FMQ Swirling Leaves 3 on Free Motion Mavericks

Hi and welcome to week 569 of Free Motion Mavericks. I want to emphasize that this linking party is all about the quilter guiding the machine, whether it's a domestic sewing machine or a long-arm. We do this by using free motion quilting, ruler work or a walking foot. This party is as inclusive as possible as we share our quilting journeys.😊

Swirling Leaves 3

Last week I started FMQ Swirling Leaves 3. I started by using a dark red thread to quilt the veins of the leaves and then around the red leaves. I then used a variegated beige to brown thread to do the same with the three leaves that were not red.

Once that was done, it was all about quilting the swirls that give the quilt its name. I FMQ swirls around the leaves into the first checkered border. That was difficult because the thread matched the fabric colours so well that I could barely see what I had quilted. 

FMQ Falling Leaves 3

For the outside border, it wasn't just difficult to see, it was impossible to see what I was quilting, so I quilted the border from the back! Before switching to the back, I stitched at the outside edge of the border so that I would know where to stop.

FMQ the border from the back
between the two lines

Swirling Leaves 3 on my design wall

What I learned

• If you can't see what you're quilting because the thread blends too well with your fabric, go to the back of your quilt and stitch from there.
• Remember to outline the area that needs to be quilted!
• Make sure that your bobbin thread is the same as your top thread.
• Your tension needs to be good😊
• In the next week, I'll be digging out fabric for the binding. I'm really hoping that I have more of that second binding fabric, and that I can find it! Update: Found the fabric. Yeah!!!!
• This quilt will be completed by the end of the month since it's my February One Monthly Goal (OMG).
• For some reason, I keep calling this Falling Leaves instead of Swirling Leaves. I'm going to go back and fix some older posts but if you see Falling Leaves - it's the same project!

Related links

• Spending Quality Time Slow Stitching, February 06, 2024
• Progress on Swirling Leaves 3 for Free Motion Mavericks, November 01, 2023

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. Why not check them out after you've linked up below? Design Wall Monday, Sew & Tell, Midweek Makers, Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2024, Oh Scrap!, Slow Sunday Stitching, 

I'm linking up to Kathleen's Tips & Tutorials on the 22nd.

Free Motion Mavericks

Thanks to everyone who linked up last week. 

Here are the wonderful projects from last week that were quilted either with free motion quilting, ruler work or a walking foot. 

From Time 4 stitchn, we have some wonderful feathers and feathered wreaths. It's a beauty and no longer a UFO. Congratulations! Check out the post to see more of the FMQ.

Wonderful feathers and feathered wreaths by Time 4 stitchn

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts had two lovely quilts for the Island Batik Log Cabin Challenge and Blog Hop. Here is Dashing Doors and Aprajita.

Dashing Doors by Preeti

Aprajita by Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts

Melva from Melva Loves Scraps made valentine cards out of this very cute quilted corn fabric. The grandchildren must have loved that!

Melva's  quilted corn fabric cards

It's now your turn 😊

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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