Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Choose a workspace. This should be a nice flat surface with a lot of room. Arrange the sewing machine so there is an equal amount of space behind and to the sides.
Prepare the quilt. Use a chalk pencil on dark fabrics or a fabric pen on lighter colors to mark the quilting pattern. Patterns can be drawn freestyle or trace a template for a consistent design.
Prepare the machine. Thread the needle and fill the bobbin with a high-quality quilting thread. Replace the foot of the machine with a darning or freearm quilting foot. Most machines come with a darning foot when purchased.
Begin quilting. Begin in a spot where a knot can be hidden, like a corner or edge. Lower the pressure foot and pull the bobbin thread to the surface of the quilt by lowering the needle and bringing it back up. Hold the tails of thread tightly and make several stitches before tying the tails with a square knot.
Quilt the designs. Make a frame with both hands to help guide the quilt. Use constant pressure and watch the design, not the needle. Stitches should be short and even and the stitch length should be between 10 and 12 stitches per inch.
Move to the next design. When one design is finished, stop the machine, lift the foot and needle and slowly move the quilt until the needle is lined up with the next design. Don’t pull the fabric, but use even, steady pressure to slide it over before beginning the next design.
Finish the quilting. When the last design is quilted, pull the bobbin thread to the surface and tie the threads into a square knot. Clean up all the threads with scissors and hide knots by hand, pulling them into the middle layers of the quilt with a needle.