Tuesday Tutorial-Free Motion Quilting: The Elegant Leaf

Good Morning, Quilters!  Today is Tuesday and that means just one thing…It’s time to quilt!  I have The Elegant Leaf to share with you today.  This motif, like all the others, can easily be stitched on a long arm quilting machine, or if you’re like me, you can stitch it on a domestic sewing machine –I primarily stitch on a Bernina 820 (with its extra wide harp space) and on a Bernina 150.  With practice, you will find what settings, threads and needles work best for you and your machine.  Be patient and keep experimenting!

We’ve been talking about threads lately, (see more HERE) so I tested a few threads while experimenting with The Elegant Leaf.  My favorite thread is Sulky Rayon with Aurifil 50wt in the bobbin.  It always works for me, but I am trying to expand my repertoire with the threads readers have recommended.  Today I tested Isacord and Robison-Anton polyester threads and YLI Soft Touch Cotton.  I was surprised to find that I liked them all–and more importantly my sewing machine liked them all.  The tutorial below is stitched with the Robison Anton Super Poly while the Flower and Leaf (first image above) was stitched with my tried and true Sulky–mostly because I liked the color match best.

On with the tutorial…

Begin by drawing three “rails” (guidelines that will be erased later) 1-1/2 inches apart.  (The finished leaf will be 3 inches wide.)

Beging stitching on the center rail.  Stitch down and then curve around and back up to the middle rail–like an upside down heart–stop at the center line (with your needle down, of course…)

Stitch down and around, mirroring the first half of your leaf–(Don’t worry if it’s not perfect–most leaves in nature are not perfectly symmetrical either!)

Now stitch a Downward Curl on the right side of the leaf.  Stop here. Now curl down and to the outer edge of your first spiral.(Review Downward Curls HERE).

Stitch back to the center line and begin the left Curl.

Curl, stop, curl down and out.

From the center line, stitch another right and left Curl.  If your leaf is really large, keep Curling until you get to the top of your leaf.

At the top of the leaf, stitch a slight curve to the center line, then stitch down the center line a few stitches.  Then back up to create the tip of the leaf.  (This is just like the Fleur-de-Lis )

From the tip of the leaf, echo stitch back down and around the leaf and then return to the tip of the leaf and you are ready to begin the next leaf.

In the leaves below, I experimented with a few different leaf “tips”.  Try them and see which one works best for your project.

Like most of the patterns and motifs in the Tutorials (see Quilt Tab above)  this motif can be used for a border AND in many other ways.  Below, I have paired it with The Easiest Flower Ever to create a pretty little posy.

I hope you will doodle this a few times and then give it a whirl on your next quilt!

Speaking of doodling...on Thursday I have a great project for you to try with all your doodles--it’s easy and I’m sure you’re going to love it!!

Also, we had such a great response to Open Line Friday, that we will offer it again this Friday.  If  you have any questions you’d like featured send them my way any time this week.

Tomorrow is Work in Progress Wednesday--and I have a little Back-to-School Work I can’t wait to share!

Finally, for all the bloggers out there...if anyone would like to write a Guest Post for The Inbox Jaunt or if you’d like me to be a guest on your blog, let me know…

Hoping this tutorial keeps you in stitches,

Lori

PS…All the images and tutorials are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for PERSONAL use only.  Feel free to Pin or Share…Please contact me for any Commercial use.  (Thanks)