Good Morning, Quilters and Quilt-Lovers!
Today’s tutorial: Woodgrain is a motif I saw while reviewing a book for Molly Hanson of SewWrongSewRight.
Molly’s book, Free Motion Quilting for Beginners (and those who think they can’t) will be released very soon.
(Later this week we will review Molly’s book and ONE LUCKY READER of The Inbox Jaunt will win an e-book version of Molly’s book!)
WOODGRAIN-A STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL:
Begin by drawing a few straight lines. The lines will serve as a reference to keep motif relatively straight.
Start at the bottom of the quilt and stitch a wavy line. Echo stitch back down.
Stitch another wavy line, shorter or longer than the previous line of stitching. Echo back to the bottom.
NOTE: Avoid ending the wavy lines at the same height. This looks unnatural.
After adding several lines add a “knot”. Instead of echo quilting, add a pointy spiral.
Spiral in, then spiral out again.
After stitch the spiral, stitch to the bottom line and begin adding echo lines again. Continue this way from left to right until the width of the quilt is stitched.
Then begin stitching back to fill in the area above the first set of stitches.
This is a very forgiving motif. The lines are very irregular and mistakes are easily hidden-just like in nature.
THIS WEEK:
I have a project I stitched with Wood grain that was inspired by a project in Molly Hanson’s new book.
A book review and a GIVEAWAY.
Another busy week…
Lori the Lumberjack,
PS…All tutorials, information and images are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to share, Pin or re-blog with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
46 comments
Patsy parsons
I’m trying the woodgrain it is going good have had to take some stitch out but learning
Anastasia
Thank you for this tutorial. This is perfect for a current quilt I am working on. It has wooden doors and I could not figure out how to sew/draw this on to them. Thank you again.
Gwen
first time visitor ….loved your woodgraining, never would have thought of that. Think I’ll be following and waiting for your book.
Bonnie M.
Just tried the woodgrain…I love it!! I don’t have a stitch regulator, so I need a little free motion practice, but the project that I will use it on sits right here…so I’m going to jump right in!! Thanks for all of your great designs~
Priscilla Golz
Dear Lori,
I absolutely love your FMQ designs! Everyday you inspire me with a fantastic new idea. I know that you have intended your sharing of FMQ designs to be given free, but I wish that there was some way to keep a reference of your creations. Have you ever considered a book or binder of your wonderful sewing!?
Your Saturday series makes me feel that I am happily taking a college class on important artists!
Thank you,
Lori Kennedy
Hi Priscilla, Thank you for your kind words. A book is in the works! It is a slow process, but it will be worth the wait!
Debbie Horton
This one is great – I love it. I live in a California county known for its logging industry/history. Thank you. Also, I recently finished quilting a queen size quilt using 2 more of your motifs – the forgiving flower and the open leaf. I also used a bit of echo quilting and the “e” “l” to round everything out. I have used your motifs in the last 4 quilts I have quilted and all I can say is THANK YOU! I especially appreciate your Saturday and Sunday posts. 🙂
Lori Kennedy
Thank you, Debbie. i just love to hear you are using the motifs. If you can, would you post to our Flickr group?
Vilma
Lindo trabalho! Parabéns! Obrigada p
or compartilhar conosco.
Trudy Wallace
Love this!
Cindy Schultz
You just make this fmq thing look so easy. I will definitely be trying the wood grain look. Thank you for all of your great ideas!
J Lee Bagan
Perfect timing, I just started a “bookcase quilt” for a friend and this will be perfect place to start learning to “quilt” as so far I am a “piecer”. I love to do artful piecing but for some reason the quilting part scares me to death. Maybe it’s just old age LOL but I think you can teach an old dog new tricks. You have a “gift” for teaching, so glad I found your blog….
Lori Kennedy
So glad you found us!
BjoLiz
Great motif! Thanks for the tutorial.
Jill McIntosh
Love the woodgrain in a background. You make it look so natural!
Jill
Jann Silverton
Wonderful pattern! I have a question- do you tie off each time you stop a line or do you just back stitch?
Lori Kennedy
I usually just backstitch.
Clarice Dean
Thank looks perfect! Clarice
Denise Cabral
Very cool! Your quilting is amazing!
Terrie
Lori,
Perfect timing of the “Wood” design. I am making a hunting quilt top for my grandson, this wood (no pun intended HEHEHE) be great for me to use. I enjoy your inspirations and visions everyday.
I am not sure how to post a picture to your blog. Please advise.
So thankful-Terrie
Lori Kennedy
Can you post to Flickr or Instagram. That’s the best way. See our Flickr group in the sidebar
Ness
Everytime you post something like this I wonder why I didn’t think of that!!! I used to draw and paint wood grain all the time for years! with my tole painting. I love it! Then I sit and stare at a piece of fabric and draw a blank on what design to quilt. I searched through your designs yesterday for ideas again. But ya know once I started sewing ideas started popping in my head…I was trying to see if I could make a rope design and it didn’t look like rope at all…lol…I squiggled to much and then the light bulb clicked on and I could see it looked just like barbed wire!! so added a few barbs and waalaa!!!!!!! My Mom loves barbed wire stuff so that was perfect. Sometimes the best way to begin is to begin!!! 🙂
I will use the wood grain a lot…it’s so pretty. Thanks!!
Terrie
Ness,
I would love to see a picture of your barbwire. I just had an quilt-completed by a friend, she had coils of rope around certain blocks. If you are interested in seeing a picture please send by your email address to tas@acornmanagement.us. Happy Stitiching-Terrie
Ness
Terrie I would love to see the rope..will email. I will try to do a neater version of the wire to show you. It was easy. Just down my alley too…the more you wiggle the better. And Holly I grew up on a SD farm/ranch! We had both beef cattle and a dairy. Where are you? I’m just across the border in WY now. Ness swedie61@gmail.com
Holly Ann W.
Me, too, Ness … being a SD rancher I would be interested in seeing your inspired wire accident ;). Like you, when I see someone else doing it, it clicks and I wonder why I hadn’t thought of it. I was working out a chicken wire design on paper the other day – haven’t taken it to fabric yet. Because of the very geometric shape and having to keep the size consistent, I am still figuring out the most efficient placement of the guide rails. I want to see that coiled rope, too.
Carolyn
Love it! a very gorgiving design as you said!
Paula K.
You do such amazing work. Your explanations make me believe i can do it. Sincerely, Paula K.
Cheri Raduenz
Very cool!!
Phyllis
I’ll be using your tute for woodgrain this afternoon. Thank you for the tute!
Nancy Hershberger
I love this motif! It looks like something even I could do! Thank you for posting these tutorials. You make them all look so easy.
Sarah
Hello Lori,
I send you a few mails but i think you did not receive them??? I send also an email with a picture of my first free motion quilt to your email adress.
Did you already have time and inspiration for my fire fly question?
If not i use the stars tutorial and otherwise a wait a little bit..
Thank you very mutch.
Sarah
Lori Kennedy
Hi Sarah,
I did send you a response…I thought? Sorry. I love your darling quilt…Beautiful!
Unfortunately, I’m not sure when I will be able to do the fire fly tutorial. It may be several weeks. (Lots of family time right now.) I would not wait for it…Or better yet…see if YOU can modify the bee to become a fire fly and show US how YOU did it!?
Sarah
Thank you Lori
No i did not receive a mail.
I will try…..
Vikki
Endless ideas! Love this one.
daisyandjack
oh that looks fabulous – might have to give it a try !
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