Free Motion Quilting | susies-scraps.com

Quilting Strawberries

Taking inspiration from fabric and from nature, is how I like to quilt. As I was making these Happy Days Microwave Bowl Holders, I was using some strawberry fabric. One of the ladies from Treadle Quilters mentioned that she had the same fabric.

Then it occurred to me that Strawberries, might be lovely to quilt. So I did some doodling. I always draw or doodle the pattern which I am planning to quilt. This prepares the mind to transpose that idea through the machine to fabric.

Free Motion Quilting Part4 ; Begin FMQ

There are three components to this design. The Strawberry, a strawberry flower and a leaf set. Breaking it down into the three components will make it easy. I then link the designs together. I quilt one Strawberry, one Strawberry Flower and one Leaf set.

Begin by quilting the Calyx, with sharp narrow leaf shapes numbering at least 8 or a few more if desired. Then outline the Strawberry shape underneath it. The marvelous thing is that in nature Strawberries do have many varietals and shapes as you know, so you can’t do it wrong. Every Strawberry is different. Once the outline is stitched then fill the remainder of the space with little rows of scallops. Once the space is filled stitch back up the right side of the Strawberry to the top. Your next line will be the stem. Stitch it with a curve, then add a leaf set. Quilt a set of three leaves as pictured. Then add a stem and the mae a Strawberry flower, this is a very simple flower with a five petal setting. At the centre stitch some extra stitches to make the centre more defined Andrew represent the flower stamens.