3 EASY Free Motion Quilting Designs - Complete Beginners Guide!

[@KimtheElder]

..... I want to add that the camera angle from the quilter's point of view was spot on. Not only could I plainly see what you were describing, but I could feel it from the quilter's perspective, as if my hands were doing the work. Kudos to you all. Kim

[@M-hc9xm]

I tried a few years ago, got frustrated and went back to straight line quilting. I think it's time to give it another try using your helpful hints!

[@JudithPhilip-p6g]

This is the best free motion quilting tutorial out there. I think I finally feel confident enough to give it a try.

[@FabricCafe]

Thank you so much! We worked really hard on it!

[@laurahutter9176]

I agree. It was a really good tutorial. I think I might finally have the nerve to try it.

[@estelasteele1173]

I'm glad you mentioned practicing on a piece of paper before starting on the quilt. Even with a pantograph, it's been recommended to follow the pattern with a pencil before starting on the fabric. "muscle memory" can certainly improve the final project.

[@dustygokey3830]

Love your teaching style ! Have not tried freestyle quilting as of yet. I have done straight line without difficulty. Thank you ! I enjoy all your tutorial/videos and have med several of your three yard quilts !

[@CherylBetts-q4x]

Thank you, I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video. Everything was very clear from beginning to end as to how to go about "free motion" quilting. Now I have to give it a try!!

[@kathidieumegarde1044]

I love the quilt behind you!

[@FabricCafe]

That is our "Interlock" quilt pattern found in the book "Make it Modern with 3-Yard Quilts" 🥰

[@jljohnson8450]

I think your 'loops' design looks like a string of Christmas lights. I'll try it on a light background Holiday project

[@FabricCafe]

Oh, what a great idea!

[@karenherndon1811]

I’m glad to hear about your machine not liking certain threads. My Brother is picky also…and I thought it was just me and/or my certain machine!! Thanks for sharing ! Love your tutorials!

[@FabricCafe]

Our machines have their own unique personalities sometimes. 😅

[@MarshaBanta]

Can you do a video using a full quilt? I never know how to get it to move smoothly with all the extra bulk.

[@dimples6596]

Exactly. Appreciate all these videos, but most tend to show these small pieces, so you don’t get the full effect of moving a king-sized quilt through a domestic sewing machine.

[@Catsaresupergreat]

I 100! agree with your suggestion!

[@laurelrauf2869]

Excellent tutorial! I’ve been wanting to try free motion quilting for a long time. This video was so informative. Thank you.

[@roxanneroehrig324]

Outstanding tutorial, Fran!!! And the close-ups were sew clear; kudos to your photographer!!! Thanks for the awesome instruction...I may just try again, my first attempts were not close to successful 😅. Your concise instructions and tips will be very useful ❤.

[@judidavieswebb]

Thank you Fran, now it all makes sense, I have never had a more clear explanation and how to before. FMQ really was something I avoided but now I will try again thanks to you. Wonderful!

[@FabricCafe]

So glad you feel inspired to try again! You can do it 🥰

[@jenniferrobinson6338]

Fran, I love you and your sparkling personality! I’ve done lots of free motion blocks. But when it comes to a twin size, I’ve had trouble. I would love to see a video with these great hints and tips done on a baby-size or twin size quilt! Thanks for sharing your talent. And PS , I don’t have a stitch regulator & that would really help!

[@deathdiablo22]

I created a 3 yard quilt for my grandma and did my first ever free motion quilting to finish it. I'll have to tag y'all in my Instagram post to show it off.

[@FabricCafe]

Yes please do!

[@deathdiablo22]

@@FabricCafe I tagged y'all on my post! Hopefully it is up to your standards. 😅

[@peggymacmichael9788]

I’ll give it another try because of your tutorial

[@royalladybug30]

I learned how to make a butterfly, that combined with large sweeping loops and you have whimsy. I love your tips!

[@FabricCafe]

That's a great idea!

[@vonathompson4979]

This is the most awesome video. I have wanted to try free motion but …..I am going for it…i will do a placemat and then do my next 3 yard quilt… THANK YOU.

[@annetyszka6404]

Hi! Thank you for this video! I tried free motion quilting a few years ago and only did it a short time as I became frustrated when I could not work myself out of a corner. I will try your tips and give free motion quilting another go!

[@conniekirby851]

Thank you Fran! This is a great video!

[@FabricCafe]

Glad it was helpful!

