Floating in a stream, moving with the current, just relaxing! That just sounds wonderful. The edge to edge design Drift is an allover freemotion design that is based on a continuous line with curvy bends. The design looks like kelp drifting in a stream, don’t you think? This FMQ pattern would work great on quilts … Continue reading
Marking a grid on your fabric gives you so many options for cool freemotion designs. A grid gives you just the right amount of guidance while keeping the hand-guided look. In many of my designs I use a 1 inch grid, just because my samples aren’t normally big. In a lot of cases you can … Continue reading
Edge to edge quilting designs are a great way to a finish a quilt, but they can be a bit confusing. Some freemotion quilters fear getting stuck in a corner and having to break thread. Well first of all, breaking thread is not the end of the world! Just do it, and continue somewhere else! … Continue reading
The Cross my Heart design is a sister pattern to the Hearts Wreath design that I shared two months ago. Both these freemotion wreaths are filled with hearts, but the construction of the hearts is pretty different. The hearts in Cross my Heart are based on big loops that cross over at the intersections of … Continue reading
Are you looking for something new to try that is simple and super elegant at the same time? Give this border design a try! The freemotion design Jewel Loops is a border design constructed out of loops and echoes. The FMQ design is based on simple shapes placed in a grid. It looks great on … Continue reading
Walk the blocks, discover the lovely corners of your streets and have a great little hike. The freemotion design Paths is a simple horizontal meander that looks great on quilted items like zipper pouches, bags and placemats. The design is not too complex, believe me! There is a lot of randomness, that you can use … Continue reading
The youngest member of our family clan is really into animals, especially if they make a lot of noise. The lions and bears have been recently joined by dinosaurs. Whhraaahhh! The last three designs I shared were either dense background designs or grid patterns. It is time for an edge to edge, don’t you think? … Continue reading
You know how much I like using slightly different thread colors in my quilts, but for this FMQ design I absolutely recommend using a thread that blends with the fabric as much as possible. It is all about the texture! The design Knitwear doesn’t really mimic any type of knitwear of knitting specifically, but it … Continue reading
I love me some dense pebbles, but they can become a bit repetitive. Often I use small pebbles to fill in between other bigger shapes, but pebble variations can be stunning by themselves. This weeks’s design is a background filler design made out of circles in various sizes. The largest circle is about as big … Continue reading
Do you have enough options for freemotion designs with hearts? Or would you like to see one more? The grid design Hearts Lattice resembles a balcony railing. Haven’t we all looked at the various designs of the metal railings and tried to figure out how to use the designs on a quilt? This pattern is … Continue reading
The trees are still barren, but the first signs of Spring are showing up. The hellebore plants are outdoing each other with their bright white flowers and a solitary crocus shows it’s purple petals. This winter has been very grey and I have been longing for some warmth and sunshine. Dappling sunlight through the canopy … Continue reading
Happy Monday to you all! I am still clearing out of the Christmas decor, there are some lights that I have take down, and a few candles to put back into storage. But I am keeping the red items out for Valentine’s Day. They are pulling double duty. This week’s freemotion design is also this … Continue reading
Feeling connected to you is so important to me! I wouldn’t have gotten where I am today without you. Your inspiring quilts, your thoughtfulness in sharing your world and your support in the comments have a huge impart in my corner of the internet. Let’s make this chain of friendships even stronger in 2025! The … Continue reading
Do you watch Disney animated movies? This FMQ design is named after the magical whisps in the movie Brave that help the main character Merida find her way back to her family. The whisps, small bright blue creatures, show themselves like flames floating through the forest. This week’s design is named after those magical whisps. The … Continue reading
Don’t miss out on this one! Next Tuesday I will launch the FREE Ribbon Candy workshop again. This workshop only opens up once a year, so don’t wait too long. Everything is online and prerecorded, so no waiting on a specific timezone! The workshop is 3 days long. On Tuesday 14 January you will get … Continue reading
