Boost your free motion quilting skills with these 3 nature-inspired designs by Robin Bogaert December 9, 2021 written by Robin Bogaert December 9, 2021 470 This week, I started out with simple fill stitches and tips for success with Free Motion Quilting (FMQ). Yesterday, we looked at 3 different spiral designs. Today, I want to discuss organic looking leaves, feathers, and plumes to add some very beautiful texture to quilts. I continue to work with Gütermann Sew-All Threads, Metallic Threads and Cotton Threads as well as Fabric Creations – Grey Textured fabric, and of course the very versatile UNIQUE Sewing Wash-out Marker. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to draw the designs ahead of time and practice the brain to get ready for FMQ. Below are the drawings I’ll be discussing today: FMQ continuous leaves, leaf borders, feathers and combining feathers, swirls, leaves and plumes. Pre-drawing leaves, leaf borders, feathers, combining leaves, feathers, plumes and swirl designs to get ready for FMQ Design 1 Continuous leaves The continuous leaf design is drawn out as shown below. How to draw the continuous leaf design before quilting it Full continuous leaf design; follow the numbers to see how the leaves are drawn out Continuous leaf practice sample with Gütermann Cotton Thread in green, an organic design that looks great in green thread! Design 2 Borders The leaf borders and feathers are drawn out as shown below. Leaf border designs and feather designs How to draw the leaf border design As you can see, the stem is drawn continuously as you move to the next leaf. Follow the numbers to design the leaf. Continuing to draw the leaf border design With the feather borders, draw the vein through the middle, first starting at the top moving downwards. When you reach the bottom, draw the first thumb almost like half a heart, and then move your way up the center vein. Drawing a feather border design The right side is complete Draw the other side of the feather continuously from the top down as shown. Feather design completed The straight feather is done in the exact same manner except using a straight center vein, and I tried to omit the gaps between the feathers (a personal choice). Finished leaf and feather FMQ design with black Gütermann thread Design 3 Combining leaves, feathers, plumes and swirls Swirls are really just an elongated leaf without veins. Below is the drawing practice. Drawing practice for leaf, feathers and plumes This design is pretty self-explanatory if you’ve practiced the feathers. As shown, the plumes are elongated leaves in shape, and then swirls are added in between randomly. How to draw feathers and spirals Finishing the design Feathers, leaves, plumes combined with swirls and stitched with black Gütermann thread Completed designs as potholders Join me tomorrow for a discussion about some exciting Sew Easy Monster and Circle templates. I’ll discuss how templates and Sew Easy Freezer Paper can help with quilt marking and the design process. I’ll also share my process for making these quilt practice samples into easy, practical potholders, ready for gift giving. This is part 4 of 5 in this series Go back to part 3: How to free motion spirals on your quilt: 3 dynamic designs Go to part 5: 2 great template sets you need for impressive free motion quilting Print this page or save as a PDF 0qs393Fabric CreationsFabric Palettefabricsfree motion quilting tutorialfree patternsGütermann Sew-All ThreadnotionsOdif 505 Temporary Quilt Basting Adhesive Fabric SpraypotholdersSCHMETZ Quilting Needlessew easySew Easy 9 Piece Circle TemplateSew Easy Freezer PaperSew Easy Jelly Monster TemplatetutorialsuniqueUNIQUE Quilting Therm FleeceUNIQUE Sewing Wash-Out Marker FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditWhatsappTelegramEmail Robin Bogaert Robin Bogaert is a long arm quilter, creator and blogger at quiltingintheloft.com and has many years of quilting experience. Robin was the past owner of a quilt shop in Windsor, Ontario and now resides in Waterloo. Robin's roots in quilting are traditional, however she appreciates modern quilt design as well and considers the focus of work to be designing, teaching, trunk shows, free motion quilting, ruler work and thread painting. In addition to her passion for sharing all things quilting, Robin is busy with pattern design and sells her patterns on her website and with Craftsy.com. Robin was featured in the Summer 2016 and 2017 (Canada 150th) edition of Quilters’ Connection Magazine and is a new guest contributor at QUILTsocial.com. previous post How to free motion spirals on your quilt: 3 dynamic designs next post 2 great template sets you need for impressive free motion quilting YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... DIY quilted Christmas ornaments with Bosal Foam Stabilizer Gütermann Metallic Threads add beauty to your quilting... Add Festive Sparkle to your quilts with Gütermann... Effortless holiday quilting with UNIQUE Pressing Mat and... 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