MACHINE KWILTING TUTORIAL & TIPS

This tutorial shows you some of my 
machine kwilting techniques and tips

Well call it what you will...kwilting can be fun.
Remember, everyone has an opinion !!


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 KWILTING GLOVES

Kwilting gloves will help you control the kwilt  movement during any type of kwilting.  

My favorite glove is Machingers...light weight and comfy.
(not being paid for this endorsement...I just like em)
  

BASTING 

 I pin baste to the carpet, sticking the large safety pin thru all 3 layers 
and into the carpeting.  Keeping all three layers taught!  
Very hard on my knees and I hate this part. 

Small curved pins for basting, placing them about a fist-distance apart.  
Don't be stingy with those pins!
I use a grapefruit spoon (with those little jagged teeth) 
to close the pins and save my fingers.

During the kwilting,  I remove the pins and toss them to the container
 sitting on the floor beside my sewing table. 
My lightning fast sewing speed causes the container to jiggle if on my table ...
THEN boom - pins everywhere !

 Toss the pins in open and ready for the next quilt.
(see the little grapefruit spoon)

FREE MOTION QUILTING (FMQ)

• Stitch regulator foot if you have one or a regular FMQ foot
• New needle
• Needle down position - if your machine has that option
• Feed dogs lowered
• I don't always use the same thread on top and bottom and have been known to mix types of threads as well (cotton, rayon, metallic) 
• Have a practice sandwich of muslin and the type of batting you are using  - Practice FMQ before you put that quilt under the needle.  Check your thread tensions and make any adjustments as needed
• Begin FMQ meandering in the middle of the kwilt, 
• Work out to the sides, turning the quilt as needed.
• Keep you eye on the kwilt space and where you need to go...NOT on the needle!  It knows exactly where it is.  

  SCRUNCHING - your kwilt...not your shoulders

Keep the entire kwilt on the top of my sewing surface by scrunching / bunching it up. This eliminates DRAG and makes moving your kwilt easier.  If you have a small space use an ironing board surface set up by your sewing table, at same height to help hold the kwilt weight.

Using "gloved" fingertips will help you 

to control the movement of the kwilt top.
Relax those shoulders!!!  wrists!!!  fingers!!!
 I know you are scrunching just reading this!

FMQ - LINE KWILTING 

FMQ an easy back and forth line design, soft curves ahead.  
This it works great in  small areas or border/sashing sections. 

 This baby kwilt has both FMQ lines and meandering.

 A view of the kwilted top.

A white backing really shows off the kwilting.

A close up look

STRAIGHT LINE  BASTING
If you choose to spray baste PLEASE don't buy the cheap stuff!
You will be sorry and your machine will hate you!

I use 505 Brand found in most kwilt shops and on line




NOTE:  My Bernina Stitch Regulator (BSR) foot
DOES NOT LIKE ANY BASTING SPRAY
She gets mad as hell , skips stitches and causes cursing!
If I kwilt without the regulator foot, use the walking foot 
or other feet, then no problems.

STRAIGHT LINE QUILTING (SLQ)

The beauty with "organic" straight line kwilting is 
your kwilting does not have to be perfect. 
A little wave in the "straight" line or 
varying spacing between the straight lines called  = creative license

Here is how I setup my Bernina

• Machine straight stitch is 4.00
• Walking foot on
• Presser foot at a medium pressure (28 on my Bernina) (I have a knob on my machine to adjust this.  Most high end machines should have this function (look in your manual).  The higher the number on the pressure knob, the looser the area under the pressure foot allowing feed to go more smoothly.
• Needle down
• Feed dogs dropped
• I use LARGE OFFICE CLIPS to hold my kwilt in place as I stitch the lines. 
• FOLD (don't roll) the kwilt in from each side and clip it.

• A walking foot provides a nice even feed for SLQ
• I use a "seam" as my first row of kwilting or you can use blue painters tape, sew along side it - then remove it
• From that first stitched row, begin to alternate sides as you kwilt the rows - helps eliminate puckers
• Turn or flip the kwilt around (from one end to the other) for each row you stitch - helps eliminate puckers
• Use the side of the walking foot for spacing between lines
• Shift the needle position to make the spacing between lines bigger or smaller and continue to use the side of the walking foot as your stitch guide

 Even with clips on the kwilt to hold the sides in...
I keep it bunched up on my sewing surface to avoid drag.

 And that's the Kwilty Pleasure's spin and tips on kwilting a kwilt.  

Hope you found something useful here.  

Just put this on my Tutuorial Page...

check out my other tutes if you have time.