Swirl Meander Machine Quilting Tutorial: Free-motion Challenge Quilting Along w/ Angela Walters

Ready for a Free-motion Quilting Challenge? Learn how easy it is to quilt the swirl meander!
The Swirl Quilting Design is one of the most versatile designs. Learn how easy it is to quilt in this video! Details and information below ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
In this week’s challenge, we are going master the swirl design. In this video, you’ll:
◆ Learn how to quilt the swirl meander
◆ See how to move around the quilting area using echoing
◆ Learn how to troubleshoot common swirl issues.
Want to learn more variations? Take my craftsy class, 'Small Changes, Big Variety': goo.gl/dMV4dB
///Class Resources///
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Get more info and machine quilting supplies here→ bit.ly/3bcGU3q
Get Downloadable Quilting Diagrams here → bit.ly/2wj8Y5t
Join the FMQ Challenge Facebook group to be inspired, show off your work and to cheer each other on! Join here: bit.ly/2N6aV83
To join the challenge and receive the videos as well as tips directly to your inbox, click here: eepurl.com/di9eIX

[@lucilleball5970]

Can't wait to try this one out, it is so beautiful, I just love this one. Thanks Angela

[@rhandidemars8164]

You make it look so easy. Love the swirls

[@eepsers1]

Angela, I, too, love Glide thread! So happy to have met you in your amazing shop in Liberty! I can't wait to try out my new Angela-designed rulers.

[@IcyBlue32]

I love it. It's very pretty with the pink thread.

[@lilyfoss2924]

Thank you, looks like fun for this week again...

[@KarensSelfemployJourney]

Love the two different designs!

[@maryannecadd796]

I love these videos. I've tried a few and feel more confident. New favorite word is ECHO. Thanks Angela!

[@staceytodd4491]

Love your videos Angela!! Thank you!!

[@ceciliasiler4284]

Love it. Haven't tried free motion quilting yet but this looks like something I CAN do.

[@stephaniebrown8334]

I love all of the different designs that you have done! They have given me a lot of ideas for a quilt that I am making my sister. Thanks for doing this challenge!

[@BarbaraOpett]

Your the Queen of Free Motion quilting! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️😉

[@tarapierce3677]

Thank you soo much for your videos!!! I’m getting ready to finish my first quilt and you’ve made this step so much less intimidating for me and more confident that it will come out just the way I want it too!

[@BalletMum14]

This is so relaxing to watch

[@memefraser3961]

Thank you. Love it and I really love that hot pink thread

[@septemberbaby0903]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Glide thread! And the best part? My quilt shop sells it at a very reasonable price!

[@debbieannheckeroth3879]

Love your tutorials!

[@cindyswoveland2277]

Well, so far so good. I can actually doodle this one! Tomorrow will be my sewing day...looking forward to trying this and the feather meander, which I keep doodling the little half hearts in the wrong direction.

[@rameshmayasandra2246]

Love it.Beautiful.

[@susanpratt4404]

I so enjoy ur fun, easy going personality towards quilting- u make these intimidating quilting patterns seem so easy and the way u show it with mistakes as well to get out of the mistakes has made me start trying more types v of quilting variations! I am not great at it yet but I am at least trying it! Ty ! Ur work is absolutely stunning ! ❤

[@carolskooge5044]

You are such a Blessing sharing your talents with us. Thank you a million times for these great tutorials. I love your fun personality, it keeps us interested. By the time you finish, we are like the little car going up the hill. I think I can , I think I can. I know I can. 🙋🏻‍♀️❤️

[@elainebenfield4529]

You have helped me improve my FMQ skills tremendously. Thank you!!

[@ushaanand4940]

Thanks for your tutorials and Happy New Year !

[@amysmith5863]

Another awesome video! My goal for this week is to set some time for free motion quilting practice! ❤️

[@pamelaburch4484]

I have watched you do this swirl a few times and have spent time drawing it. today I did the swirl on a table runner. I am very satisfied with how it turned out.