[@clairehart6267]

Wow you make it look easy. I tried it on paper and it is easy. I love your teaching style. On Point. Your the best.❤

[@FabricCafe]

Thanks so much 😊

[@juliemorrison4348]

Great video Fran. You make this look so easy and I find it is easy on a small piece. My problem is trying to fit a larger piece in a small throat machine , Trying to move smoothly and keep stitches even length.👏♥️🇦🇺

[@vickichandler5872]

Wonderful tutorial. I like your easy to understand, clearly explained instructions and watching the actual quilting helps me "get it". Thanks so much. Take care, blessings to ya'll.

[@FabricCafe]

You are so welcome!

[@KimtheElder]

I agree, and whoever videoed the up-close part allowed us to see more than hands :D They did a great job all around.

[@patriciafinn4563]

AWESOME! Fran, your the best. Thank you for doing this tutorial. More please.

[@michellekorn3693]

Thank you for this great lesson. I would love to see how you handle a larger piece to quilt. I make mostly throw size quilts but haven’t found a good way to manage the quilt as I sew.

[@odettepross2435]

bamboo batting is amazing too

[@annarutledge6140]

Thank you for such an informative free motion video. Taking the fear out of starting seems to be tfw hardest thing. I want to try so much!

[@FabricCafe]

You can do it!

[@sentimentsbysue8438]

Oh my, I was just getting ready to try to find some videos on free motion quilting, and saw this one from my favorite KZbin quilters! Thank you so much for this video!

[@FabricCafe]

Perfect timing!

[@laurajustice4275]

I have just started quilting my own projects, and this was very helpful. Thanks to you, I think I'm ready to give it a try on a full quilt.

[@FabricCafe]

I'm so glad to hear that! You can do it Laura 🥰

[@SandraHamer-xv1uc]

I just love your teaching style,you don’t rush and are very clear and precise,and your smiles reflect your heart,you looked so cute with those black gloves on !

[@susanhartley8207]

Thanks for the free motion lesson. I always find something to try.

[@carlahellwege7663]

I’ve taken FMQ classes a few times. I just want to say you did a great job teaching your tips and tricks!

[@FabricCafe]

Thank you so much Carla!

[@Lois.Romero]

Very informative! Fran, you're a great teacher! 😊

[@FabricCafe]

Thank you so much!

[@dianajones9082]

Thank you so much Fran for such a helpful free motion quilting video.

[@FabricCafe]

You are SEW welcome!

[@sarafahnley3841]

Great job, Fran. You are a wonderful teacher!

[@gracecanlas4828]

Thank you for this video! Free motion quilt looks very intimidating! Hope I will be able to try it in my next quilt!

[@BeckyMortonWeeks]

Great information. I have only tried stitch in the ditch but now I want to try free motion quilting. Thank you!

[@janswarthout4099]

Great video Fran! These tips will work for my new long arm. Thanks!

[@shannonmclaughlin4850]

I love this video. It is the best one I have seen. I feel confident enough to try this again.

[@kayannahufford340]

Thank you for showing this free motion quilting. Im going to do everything you showed us, and i think i can do it now. Im so grateful for your video on this. I have several quilts that are ready to quilt. It cost so much this would sure save money so i can buy more fabric. Ha. Love you.

[@FabricCafe]

You can do it, Fabric Café believes in you! 🥰

[@dianehuntley2493]

Fran IS a wonderful teacher! Thanks Fran😊

[@brigidanow]

Agree with others- this is one of the best FMQ tutorials I’ve seen.

[@sharontucker691]

Great job , very informative, thank you

[@nancyngumba7079]

Wow! You are great teacher, thanks for making it easy for me to get started 🎉

[@jenniferhuff2566]

This was incredibly helpful and fun. I absolutely love the shirt you are wearing! Did you make that? Thank you for the inspiration

[@pmcknight12]

Thank you, I'm going to try it today after wanting to do it for several years now

[@maryhluch659]

I have always heard “done is better than perfect.”

[@FabricCafe]

Excellent phrase! 🥰

[@mysweetroux5449]

Great tutorial thank you! And I appreciate you encouraging taking breaks.

[@jenniestraynick537]

Thank you! You had some great tips!!

[@sherrylesina7224]

Thanks so very much Fran. I appreciated the tips you shared. I feel I have a little more knowledge now. I am going to practice.

[@katjakrull9800]

Super video, extremely helpful. Thank you!!!

[@anitanoland9188]

This is a wonderful video with great instruction content!! Great job!!!

[@FabricCafe]

Thank you so much, Anita 🥰

[@michaelandeileenkilloran8310]

Thanks for this great video Fran, I did some free motion quilting a few years ago, but haven’t done it much lately. I think I’ll be giving it another try soon thanks to this great tutorial. My physiotherapist gave me a hint about keeping shoulders etc relaxed. Put a heat pack across your shoulders- once it is cool, it’s time to get up and move, stretch etc. I kept a couple in rotation.

