you Nikki for the inspiration you gave Lori
I love your free motion stitching techniques. You have a fresh new twist on stitching. I’m moving just north of you in 2 weeks from SC where it’s 79 degrees today!
Why are you moving North? Will you be near Stillwater?
My husband is working at Polaris. We will be living in Hugo. I’d love to get together with you. I have some of my patterns on craftsy.com.
Love to! Let me know when you get to town. I’ll check out your craftsy patterns too
I LOVE this quilting pattern. What kid wouldn’t love and relate to this puzzle pattern on their quilt! I work with Quilts For Kids and plan to try this on the next quilt I do for them! Thanks for sharing this great tutorial!
I wiil try! It looks simple! Thanks a lot