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

Yay!!!!!! That's why I do this!!!

[@virginiaowensby8413]

Wow. I love it.

[@robinroth8004]

Elongated swirls are fantastic!!

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

I agree!! ;)

[@RobinSampsonMcCarthy]

You make it look so easy! I was just at a quilting expo and we were all talking about how we want to grow up to be like the Midnight Quilter. :)

[@stoptheinsanity]

You make it look a lot easier than it is. Hopefully someday I will be able to do my own. Practice practice practice!

[@barbarabennell384]

Love it !

[@emilymugundasisei9742]

I love your work , though am new in quilt

[@rosettagadson1762]

Great Demonstration

[@laraslarasati5600]

Yes I really like the swirls

[@beckymedina3885]

Love this! Beautiful! 💓💓💓 I must say, I don't know how you FMQ without gloves! My hands get too tired.

[@nathalieboudreau7765]

Soooo BEAUTIFUL...WISH I HAD THE CONFIDENCE!!!!

[@rosebeal4628]

I love to meander swirl! I found that I was more successful using the regular free motion foot than using my stitch regulator foot for this design. I think the stitch regulator gets jerky on the tight curves.

[@slim1one]

So beautiful and I love that bright pink thread that you quilted with. One of these days I'm going to muster up enough courage to try this design... also the leafy meander and the flower meander... then my life will be complete :)

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

Go for it!! I promise that it just takes a little bit of practice!

[@janettebarr6538]

It’s lovely but you make it look so easy

[@boxgirl51]

You make it look so easy. Not so much for me. Thank you for your videos!

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

I promise that it just takes a little practice!! Keep at it!

[@sehryn]

Hey 👋 thanks 😍

[@sewdivadiane]

I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this video. I hear echo, echo, echo in my sleep! Just when I think I know what I am doing, I get a brain fart and get a funny swirl. BUT, it is much more difficult to find these mistakes later. I just got a longarm and my daughters keep telling me that a “normal “ person does not look for and point out problems in a quilt but sees how great the finished product is. I guess I have raised some pretty smart kids!

[@kathleenross7059]

I love them both!! Angela you make it look so easy....love your relaxing voice when you teach. Thank you!!

[@Leftoutknitter]

THat looks like Colorstreet nails at work there! And great quilt tutorial too.

[@yvejo7938]

I love watching your quilting tutorial videos. I have haven’t quilted yet but trying to learn. Questions for you, if you were to have one quilting foot, would you buy open toe or closed toe? Could you use a closed toe to do ruler work:

[@patticlaude1]

I'm still trying! Yours is so sweet

[@osmonfrances2407]

i am so jealous because you make it look so easy!!! lol

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

It just takes some practice!!

[@osmonfrances2407]

Thank you for replying!!

[@marianneparkinson3873]

Love hat you do you make it look so easy but I still struggle, I have saved the video will keep watching over and over and keep practicing

[@KamleshGuptaArts]

Wow 👌👌👍

[@cherllozier2275]

Love this! Just a few questions - what kind of foot are you using? How do you breeze along? Do I have to adjust my tension? Do I have to drop the feed dog?

[@tracydavis8802]

Like your t-shirt

[@peggymcthompson261]

Good Morning 😊

[@joananilviadosreisfonsecar4478]

Oi querida ,amo amo seu trabalho e muito lindo e principalmente porque vc faz em uma máquina comum . Não entendo nada da sua linguinha mas consigo entender seu trabalho maravisolho. Parabéns minha linda e grande beijo no coração. Um dia quero muito tô conhecer mas sei que e difícil pois moro no Brasil. Ti amo minha linda

[@debramerrill4003]

I love your videos! One question - should i quilt over top of my applique pieces that have been outlined already? Thanks

[@fredluedeman9214]

Ugh! I almost get the swirl meander, ALMOST, didn't do so well on the elongated swirl, ran out of room. But the Feather Meander (which I really want to do well) is awful. Your teaching is wonderful, my learning is not. lol I'll keep trying. Thank you for another great tutorial. Good thing is, I can play it over and over and hopefully get better. Glide Thread...I have never used it. I'll have to try it. :)

[@EmeraldQueen206]

Lovely video. For the spacing in between can I use the quilting foot to help me do this?

