Good morning, Quilters! It’s Tuesday and that can mean only ONE thing–it’s time for another Free Motion Quilt Tutorial! Here in Minnesota, the forecast today is 55 F and cloudy, but…if this temperature keeps up for a few more days…all of the snow will melt and it will feel like Spring! I can’t wait to plant my garden…so, let’s get started with The Windowsill Garden Free Motion Quilt (FMQ) tutorial!
THE WINDOWSILL GARDEN TUTORIAL
Begin by drawing two lines four inches apart. Draw another line 1-1/2 inches above the bottom line. These drawn lines or “rails” help keep our quilting straight and will be erased when we are finished. (I usually use a light chalk mark which disappears with a little brushing.)
Begin stitching ON the bottom rail. Stitch over a several stitches and begin stitching “the Pot” by angling up and slightly to the left. Before reaching the second “rail” jog out a few stitches, up two or three stitches and then stitch ON the middle rail to create the top of the pot.
Next, stitch the right side of the pot by sewing the mirror image of the left side–down a few stitches , jog in a few stitches, then down and angle inward to the bottom rail. Stitch the bottom of the pot by stitching ON the bottom rail. Stitch close to, but do not touch the left side of the pot. Stop here.
Now we are going to give the pot a few decorative lines. Stitch up and down…
Stitch three (or more) lines in your pot.
Next, stitch up– between the right side of the pot and your third set of decorative lines. Then stitch across the top of the pot.
Stitch across the top of the pot and then back to the center. From the center point, stitch straight up to create the stem of the flower.
Stitch a spiral.
Spiral out again…
Next, stitch petals around the spiral.
Complete the petals, then drop down to stitch the left leaf.
Add an inner leaf if you like, then cross the stem to stitch the right leaf.
Complete the right leaf, then stitch down and echo stitch the right side of the pot.
Stitch to the bottom line and end here or continue on the rail to begin your second flower.
Instant Windowsill Garden! Lovely!
If you’d like more variety–try different flowers, different petals, or longer stems and more leaves (see second image above.)
This pattern would look adorable on the border of any quilt. You could use this motif in a rectangular block by making the stem longer. To use it in a square block, stitch each plant radiating out from the center into the corners…
OR…see what I made with this pattern…coming WEDNESDAY!
NOTE-Today’s tutorial was stitched on my Bernina 820 with extra wide harp space and a huge bobbin–in other words, a Domestic Sewing Machine (DSM). I used Sulky Rayon thread (40 wt) on top and Aurifil cotton (50 wt) in the bobbin using a Schmetz 90 Topstitch needle. I did not use a BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator)
YOU, too CAN stitch this pattern. FFMQ with LCK-(Fearless Free Motion Quilting with Lori “Cookie” Crawley-Kennedy) is our new motto! So go plant your windowsill!
I’d love to see it!
Signed,
Lady Crawley, Duchess of Doodling
PS–All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lady Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to Pin or re-blog with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For any other purpose please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Good Day!
