How many starts and stops make a quilt ?

This is an amazing quilt. Raw edge applique with 20" blocks...truly a work of art.
The pattern is Dear William by Michele Hill.

Lynne Hartman is the talented appliquer. A true treasure Lynne calls "A Day With Dear William". And the William Morris Fabric she chose is simply beautiful. So much work and precision went into her vision, it is really an honor and I am so thankful she chose me to machine quilt it for her. 

You have heard me say many times, sometimes a quilt deserves more! Well Dear William you got it!

Dear William Pattern from Michele Hill Pieced by Lynne Hartman
Machine Quilting Design by Sally Terry

Dear William Pattern Block from Michele Hill Pieced by Lynne Hartman
Machine Quilting Design by Sally Terry

Dear William Pattern from Michele Hill Pieced by Lynne Hartman
Machine Quilting Design by Sally Terry free motion feathers between the block's applique.

Free Motion Quilting in and around all those small areas was made easier using Free Motion Feathers. In fact there was very little marking. The main design in the blocks alternated with stitched circles and squares around the center circled motif. 

Dear William Quilt Closeup from Michele Hill Machine Quilting by Sally Terry

Because Lynne wants to enter her quilt in Quilt Shows, there are many many starts and stops to accomplish the proper machine quilting to complete her vision. Couldn't even begin to count how many. Dear William was on the frame for 5 days-- starting and stopping took a lot of time. I used 5-6 tiny stitches in a row to secure the quilt threads, in tighter places I stitched over the original stitching several times. Everything was Fray Checked as well.

To make it easier, chose traditional cotton thread matchine the white background fabric that had a little bit of fuzz to it and a fine cotton bobbin thread that would grab the fabric making starts and stops less noticeable since the threads grabbed thread and fabric at the same time. Imagine how many hours it would take just to bury threads for one block....I can't even think about it.

It is a great quilt Lynne, beautifully appliqued. Watch for it at the upcoming shows, this is stunning. BRAVO!!!

If you are new to machine quilting feathers this may help

New to machine quilting feathers?


A few of us DO suffer from machine quilting feather anxiety.

This applies to all machine quilters, no matter if you sit down at a traditional domestic machine or stand up at a long arm.


While teaching free motion feathers with the Badland's Quilt Guild many said their first concern was their fear of not being able to do it.... 😯😨 oh me - oh my!


I remember making everyone go to the other side of the room as I tried to quilt my first feathers in a long arm class...afraid?... I was petrified to even press the ON button!!!!! Nail Biting Time.


Because of that feeling, all my classes, workshops and online videos are developed from the point of  view that "you never have to copy me to be successful". I am sure that these machine quilting patterns and techniques all result from that pit in your stomach, hold your breath, scared feeling. Even standing in front of you during a demo class, those threadpaths, especially feathers have to be perfect.


So here is my advice to all of you who suffer from machine quilting feather anxiety.

• Make your feathers small.
• Work in small areas where your feathers will naturally be small.
• Separate your feathers with a small space in between so you don't have to worry about being directly on the line when backtracking.
• Highlight a small area of feathers within a larger pattern.
• Use a non-backtracking feather like the Hooked on Feathers.
• Choose asymmetrical patterns so you are not quilting mirrored images.

NEW PATTERNS COMING SOON....

You can create these patterns with your Terry Twist(R) Rulers and Stencils. There are dozens and dozens of designs like these in the NEW 133 Page Printable Terry Twist Design Guide Handbook CD available soon.

If you are interested in knowing more about the Terry Twist Design Guide with both the TT and the Teardrop patterns, just fill out the form below and we will send you the latest updates and when you can get your hands on them:) You will become a member of the Load It & Go Society.  If you already belong to the Load It and Go Society you will get the updates automatically.

We are working hard so you can make the most out of your Terry Twist Rulers and Stencils... and help you get your quilting projects completed.

Terry Twist is a Registered and Actionable Trademark of Sally Terry Brand Products.

Want a variety of designs?

The more you machine quilt the Terry Twist Patterns, the more they amaze you!!!

And they are sooo different every time you use them in a block, then a sashing, then a border.

Here is an edge-to-edge. Stitched the TT spines 9 blocks across and 2 blocks deep in one continuous line. Then went back and used the TT spines and feathered about 2" away on each side of the spine.  This left some wonderful open areas and gave this king size quilt some puffy texture :)

And we all want versatile machine quilting patterns that use simple techniques so we can Free Motion Feathers fast.

Get the tools that make these Terry Twist Designs irresistible for busy machine quilters.










click for more info on Terry Twist Stencils Set

click for more info on Terry Twist Template Set

Flipping Patterns Around

No doubt you love that you won't ever have to be perfect. And, you value the idea of how easy and quick design layouts would be.

Have you been mixing and matching your Terry Twist Stencils and Template sizes? 

Look what they can do... :)

If you like these patterns and have a computerized quilting machine these patterns are being digitized and will be available soon. Please check with intelligentquilting.com/sallyterry

To checkout the tools and ideas click here

Look for the new 125+ page Terry Twist Pattern Handbook coming soon.

                                                    

Terry Twist (R) is a Registered Trademark of Sally Terry(R) LLC Brand Products, All Rights Reserved and Actionable.

When planning free motion feather placement I often do this...

When planning to machine quilt free motion feathers I like to use lots of wiggle room so I don't have to be perfect.

Wiggle Room 1 - Draw around a shape you want to fill with free motion feathers. 

Here I use a circle template. In case I put 2 feathers in one shape and 3 feathers in another, the outside of the drawn around shape stays consistent, not the feathers.

Wiggle Room 2 - Offset the circle or shape. 

In this case I placed the circle over from the pivot point. This way the feathers would be less symmetrical and not perfectly perfect which takes the fun out of it.

Wiggle Room 3 - Offset the center of the circle and use a portion of the circle like 1/3 or 2/3 and ignore the center. 

We are so programmed to be perfect and everything lining up, we often forget to arrange things in a more interesting way.

Play with your arrangements, you never know what you will come up with :) And it is a lot more fun!

Pattern used is the 6" Terry Twist(R)

Happy Accidents with Patterns and Designs

Sometimes you just don't see it. A simple little machine quilting pattern can be so much more.

If you have the Terry Twist Stencils or Templates let's take another look at what they can do for you. Here the 2" and 4" TT radiate and nest to form this great little block pattern that is a snap to do yet it looks so complicated....it is not.

Redoing my samples for upcoming machine quilting classes gave me some time to play. And Voila...

Take some time to play with your favorite stencils and templates in your studio :)

Another Block Design with the Terry Twist just messing around

If you have the stencils this is the 9" 9-Patch Square using its' 3" Terry Twist Pattern Design. It is also easy to create using the Template Rulers since you have it in the 3".

I laid it out on the edges of the block and then continued it on the other side of the seam, just for fun :) to see what it would look like. 

Interesting pattern on point with a few machine quilting free motion feathers thrown in.

Since it is asymmetrical it is very forgiving indeed. 

Here is the link if you would like to see the tools.

Hope you try it.

If you are a Terry Twist Fan here is a new border design

This just may be the solution for a great machine quilting border pattern. Good ol' Terry Twist.

Used the 4" single pattern from the 12" Multiple Stencil and the 2" single pattern from the 6" Multiple Stencil.

Back to work on my class samples. Thought this would be a good time to make fresh machine quilting designs for upcoming classes. And just doodling around and another designs appears :)