Six Essential Doodles for Quilters

 

Welcome to the Better Machine Quilt-a-long based on my book 25 Days to Better Machine Quilting.

(Find all of the previous Lessons HERE.  Sign up for emails of the class HERE.)

Today’s Topic: Six Essential Doodles for Quilters

Good Morning, Quilters!

Ooodles of Doodles…I LOVE hearing YOUR testimonies regarding the benefits of doodling!  Even if your doodles aren’t pretty yet–they will be soon!

Warning–This post is JAM PACKED!  Use it as a reference.  We will be reviewing all of this material as we go forward!  When you need a new doodle, refer to this page and the tutorials linked to each of the six essential doodles.

The Quilt Doodle Alphabet

Today’s lesson is taken from my book, More Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3.

The six doodles are not complete motifs, but are elements found in many motifs. Because these shapes are so frequently used, they are important to practice regularly. It’s like learning the quilt doodle alphabet.  

The Six Essential Doodles
  • The Sweep
  • The Tapered Scallop
  • The S-Curve
  • The Curl
  • Circles
  • Spirals

Practice these motifs on lined or graph paper.

The Sweep

This design is formed by gently “sweeping”from one line to another. Practice sweeping to the left and to the right.

The Sweep

The Sweep is used in The Carnation.

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The Tapered Scallop

The Tapered Scallop begins on one lines curves to a parallel line and returns to the first line.  Practice doodling the tapered scallop from right to left, left to right and vertically.

Tapered scallop

Tapered Scallop

 

The Tapered Scallop in the Basic Leaf tutorial

 

The S-Curve

The S Curve begins on one line, travels above and below the line and ends on the first line.  Practice doodling it horizontally and vertically. It is really two tapered scallops combined–if that makes it easier.

S Curve–Imaginary Line connect the start and stopping points

S Curve in The Feathered Leaf tutorial
The Curl

To create the Curl, start on one line and doodle a rounded line that begins to curl as it sweeps the parallel line.  Reverse t to echo the first curl back to the starting line.

Practice right and left curls. The Curl is used in many flowers!

Curl

 

Circles

I LOVE Circles!

Practice doodling them in a variety of sizes and be sure to practice clockwise and counter clockwise circles!

 

To stitch circles, stitch each circle 1-1/2 revolutions.  Practice doodling that as well.

Circles are in many motifs.  Start with Dots andDashes.

Spirals

Spirals take a long time to learn.  Start with Messy Spirals–they are easy and will help you develop the muscle memory for more challenging versions of spirals. Make each spiral either clockwise or counterclockwise.  Spiral in and then out–right over other lines, to create a round shape.

Messy Spiral
Messy Spiral

This Rose motif is a beautiful use of Messy Spirals!

Messy Spiral in The Rose Motif

 

MORE Doodles all Week (and for the Next 22-1/2 weeks!)

Take your time! Don’t feel rushed.  Enjoy the process.

By the end of 2020-YOU will be a better quilter!

Doodle (Don’t Dust)!

Your Dame of Doodles,

Lori

PS…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

 

 

8 responses to “Six Essential Doodles for Quilters”

  1. Hi Lori, Although I wasn’t a “doodler” before I found your website once I began to doodle my FMQ greatly improved. Thanks for all your lessons both online and in your books. I have both of your books and refer to them often.

  3. I’ve been doodling all afternoon, and after a full page of the same motif, I can really see a difference from the top line to the bottom line. Now I have to try it vertically!

  4. Lori, I love the Basic Leaf and can picture using that a lot! I couldn’t get the tutorial to play on todays email, but found it on your website by searching. All the other tutorials were fine. Thanks for a packed doodle-day!

  5. Oh my gosh. I feel like I should send you money, or give you my firstborn. Thank you for your generosity.

  6. doodle in the dust has always been my motto! Family used to come to my house every few years for vacation visits. One year I told them to write their name in the dust somewhere they thought I would’t find it and if it was still there the next time they came they win a prize! 😄

    1. I am so doing that, but add the caveat that they should dust to area to clear the slate!

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