The Divided Square-A FREE Machine Quilting Tutorial
Good Morning, Quilters!
What did you think of yesterday’s Inbox Quilt Show?
Lovely and inspiring work–and there’s more to come!
Please send YOUR entries-with your name, as you would like it to appear, state and country. We LOVE to see the Tuesday Tutorials in Action!
Today, we have The Divided Square-a FREE machine quilting tutorial. Whether you are quilting on a domestic machine (like me–the beautiful BERNINA 770QE) or a long arm (lucky ducks!) or hand quilting–this motif is well suited to any square block.
THE DIVIDED SQUARE-FREE MOTION QUILT TUTORIAL
The Divided Square Quilt Motif is the more masculine version of The Square Flower. It fills any size square neatly. Use a matching thread in a light weight (50 wt or finer) to create a balanced texture, or use a heavier weight thread (40 or 30wt) in a contrasting color and the quilt motif will be more visible.
Begin by quartering the square–draw lines across the diagonals and across the vertical and horizontal axes.
Begin stitching in the upper left corner. Stitch parallel to the top line and then stitch into the center. Stop short of the middle point. Stitch a square center.
Stitch the center “petal”–stitch at a slight angle to the left then across the top line and back to the center. Stop one-two stitches ahead of the central square.
Stitch to the top line, into the corner, down the right side and back to the center square. Stop 1-2 stitches before reaching the center square.
Stitch the right horizontal “petal”–again, angle toward the petal slightly outward.
Next, stitch the bottom right “petal”.
Continue around the square adding a petal along each axis.
Echo stitch around the entire motif if desired.
To begin another motif, either knot off and begin again, stitch in the ditch or stitch along the upper edge of the motif to start another Divided Square Pattern.
Add a little variety by stitching a star or your initial or a spiral in the center of each square.
Personalize YOUR quilt!
You know my favorite line-
“A quilt without personality is just a blanket!”
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
LOVE this flower! I learned it in your Craftsy class and used it on a receiving blanket for my new granddaughter. Thanks for sharing your creative ideas!
The Square Flower is definitely one of my go-to motifs and always a fan favorite!
It just hit me today how difficult it must be to produce a photographed tutorial…stitch a few inches, remove from sewing machine, set up and take some photos, put back in machine, stitch a few more inches, take out again, more photos, put back under machine again,,,,etc,, etc… You must love us a lot !!!! Beside the joy of producing the tutorial, your portion of patience must grow with each one. Thank you, from the top of my heart and from the bottom of my heart….that is the sweetest area in there, you know!
LOL Marta–“sweetest area in your heart!” Actually its even more complicated than that! I have an upcoming post on how I make the Tuesday Tutorials–you will see!
Got my new “doodling pad” in the post today so I can get doodling whilst still stuck in bed and not able to get on my machine. I know this one from Craftsy! Yay!!!
What kind of doodle pad did you get???
Hi Lori, I got a Campus B5 (larger than A5 and smaller than A4) 26 ring pad with special spine that opens magically because it was made by Aliens and I also got matching colourful dividers with Lined-dotted paper and some graph paper which opens out. I thought about my doodling A LOT and that is why I settled on this. With this system I can move pages around, file them either by type of nicer ones or what ever and as the spine is spiral (but plastic which opens like a binder) I can lay it flat or joining the cover and back so that it’s double the thickness and easier to lean on. I took a couple of pictures but don’t know how to load them up. I got it from Jet Pens. It’s a great system. I love it.
Oooh, this looks like another fun block! Can’t wait to try it out tomorrow! Thanks so much!
I love your quilting motifs the best of all I’ve seen. They are something I can accomplish — never as pretty as yours, but I’m working on it. Thanks, Lori
Hi Lori, I really like this flower. You make it look really simple to do. Thank you so much for all you do for us! I have both your classes and have learned so much. Will be nice to see your Grandbaby pics!
Masculine, indeed. I see neckties (in the corners) and bow ties across the center. I would be repeating the mantra as I sew …. “Half a tie, square; half a bow, necktie, half a bow, necktie,” etc. That would help me visualize the angles I guess.
I like how you think! Great way to “see” it!!!
love to look at the great FMQ examples…do you have a book they are published in? also how do you get the stitches so defined? certain kind of thread?
I am writing a book right now. It will be unlisted Sumer 2017. I use Heavier weight thread and adjust my tension to create the defined stitch.