I'm not really a quilter. But I keep getting drawn into quilt projects. Here is the thing. There was this class at the lqs to teach 3D flowers (in this case Hydrangas). Well I'm trying to decorate my bedroom in all shades of greens, cream and brown. And I figured if I used the green blues this wallhanging could be used for the wall behind the chesterdrawers. So off I went...and into trouble, I got.

The directions call for quilting around a grouping of leaves. It is a 3ft x 3ft wallhanging. How do I do this by machine please? Do I use the walking foot or would something else be better. And at this point I don't even know what questions to ask. I've hand quilted or sent my quilts out to be quilted before this. So I'm completely lost.

I really need to know because there are two other classes that I would just love to take. One is another 3D flower class with a variety of flowers taught. And the other is an Art Quilt Landscape that has me intrigued. I've really got the bug doing I?

You could do free motion quilting and use a darning foot or a "big foot" but not a walking foot. It restricts the fabric and foot too much. Practice on another piece and do the squiggles and stuff. It will be great. Don't be afraid to try it, you may find you really enjoy it after all!

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll look and see if I have a darning foot.

Good advice.....and practice, practice, practice!!!

If you're like me, I can't FMQ for the life of me, but I've gotten really good at maneuvering my walking foot around and quilting that way. I drive my quilt around with both hands while the walking foot is doing it's thing. Good luck.

Also, don't forget to drop your feed dogs!

Give free motion quilting a go by all means but if you're like me I find it very difficult. There are other ways to quilt though. You could echo the shape of your leaves by stiting in rows around the leaves. You could do a number of straight line patterns like cross hatching. Here's a site that might help you with some FMQ patterns if you decide to do it. There is even a free ebook to download.
http://www.linda-matthews.com/free-m...ting-patterns/

if this was a class you need to consult with your instructor about how to finish this quilt. and tell us what the directions say so we can help you more. sometimes small pieces of fabric are laid out and something like tule is laid over it and that stitched down by machine to hold all the pieces. good luck.

And repeat after me: "I am NOT a fraud!" If you have completed quilt tops, handquilted some and sent others out to be quilted, you ARE a quilter

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I don't undertand how you quilt maneuvering the walking foot around. Do you make designs that way and do you have to drop the feed dogs?

Lucy