[@FabricCafe]

Great idea!

[@grams5580461]

Great tutorial. For anyone wanting to try this it really is as easy as she demonstrates. Thank you so much.

[@cassieplayford634]

Great tutorial! Thanks for the tips! 💕

[@ellenorr9683]

Thank you. That was informative and made it seem easy to try. I’ve been nervous about it. Great explanations.

[@jackiebeck1427]

Thank you for this tutorial! I have watched several videos, but yours is the most informative! Can’t wait to try!

[@gisellejones1139]

Great tutorial Fran😊

[@melindamckenry6368]

Thank you for sharing.

[@rhondahallet8413]

Fran, You are an excellent instructor. You have given me some courage to try free motion quilting. Thank you!

[@debbiepurser8101]

You are so talented !

[@FabricCafe]

Thank you Debbie! 🥰

[@robertacaruthers7568]

Thank you, Fran, for the demo. I tried years ago, but it was a fail and I never got back to it. In my case I believe the machine just cannot work correctly (it's a little too basic a machine). But I'll give it a try again next time I do a quilt, using your helpful hints here.

[@rhondak3901]

Great tutorial Fran!

[@glazys]

☺thank you so much for all the tips and instructions. They are so clear and nicely explained. Thank you so much.

[@FabricCafe]

You are so welcome!

[@margaretsullivan8363]

I love your tutorials. Kudos to all of you, also I would love to know where you shop for your wonderful blouses.

[@bonniewoodfine136]

Thankyou...great tutorial !

[@cynthiaswart2886]

Thank you for this wonderful tutorial.

[@FabricCafe]

You are so welcome!

[@joycewells292]

Thank u .ur a great teacher.🎉

[@FabricCafe]

Thank you, you're so sweet 🥰

[@sonjadevenney2524]

Great video Fran. Thank you

[@Shuggarae]

COSMO! 😮 SO pretty

[@KimtheElder]

I watched this video a few months ago and saved it to my 3-Yard Quilt playlist, but was still a little lost. After coming back to it now after purchasing my sewing machine which came with the correct foot :) and having watched a good percentage of your videos in general, I had an aha! moment; It makes sense (well it always made sense). My brain could put the pieces together (ha! like a quilt - bad joke.) Fran, you are such a wonderful teacher and I am just so grateful for the 3YQ products ( I have 4 downloaded books and 3 downloaded patterns - and don't forget all of the Freebie Goodies ) AND these amazing videos. So excited for my quilting journey :) ♥🪡🧵

[@elainefields8727]

🙋🏻‍♀️ Fran. Thank you so much for this very clear FMQ tutorial. I have tried FM sewing with very little success. My problem is that I have no idea as to the correct stitch length. My stitches are either so tight or so loose. I am unable to find the right length. I’m sorry that you didn’t include that point.

[@dustygokey3830]

Brick Street was my very first quilt, thank you !!

[@FabricCafe]

Congrats! Thanks for watching!

[@cindywetzig211]

Great video. Thank you!

[@cbernier6967]

Great tips and lesson thanks Fran❤

[@dianepeterson7606]

Great tutorial. Thank you.

[@thisisme64T]

I am going to buy some "sock stop" and make some quilters gloves. Those look pretty handy. 😂 Yes the pun was intended.

[@lisastreasures]

Very helpful tutorial. Have been wanting to free motion quilt but have never been brave enough. I feel more confident with your help, Fran. Also, practicing with pen and paper is really fun, especially to a doodler like me. 😅 Thanks so much 🩵💛

[@FabricCafe]

You are so very welcome, Lisa! Glad we were able to give some good guidance on how to get started with free motion quilting. You are right about the doodling, it's almost therapeutic in a way 🥰

[@DianeSmith-h7t]

Thanks for all your great tips! I took an all day class about 6 months ago but struggled with coordinating my foot, hands and brain. I just began practicing a few days ago on a scrap sandwich every day. I'm going to try your suggestion of pen and paper tomorrow. Thanks again! P.S. Just purchased your Easy Peasy book and have cut one of the patterns that I hope to use FMQ for that piece.

[@FabricCafe]

Excellent! Practice makes progress, you got this 🥰 Good luck with your Easy Peasy quilt!!

[@sarahshaw1937]

Looking forward to trying this. FMQ is what I struggle with. Do you have any tips on what quilting design to use on the various 3 yard quilt patterns.

[@FabricCafe]

The three we show in the video are great starter designs!

[@toniwoods6552]

This is an awesome tutorial on machine quilting Fran. Thanks for sharing the tips and giving us HOPE. How do you do a full size quilt on a home machine.

