Look at the Fabric for Quilting Design Ideas
Start with a Panel to Practice Both Free Motion Quilting and Seeing Quilting Designs!
Do you ever get stuck wondering what to quilt on your quilt? Or, are you just starting out with free motion quilting (FMQ) and need something more challenging to practice on?
A good solution for both is to look at the fabric. Free motion quilters can find great quilting design ideas simply by looking at the designs printed on the fabric. Outline repeating shapes or play up interesting motifs in other ways.
An interesting article by Wendy Sheppard from Ivory Spring goes into more detail. It offers several suggestions for using the fabric to find quilting ideas. The article is found at the following link.
If you need to practice FMQ and want something a bit more challenging than practicing on blank squares, consider quilting up a fabric panel. Then look at the fabric for quilting ideas.
Notice how some of the motifs in the panel above were outline quilted. Blank areas were quilted using ideas suggested by the panel’s design.
Panels also present opportunities for embellishment. The cute kids’ panel shown above was decorated with buttons and prairie points.
Once you’re done with quilting a panel you’ll be more adept at both FMQ and seeing quilting ideas within a fabric’s design. You’ll also have a lovely quilt to show for the effort.
Learn more about quilting a panel at the following article, also from Ivory Spring.