[@sheadorris]

Angela, how long did it take you until your could do the swirls smoothly? Also, a huge Thank you to you for this video, I had a meeting today at my sons school about some things that weren’t being done and I was very nervous! Lo and behold , I pull up KZbin while I’m waiting and there you were to save the day! I knew watching you FMQ would calm my nerves and it did! And, btw, the meeting went well. I didn’t have to snatch any wigs!🤣

[@jennyl2273]

I love the elongated swirl byt have a question. When you echo around the hook, does the echo meet (touch) the point of the swirl?

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

For the most part, I am trying to make them touch, but it doesn't matter if they don't. Hope that helps!

[@jeanpeacock8265]

Do you use the glide thread in the bobbin also?

[@vickieclark1]

Do you use the Glide thread in bobbin and needle or just needle, and then what do you use in bobbin?

[@crystalhoving8227]

I would love to buy the handout that you talk about but can’t find the box that is referenced

[@sonnieday9168]

hello there, i have found your site over this xmas, i need to ask a few question as new to this, why glide thread? what size stitch do you use, and do you have a glide backing so the material moves better? thankyou sonja day

[@katluann]

I just got my hot pink glide forty weight today and it’s really really big. I mean the size of the spool is really large but I compared it to my sulky and glide seems really slim in comparison to sulky forty weight. I’ll give it a try and we will see.

[@eascusa]

Will it look good on the back piece as well? Or are we sacrificing the back for a nice front?

[@osmonfrances2407]

i have a crazy question. Do you bind your quilt first then free motion quilt it? Thanks

[@kriscullis804]

Osmon Frances yes you do

[@deelankford1180]

Which class should I buy I am new to long arm quilting?

[@TrixieScalf05]

Can you make the swirls larger also? I am thinking about an inch plus an echo.

[@pattihansen6099]

How do you get the stitches to be consistent?

[@nancycrowell6499]

Hi! Love these tutorials and hope when I grow up I can quilt like you! 😀 I recently got a new tinlizzie18sd machine and need help. My thread breaks a lot. I did all the recommended adjustments and can quilt for a little longer periods before it breaks. Could it just be operator error? I haven't found my rhythm yet, trying to get use to the foot pedal. Any advice would be appreciated! I even got a bobbin tension gauge.

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

Does it snap off at the needle or is it shredding? If it's shredding, the needle may not be in correctly or there may be a burr somewhen in the thread path. It could also be that the needle isn't the correct size for the thread. If it's snapping at the needle, it could be a tension issue. When it's not breaking, does the tension look ok? What kind of thread are you quilting with?

[@nancycrowell6499]

So, at first it was shredding. I changed the needle and my husband took his dremmel tool and buffed out what he thought might be a burr on one of the thread loop things. The thread is King something and there's a sticker on the machine that says needle 134 San 11-18. The stitches look good. I do get nervous and go a little to fast. I don't why! LOL.

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

Hmmm, if it's King Tut thread (which is cotton) and it's shredding, try loosening then tension just a teeny bit or try a larger needle. Hope that helps!

[@nancycrowell6499]

I will. It has been very helpful. Hopefully I can start this free motion quilting challenge next week. Thanks again for your help. Looking forward to your next season of midnight quilter.

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

It should be out soon!!!

[@vjdossey]

Angela please share what speed you are going most of the instructional video? Mainly while you are first showing the swirls? I am still struggling and I'm convinced it has to do with my hands and how fast I think I need to move them. I appreciate your help!