[@fredajohnson4242]

Love all your tips!!

[@moniquegoldsberry2601]

The tutorial was very helpful. The idea on drawing it on paper first to get an idea on the quilting pattern was just grand!! I don't mind saying that I do get intimidated about FMQ because I feel it's not a good job because I lack practice (and patience). I am going to try your pattern suggestions for sure!!! Great execution on instructions and hints!!! Thanks!!

[@FabricCafe]

You're so welcome! You can do it! 🥰

[@suegreenough8522]

lol I didn’t have any quilt gloves so I found some of my husbands fishing gloves. They were new… they are used to take hooks out and have a slightly raised surface and they worked til I bought some quilt gloves.

[@FabricCafe]

Great idea! Quilters are so resourceful 🥰

[@thisisme64T]

I have a W6 machine from Germany. It has a plastic plate to cover the feed dogs.

[@nancymccullough1330]

Are you stitching with a 2.5 stitch length? Also you can use press and seal plastic wrap on your fabric with a washable marker and you can really see how it will be.

[@FabricCafe]

When FMQ there is no stitch length due to the fact that you drop your feed dogs. (Th feed dogs control the stitch length.) You quilt sandwich is floating between the base plate of your machine and the presser foot. The length of the stitch is determined by how fast you move the quilt sandwich and the pressure you place on the gas pedal.

[@joannegirardin9074]

Love your info. Thank you. Please what is quilt pattern behind you…. Beautiful pattern

[@sdlepal]

I like to free motion quilt on my QAYG quilts since they are a block at a time. But since I have been following your quilting patterns I am afraid I can’t FMQ the whole quilt! I don’t want to mess up the pretty pattern. Thanks to you I am understanding using the 3 color selections. I love your easy to follow pattern instructions and have been making one quilt after another! Do you have a video showing FMQ the whole quilt? Thank you for sharing your knowledge ❤

[@FabricCafe]

Enjoy your new longarm!!

[@nancyandrichannis2257]

excellent video, can you tell me the name of the pattern you have displayed behind Fran. Love the colors and the effect of window pane effect

[@shadow51mcke]

I also love the quilt behind you, does anyone know what pattern that is.

[@peggysanders487]

Love the quilt behind you!! Please tell me the pattern name

[@marycreed-pallone9732]

Yes I also would love to know the pattern name and book it is in.

[@FabricCafe]

The quilt behind me is called Interlock and it's in the Make It Modern With 3-Yard Quilts book.

[@susanjung1]

Fran, thanks for a great video tutorial. One question. Do you baste your quilt top to the backing before adding the safety pins?

[@kraftylynne6544]

I have never done this yet. You mentioned 100% batting. Do you mean cotton or polyester? Your directions and explanations are great. I think I will be successful. Thank you for posting this video.

[@dimples6596]

100% low loft cotton batting.

[@kraftylynne6544]

@@dimples6596thank you.

[@cherylwilliams42]

Fran, thank you for sharing. I will ask, though; if you are quilting blocks should you not leave a 1/4 inch for connecting blocks?

[@annetteellis4188]

I love this video. I really love how you taught us how to tie off if you bobbin thread runs out and how to go to the edge to take a break. What is the quilt pattern name for the purp,e squares quilt behind you? Thank you for this video tutorial.

[@FabricCafe]

The quilt hanging behind me is called Interlock from the Make It Modern With 3-Yard Quilts book.

[@being4447]

What size 🪡 are you. Thanks for the video❤🎉

[@terrypowell9399]

Could you tell me what mode your BSR is on? Love your videos! Thanks

[@lindahanson6294]

thank you Fran for this tutorial. My problem is my lower stitches don't match up with the top stitches. It doesn't seem to matter at any speed. I don't knnow if it has to do with machine tension or if its me. Very frustrating :(

[@jenn.jenn21]

I normally don't use batting. I will make my quilt top. Then use a Cozy Comfort Fleece blanket from walmart. So not really a quilt sammich... would free motion still be an option if it is not 3 layers?

[@carriejetton966]

Thanks for the video. I sure wish I had the stitch regulator foot you have on your Bernina Sewing Machine. I have a Janome 9400QCP and it does not have one.

[@linetteevans8337]

I believe it is an add-on to the Janome

[@carriejetton966]

⁠@@linetteevans8337Janome has a new machine, 9480 and it has the stitch regulator foot, although they call it ASR (Accurate Stitch Regulator). If you know of one, would love to know. 😊

[@linetteevans8337]

My mistake. I have the 9480. I am purchasing the add-on for my Mother's Day gift for myself.

[@carriejetton966]

@@linetteevans8337That’s okay, enjoy your 9480!!!!