Category: Free Motion Quilting

My CRAZY Flying Geese Quilt Border

Who says Flying Geese have to fly in formation? Mine lean this way and that, and that’s exactly what gives this quilt border its texture!

I took the familiar Flying Geese shape and stitched it as a free-motion quilting design. Some triangles are tall and some are squat, and the wavy lines along the sides give the geese a little room to wander.

Blue and cream quilt samples showing tilted Flying Geese triangles stitched between wavy lines.
The same CRAZY Flying Geese design on blue and cream fabric. Look how clearly the stitching shows up on the blue!

Try this: As you quilt each triangle, pick a different spot for the point. Aim one toward the middle, then scoot the next one to the side. Let a few triangles get tall or squat as you go.

Want to see how the geese take shape?

Watch my CRAZY Flying Geese border on YouTube.

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Want more ideas for quilting your own quilts? Subscribe to the blog and get each Free Motion Friday post in your inbox.

Diamonds: A Fun Quilting Design for Skinny Borders

Skinny borders don’t give us much room to quilt, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun!!

This diamond design looks great all by itself…

…but look what happens when we add a little something inside!

Circles, intersecting lines, and little flowers give the same design three different personalities. You can keep it simple or add a bit more texture.

In this video, I’ll show you the diamonds and a few ways to dress them up.

VIEW VIDEO HERE

Which would you choose for your quilt—plain or filled?

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You’ve finished piecing your quilt top. Now comes the big question: How am I going to quilt it?

In my on-demand free-motion quilting course, I’ll help you get started, practice at your own pace, and build the confidence to quilt that top yourself.

Explore the Free-Motion Quilting Course

Wishbones and Curves Make GREAT Quilting Texture!

What happens when you combine wishbones and curves?

GREAT texture!!

For this border, I filled the wavy space with wishbones, letting them stretch and shrink to fit. Echoing the curves adds even more movement!

VIEW VIDEO HERE

I LOVE the texture….

Would you try this combination?

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You’ve finished piecing your quilt top. Now comes the big question: How am I going to quilt it?

In my on-demand free-motion quilting course, I’ll help you get started, practice at your own pace, and build the confidence to quilt that top yourself.

Explore the Free-Motion Quilting Course

Adding Easy Loops to an Orange Peel Quilting Border

Sometimes a quilting design needs just a little something extra!

An orange peel border already has those lovely repeating curves, but I wanted to give this one more interest and excitement. My addition? A few easy loops!

VIEW VIDEO HERE

The loops bring another bit of movement to the orange peel design. I love how such a simple addition can make a familiar quilting pattern feel more playful.

If you want to give this a try, spend a few minutes doodling the design on paper first. Draw the orange peel curves, add the loops, and see how you like the combination. Then try it on a practice sandwich before moving to your quilt.

There’s room to experiment here. The goal is to find a version that you enjoy stitching and that works with your quilt.

Would you leave an orange peel border as it is, or would you add a few loops for extra fun?

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Want more ideas for quilting your own quilts? Subscribe to the blog and get each Free Motion Friday post in your inbox.

Quilting an Orange Peel Border: One Curve at a Time

Choosing a quilting design for a border can bring me to a standstill. The quilt is almost finished, and one more decision is waiting to be made!

An Orange Peel design is a lovely option. Its repeating curves create a pattern that adds texture and movement while framing the piecing inside.

In this short reel, I’m quilting an Orange Peel border. You can watch the curves build into a continuous pattern as the stitching progresses.

VIEW VIDEO HERE

There is something satisfying about seeing the design take shape, one section at a time!

If you want to try this design, start by drawing a few repeats on paper. That gives you a chance to think about the shape and the stitching path before you move to fabric.

Then try a sample quilt sandwich. Aim for a comfortable rhythm and reasonably consistent curves. They don’t have to be identical for the overall pattern to look lovely.

Come back next week and we will add one small flourish that makes the border even better!!

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Want more ideas for quilting your own quilts? Subscribe to the blog and get each Free Motion Friday post in your inbox.