[@sonyakoresky]

Veronica Dossey I don't know for sure if I'm right on this… But I had to play with different speed settings on mine before I figured out what worked for me. What ended up working for me was setting my speed dial fairly low but then hammering down with my foot while I moved my quilt. However I think probably everyone is slightly different? I felt like hammering down with my foot was one less thing I needed to think about for the pressure of my foot on the pedal while trying to learn the designs and being smooth. I started slow, super slow, and slowly upped my speed until my stitches were small enough that my curves stopped having giant jagged stitches.

[@conniegengo5261]

Great question and answer. Thanks

[@lindaberryman2004]

Read you long arm quilting in for the public? If so how much is it?

[@quietbooksandquietbookpage3048]

Do you use anything on your machine "table" to make the quilt move over it smoothly and easily? And also, can this be done on a large quilt (at least twin size) with a home machine/

[@sonyakoresky]

I'm pretty sure in the very first video of this whole quilt along challenge that she mentioned she likes to use the supreme slider? The video was basically about things you'll need to get started, threads, needles etc. etc.

[@debbiehains5414]

Fairly easy on a quilt block, but not so much on a large quilt. Any suggestions on doing this on a bed-sized quilt?

[@marleneeidem6769]

Hi - What brand and kind of thread are you using in your machine? I never know what is the best brand and size to use--Thanks

[@elsatoerien6721]

Thank you so much for all the great info. Really enjoying the FMQ Challenge!! I just have one problem: How large is a quarter?

[@rebeccakreisher955]

A quarter is 2.5cm

[@elsatoerien6721]

Rebecca Kreisher thank you! I would have made it much smaller.

[@virginiaalarcon4359]

Where can I get that ruler to stitch in the ditch?

[@saajohnson4125]

I miss your night quilt show. I didn’t see anymore 😢

[@sharonc1282]

Question: you state that before quilting you straight stitch the seams of the block, you said if seams are pressed to side, you stitch on the "low" side ( I believe that to be the side 'without' the allowance).... #1) You do not mention what to do if you do not press to the side.......if I press 'open', do I just pick a side to stitch on by flipping a coin? #2) do I understand that you stitch the seams of each block individually as you go to each block? Am preparing to start quilting a quilt and I did not know if I am to stitch around the blocks on the entire quilt or as I do another block....? Thank you, Angela! You are a Master!!!

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

1. If the seam is pressed open, I quilt on the side that matches the thread I am using....but I still try to keep it as close to the seams as possible. 2. It depends on how you prefer to do it. Most of the time I quilt in the seams before I fill in the block, but other times, I do it after. One thing that I don't do is stitch in all the seams, then come back to fill in the blocks. (Although there is nothing wrong with doing that!) Hope that helps!

[@sharonc1282]

Oh, that helps a great deal, Angela! Especially about 'when' to stitch around the block. I was leaning toward stitching around the block as I move to another block, but, was worried that was not the correct method. So, your information really helped! Thank you so much, you are absolutely wonderful!

[@eascusa]

I have made a quilt for a child. And I'm not sure how to quilt the top. Would this look good on a block that has patterns on the fabric. I notice your quilts don't usually have pictures. They are plain colors. My quilt has pictures on the fabric. There are little swirls around and next to little bumble bees and butterflies so I thought a swirl would look good to quilt the top with. But would it look good in a nine inch block with patterns on the fabric? Any suggestions?

[@Britineyj]

Is this your typical quilting speed or are you slowing it down so we can see better?

[@lynettebrown7749]

May be a dumb question, but you are controlling your machine with the foot pedal, not stop/start button on your machine, correct? Are you pedal to the metal or half way in between, or you just don't think about it?

[@abbynormal8666]

What machine are you using?

[@hannahcoleman7939]

How to end the thread ? When you're finished and need to cut the thread how do keep the stitches from coming back out ?

