luckydiver17

I am just starting to learn to FMQ and there is no way I can make up designs as I go or draw them freehand (unless I wanted them to look like a 3 year old drew them ). Where do you buy your quilting stencils? What do you trace them with (pens, chalk, etc)? Thanks!

bjchad

The stencil company has many many many stencils. You can order on line.
http://quiltingstencils.com/

ckcowl

many quilt shops have a few to choose from so does Joanne fabrics & hobby lobby- then there is the stencil company- and many on-line sources...or you could just load up a practice quilt, and start quilting...learn the movements, don't worry about a specific design---actually do *free motion* ... practice loop-d-loops, stars, flowers, write your name, stipple (where the lines do not touch or cross) and meander (where your lines may overlap- cross- loop & flow) do some feathery type designs, spirals...just 'free-motion' ... you may be amazed at all the different things you can do-when you are free to-instead of concentrating on trying to follow lines. then after that practice piece load up another practice piece with a top fabric that is a large print----then practice by outlining *echo quilting* the designs on the fabric...the more you practice the easier and smoother your stitching will become.

Tartan

It depends on the quilt top how I mark it. For medium to dark tops I use ordinary white chalkboard chalk. I sharpen it to a nice point with a makeup sharpener. For light tops I use a water erasable marker. There is also a pounce and pounce chalk but I don't have those. Some people like a sliver of soap to mark their top.

yadroc

I am just getting started on true free motion quilting. Up until now I have always used some sort of "lifeline" when I was quilting. I either marked the quilt or used an outline to follow.

I found the easiest way to mark an outline to follow was to draw it on freezer paper and then iron it onto the quilt, BUT I did not like sewing through the paper and then having to tear the paper off. I always felt that I was compromising the stitching.

So................. I draw the design on the freezer paper. Cut on the drawn line (this works especially well if it is a continuous line that does not cross over like stipple). Separate the pieces and iron on the quilt. You get two designs, because both pieces can be used. Stitch next to the cut edge. If you do stitch across the paper in a few spots no problem you just have a few places to tear the paper.

You can use more complicated designs, just cut on the lines and reassemble the pieces like a puzzle on the quilt top, iron in place with a very slight space. You quilt between the pieces and pull off the paper and use over and over. I did this with butterflies on a baby quilt.

Hope this makes sense.

wolph33

what a great idea,thanks for sharing

Terri D.

Stencils are wonderful and over the years I have collected a good number of continuous line designs for free motion quilting.

More and more, though, I'm choosing from Quiltmaker Magazine's digitized quilting designs for Electric Quilt. You can import the motif into your quilt layout, size it your block, sashing or border.

I transfer the design onto water soluble stabilizer with an ultra fine point permanent marker, pin it to the quilt and quilt right through it. I love this method so much I blogged about it in January 2013.

meyert

A few times I have purchased from http://quiltingcreations.com/ they have a ton to choose from. My problem is marking the quilt with them. The pounce works, but it makes a mess. The washable markers work but the tips of the ones I use get gnawed up and ruined from the stencils. I am going to try some of those chalk pencils next.

ShirlinAZ

I love yadroc's idea. I've made my own plastic stencils from all kinds of pictures - coloring books, magazines, etc- and sewn around them. The problem is that they are difficult to get loose if the needle goes through the plastic. I think I'll use freezer paper next time. For vines in my borders I use the Fons & Porter chalk markers. They are easily and generally completely erased with a simple vacuum cleaner. I wait until the main body of the quilt is quilted, then mark the borders with the vine line I want to follow. I can free hand the leaves or whatever I want along the vine.

Doggramma

When I first started FMQ I even got a stencil for meandering. I was so terrified to just do it. And I hard a hard time following stencil lines. Just keep practicing some simple shapes and try not to box yourself in along the edge or into a corner. Also it really has helped me to slow down. It's not a race. It won't take long for you to get the hang of it. Good luck and have fun practicing!