Get your marking pen out, I have a nice grid pattern for you! The shapes that make up this design are pretty easy, but the stitch path can become confusing. Please mark the stitch path too! It takes less time to mark than to undo your work! So, take your time, and go slow! I … Continue reading
Let’s end this year with a sprinkling of flowers! Spread joy and kindness wherever you go, see the beauty of the world and fill your hearts and quilts with love. Happy 2025! The design Ogee Flower is a playful allover freemotion design that is based on a combination of a spiral, hops and ogee shapes. … Continue reading
Are you working on some last minute Christmas gifts or are you already piecing a Valentine’s Day quilt for next year? This week’s freemotion quilting design would work for both! The design Curly Hearts is a dynamic allover or edge to edge design. It can be used on a whole quilt or to fill around … Continue reading
November and December to me are not only the months of sparkly and brightly colored decorations and get-togethers, but also the months that I associate with certain foods items. Chocolate milk, speculaas cookies, mandarin oranges and especially nuts! This week’s design is based on almonds, pecans and brazil nuts. Pattern Tutorial The freemotion design Pods … Continue reading
Before we delve into this weeks design, I wanted to draw your attention to a website called Create Whimsy. This site is a treasure trove of interesting quilty resources and a fabulous series of interviews. These interviews are with quilt designers, textile artists, pattern surface designers and various other creative professionals. This week I was … Continue reading
This edge to edge freemotion design is filled with s-curves which create a dynamic look on your project. Spiky shapes are combined with flowing lines. The design can be used on a quilt with a theme like: water, wood, trees, woodgrain, Autumn / Fall, plants, leaves / foliage, fire, flames and candles. Dancing Flame is … Continue reading
Do you want feathers on your quilt, but they have to be a bit whimsical and modern? I have a great design option for you! This edge to edge freemotion design lets you indulge in single feather shapes and curve them to the left or to the right. The design can be used on a … Continue reading
How many pies is too many? The Dutch province I live in is famous for its fruit pies (vlaai), so with every party we bring out an assortment of pies. Apple and apricot are my favorite, and I love a slice of cherry pie too! This background Pies filler design will help you ‘fill the … Continue reading
Another one of my favorite FMQ designs from 2017! Back then I did a whole series of different grid designs, mostly very dense ones. I had been slowly revisiting some of them and creating videos and tutorial. Looking for a dense grid design that adds some dance moves to your project? Try this Fan Dance … Continue reading
Last year I shared a Spider Web design based on marked circles which was a lot of fun to quilt in a larger block. But did you know you can add a spider web in a border too? Take a look at this new Halloween Web border design! I quilted this FMQ design in a … Continue reading
Are you going to be spending more time on our sewing machines now that the weather is getting colder? I know I am! That means we have some time for a bit more in-depth learning with this week’s pattern. The pattern Twist will probably be familiar as it has been around for a while. It … Continue reading
Fall weather has made its entrance and I have already grabbed my enormous fleece hoody to cocoon in in the evenings. I have started work on a Halloween quilt project which I will share in a separate blog post later this month and have taken the cinnamon tea out of the storage cupboard. Here comes … Continue reading
Tumbleweed is a bully! This invasive species is classified as a noxious weed because of its detrimental effects to nature. Each plant has thousands of seeds that get spread due to the wind pushing the plant to tumble. A tumbling spiky ball of sticks, now that is an inspiration for any free motion quilter, right?! … Continue reading
The Stipple design is a free motion staple! Such a versatile pattern: great as a chunky allover design, and gorgeous as a background filler. For many of us this design is one of the first we have ever tried to learn, which has actually puzzled me over the years. Why would a beginner quilter be … Continue reading
It’s been a strange mix of weather types the last couple of weeks. One day we would be in hot and bright Summer, other days we were in rainy and chilly Autumn. There really is no in between. I don’t mind the hot weather as much, but I do love cosy moment with a large … Continue reading
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