[@nanamjbri]

I’ve never machine quilted and this looks gorgeous and looks easy but I know it’s not 😱

[@marcelaruiz3390]

Be patient and practice, practice and practice again.....🙄

[@roseanndivincenzo]

Hi Angela, I'm going to take a shot at FMQ for a wall hanging. What needle size do you use? Also, does the machine you use have a stitch length regulator? Your designs and FMQ skills are fabulous! Thanks for sharing!

[@AngelaWaltersfmq]

The needle size depends on the type of thread that you are using. Also, I am not using a stitch regulator. Thanks so much for watching!

[@roseanndivincenzo]

Hi Angela, I finished my wall hanging last night. My swirls are “primitive” as you might say, but I’m happy with the way it turned out. I need to practice a lot more. How do 8 upload a photo of my project?

[@SmittenKitten.]

I know this is totally antithetical to the topic at hand, but because you do this for a living, I thought I'd ask you (or anyone who might know the answer!): I have several quilt tops that I'm too afraid to quilt myself (because they took me ages and ages to piece, so I don't want to ruin them), but I'm worried about the level of perfection of the tops. They're not _bad_ , and I'd even say they're pretty good (to my eye), but how perfect do they need to be to send them to a quilter? Some seams are pressed open on some blocks, too (according to pattern instructions), which I know some quilters don't like. I have the quilt tops on my IG if you need to see what I'm referring to, btw, which I'll give if asked for. ANY advice from anyone would be so, so greatly appreciated! I don't want to send off a top only to be embarrassed when they send it back saying, "You suck!" (Just kidding! I know they wouldn't say that...)

[@cyndizoller1072]

Kathy McNeil Appliquick

[@sonyakoresky]

If you don't happen to get an answer to your question (I have no experience on that end either and cannot give you an adequate answer) there is another really great place to ask where lots of professionals can see the question and have the opportunity to reply, and it's rare to receive no response because of the volume of users... check out Reddit (mobile or computer, sign up is free, most accounts are anonymous) and check out the sub r/quilting.

[@lynnl6101]

Do you have a quilt shop near you. You could bring there. They could help you select backing fabrics. Perhaps give you quilting suggestions. They may suggest a good quilter. Quilt shops are usually so supportive of new quilters. They will love your quilt tops.

[@SmittenKitten.]

Lynn - Thank you for your reply! What a great idea! I hadn't thought about actually visiting a quilt shop for suggestions. I suppose because I've learned to quilt through the internet I'm apt to look for answers there, too. I'm sure they'd have a ton of great suggestions, though! I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to belong to such a great community.

[@SmittenKitten.]

Sonya - I didn't even think to check Reddit for its quilting subforum. Haha, that's such a simple and brilliant idea! Thank you for your help! I'm on my way to ask some Reditors now!

[@srilestari6791]

Is that quilting mesin same as other sewing machine?

[@debramiller9892]

Hi. Are your feed dogs down or up?

[@dorietiongco7622]

What is the brand and model of your quiltting machine

[@Decanthousehold]

Hmmm. I think I’ve been speeding trying all of these, tomorrow I’ll slooowwww down...until then I will dream about it all night ...

[@edithvierck9342]

Are you using a special machine?

[@ashokjiyoga]

Hello namasthe it's a different art how we get such machine pls let's know the name Thanks for ur project

[@nakshipolly5666]

My country Bangladesh there are many poor women who are living very hard life I have a Nakshi Palli Handicraft company,,I help a little bit by hand sewing,,,if any one of you can help with such a quinting sewing machine it would be very helpful for the poor women would have been

[@nakshipolly5666]

advice Your stitches are very beautiful. Your sewing machine is Janome 710. I am a poor person and it is not possible for me to buy this sewing machine with so much money. This sewing machine if Uesd available in low budget. Then I will buy. Or you will have beautiful sewing like this sewing machine on a low budget with the name and model number of such a sewing machine. so that i can buy I am a designer. Design with pen on two layers of fabric. I will sew using free mutton on the sewing machine.

[@lilyfoss2924]

Thank you, looks like fun for this week again...

[@catherinehayward4076]

Love it!