The Pretty Bow-A Free Motion Quilt Tutorial

April 1, 2014
The Pretty Little Bow, Free Motion Quilting

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

Good morning, Quilters and welcome back to another Tuesday Tutorial–your source for FREEFree Motion Quilt Tutorials and Motifs!  I would like to start by saying “Thank You”  to all of you for your overwhelming response to my announcement that I will be writing a featured column in American Quilter magazine–(on newsstands very soon!).  (Read more HERE)…Your notes of encouragement are greatly appreciated!    It is thrilling to see the tutorials in print, and I think you will like the new projects demonstrated in the magazine…

THE PRETTY BOW TUTORIAL

Today, we are working on a charming motif for your next quilt.  It can be stitched in rows, or as a single motif.  With a little doodling, I’m sure we could turn this motif into an all over fill pattern to replace (the dreaded) stippling–As you know, I can’t stipple…

Begin by drawing three “rails”, equidistant apart–just to keep things tidy.  In the samples below, the “rails” are 3/4″ apart.

 

Begin stitching on the middle rail and stitch a horizontal loop to the left.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

Next,  stitch a horizontal loop to the right.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

Next, stitch a larger horizontal loop around the first loop.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

And repeat to the right.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

To create the ribbon- drop down and stitch a line with a curl.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

Stitch around this line and back up to the bow.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

Stitch the right ribbon by angling to the right and stitching a curl.

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

Stitch around the right curl and back to the center.  Stitch along the middle rail in a straight line to begin the next Pretty Bow!

The Pretty Bow-Free Motion Quilting

This little bow would look great on any girl’s quilt, a set of pillowcases, a present for Mother’s Day….

Where will YOU stitch The Pretty Bow?

I’d love to hear (and see!)

Lori

PS…This sample was stitched with Robison Anton rayon thread on top and Aurifil 50 wt cotton thread in the bobbin on my Bernina 820 (extra wide harp space and really big bobbin) without a stitch regulator–using a Schmetz #90 Topstitch needle.

PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy @ The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to tweet, Pin, Re-blog with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt.  For any other use, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com.  Thanks!

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29 comments

  • Jackie

    Thank you very much Lori for this tutorial. I tried this design in the border on a pink and white small quilt and it looks wonderful. I am feeling more confident on taking on other designs.
    Thanks you very much.

    • WordPress.com Support

      Please post photos to Flickr

  • Hi! I got my American Quilter in the mail today and loved your piece. Thanks for adding another facet to you wonderful resume. I use your designs in loads of my customer quilting. Keep up the good work! The Wazoo quilter.

  • rosemarazzle

    Rosemary B here”
    I saw this post come in yesterday when I was at my parents house getting ready to take them grocery shopping.
    I LOVE THIS BOW!!! It is sooo cute

  • Daneen

    love the “April Showers” quilting banner!

  • Catherine Evelsizer

    Congratulations on you new publishing adventure. Thank you for all the great free motion quilting ideas. They are easy to use in so many ways and your step by step pics make it so much easier than anything else I’ve tried. Keep it up!

  • Marianne

    Lori, This it beautiful! I have the fabric for a lovely springtime-looking pattern coming up, and I plan to incorporate this lovely Pretty Bow design in my quilting plan. Thank you so much for this and all your excellent posts.

  • Holly

    I could see joining these horizontally by taking the ending stitches sideways from the center in a gentle curve over a ways to begin the next bow in the row … since the design stops and ends in the center of the bow, this would be very efficient. I’m visualizing this on pillowcase hems or anything with borders. Thank you for continued inspiration.

    • A

      Love your way of thinking! I stitched that very thing and will show photos later this week.

  • Pam Arbour

    You make it look so easy. I will have to try that.

  • Nancy Noble

    Got my magazine yesterday and loved your article. Have been using some of your designs.

  • Patricia trujillo

    Nice motif. April Fools to all of you ‘erasers’, too.

  • Susan

    Love this. I have so much to learn.

  • congratulations on your publication—-you are awesome and we are so fortunate that you have shared so much already! I have the perfect project for this tutorial- which will help to whittle down my UFOs. Happy Spring.
    Pat

  • Would be great on a meandering background fill, too……and as a Spring-y replacement for your March “banner”! Happy April!!!!!!! Hugs…………………

  • Ok I think I might use this for one of my quilts.

  • Cute, cute cute…!!

  • Recently stumbled upon your blog…your step by step tutorials are great and love that you so willingly share your talents. Look forward to your articles.

  • susanmp14

    So cool and easy. Working on a baby quilt for a niece. Definintely gonna use this! Thanks!

  • Vikki

    Your ideas are never ending. Check this new idea out http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/5477
    Enjoy.

    • A

      HILARIOUS! They definitely “got me”. I watched so intently to see….Thanks for the laugh!

      • rosemarazzle

        Rosemary B here:
        all I could think about was: where is all of that unsewing thread going?
        I think it would be great to have an app that tells you that you need to get up from the machine and have tea and cookies.
        Or maybe time to go to the gym haha

        • WordPress.com Support

          I watched intently for awhile too! Hilarious. I like your idea though!

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