Today’s Topic: Quilt-a-long Motif Week!
Welcome to Lesson 7 of our 2021 Quilt-a-Long, Even Better Machine Quilting
This FREE multi-week tutorial is based on my books available in my Etsy shop: LoriKennedyShop
Sign up for emails of the class HERE.
Join the private Quilting with LKQ Facebook Group HERE
Find the 2021 QAL links HERE
Find the 2020 (25 Week) QAL links HERE
Good Afternoon, Quilters!
Welcome back to the 2021 Free Motion Quilting Quilt-a-long designed to make you an expert machine quilter! This quilt-a-long is designed to provide all the knowledge you need to become an excellent quilter and projects to help you practice your knowledge and your skill.
Quilting Takes Time-But Don’t Rush
I have been away from my sewing machine and my computer for nearly two months helping my daughter recover from an orthopedic surgery.
During that time I wished I could quilt and write more…but family always comes first. I’m sure YOU all find that true in your lives. Quilting and creativity must take a backseat when other commitments call… But take heart. I learned to machine quilt while raising six active kids (and two dogs). I quilted in fits and starts. Some weeks I quilted every day. Some months I didn’t quilt at all. Over time, slowly but surely, my skill improved.
I guess what I’m saying is…I am sorry if YOU were ready to follow this quilt-a-long and I was not here, but looking at the long game…Slowly but surely, in fits and starts our creativity and skills grow. And for everything there is a season.
This is Motif Week!
As YOU all know–motifs are my “thing”. I LOVE to design new motifs to add personality to quilts.
When writing my latest book, 25 Days to Better Machine Quilting, the editors required that the book be self-contained. In other words, I was not allowed to refer you to my blog or my first two books, Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3 or MORE Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3 for the projects.
But woohoo–no constraints here! We can have full access to hundreds of motifs for the projects!
So going forward, I recommend that YOU take the basic framework for the rest of the projects and add YOUR favorite motifs. One idea is to follow the design I planned to make one mini quilt, then make a second quilt…and a third…and a fourth.
What Makes a Motif Good?
When I am designing new motifs, there are a few things I try to incorporate in the design to make it easier for quilters to stitch:
- Clear step-by-step instructions.
- Continuous from one motif to the next.
- Minimize crossing over previous lines of stitching. (Stitch over another line sometimes looks messy.)
- Minimize stitching over a previous line of stitching unless adds focus. (Also looks messy with heavy weight threads.)
- Cute-cute-cute! Fun-Fun-Fun!
More This Week:
By request: The Singing Bird, A Free Motion Quilt Tutorial
Resources, Links for LKQ Motifs
YOUR Most Used Motifs–I will compile a list for readers….
YOUR Favorite Motifs?
Please HELP me create a “Reader’s Favorites” List!
What about YOU?
What are YOUR favorite motifs?
Which motifs have YOU used in YOUR quilts?
We’d LOVE to hear!
Your Fits and Starts Quilter,
Longgame Lori
PPS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of LoriKennedyQuilts 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. Thanks!You might also enjoy my motif books: Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3 and More Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3
14 comments
Christine McConnell
Hi Lori – I love anything patriotic and words. I enjoy reading your blog, you are such an inspiration! TY
Lori Kennedy Quilts
I love Stars and Stripes!
Jenny Garcia
I love the “long game” approach as I’m still teaching full time and only have time to quilt in the summers. Favorite motifs so far…poinsettias, Claire’s peony, the (super cute, super fun) bird, and I put an entire hive worth of bumblebees on the sunflower quilt I made for my son and his wife for their wedding.
Keep up the great encouragement, Lori. I ALWAYS look forward to your posts.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Slow and steady wins the race!!thanks for your encouragement!
Lucinda Herring
My favorites are the square flower and peony.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Love those too!
Pam
Favorite designs: I have used Holly and Berries and Pine Bough on a quilt for my SIL, and I used Holly and Berries on a previous quilt. I have a quilt in the wings that will use many of your flower designs. i just have to figure out which will work best.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Thank you! I love those for xmas quilts too!
Janette
Motifs that I like and have used a lot to finish quilts square flower, flower power,poinsettia,basic leaf.train, cars/trucks,plane sailboats. Lol I have enjoyed this journey building my skills.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
You must have a few boys you make quilts for?! Thanks for sharing!
Lynn
Favorite Motifs: flower power, dizzy Daisy, snowflakes/stars,, cars/trucks,, peonies
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Thanks Lynn—those are some of my favorites too!
Arvilla Trag
Lori, in the first pincushion photo at the top – do you have two colors of thread in one needle? I have heard that can be done but have not tried it.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
No, Arvilla. That is just heavy weight thread.
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