Oak Leaves and Acorns Quilting Free Motion
Hello Dear Friends and Readers, today I’m growing an Oak Tree on my quilt. I recently pruned a small oak tree to improve the shape. It is gratifying to know that from little things big thing grow. How marvelous it is that one acorn can grow a big beautiful oak tree which will live for hundreds of years.
I hope this post finds you all well, even if isolated. I’m sure we are all going through a similar psychological adjustment with being socially isolated and distanced from others. As an inspirational note, I believe as quilters and creators that maybe we are better at “self soothing” by being able to reach into our creative minds and find positive things to do.
I’m thinking we have passed from the preparation period of hunkering down and making sure we have adequate supplies, to avoid going out altogether if possible. Now we can get out our projects and make some really good inroads. In my last post I showed you quilting hydrangeas.
Today I want to share my free motion quilting which I have been doing on this Antique One Patch quilt top. Here is the link to the quilt top.
Antique One Patch Quilt aka Disappearing Nine Patch
In my mind I have planned the design for a long time and now is the opportunity to do it. I decided to quilt it on my electric Singer 201k C1948. As it is a scrap quilt, the quilting doesn’tt always show up that well, but it does give a beautiful texture.
For those who like details, I’m using one layer of 100% Cotton batting.
I used a wideback in a dark cchocolate fabric so the quilting is very visible on the backing.
For the free motion quilting, I’ve used an Aurifil thread in a kind of strong milky coffee colour, which has a nice sheen to it. The stitching looks a little fluffy on the back and I believe there are three reasons. I think a bit of the batting is coming through with each stitch, because it is possible the wide backs are a courser weave. Also its a dark colour, but I’m confident a couple of washes will make a difference.
What has been particularly enjoyable and pleasing about this design, is, that it is not unlike meandering in a way, which means it is not difficult. Also, it doesn’t seem to create too much uneven tension on the quilt. By that I mean, there is minimal puckering and the quilt has remained remarkably flat. I think it’s because the leaves are a complete oval type of shape and the forward and backward motion is even, avoiding any tightness or looseness. the design is very adaptable. In nature, the leaves from an oak tree vary so much in size so it’s easy to make some large leaves and fit small ones in wherever necessary. The acorns add a nice touch, with a different accent and can be placed on stems wherever they seem to fit.
The following photo is marked up to demonstrate the direction of the stitching. I make the centre vein of the leaf with a forward and backward motion, then complete the outside shape of the leaf. The vein can be as curved or straight as you prefer and be of a length which fits into the space.
Here is the finished quilt.
The acorns are sewn with a half oval knotched at the top then with a semi circle in the top quarter to give it an appearance of roundness then continue to complete the oval shape.
This free motion quilting is not perfect, and it’s easy to be hypercritical about ones work, however, once the quilting is complete, one doesn’t really focus on each small stitch, rather the overall look and feel of the quilt.
After all, its not a quilt until its quilted and sometimes finished is better that perfect!
I really hope you stay inspired and have a lovely day at home stitching if possible.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like,
Free Motion Lily of the Valley Treadle Quilting Tutorial
and
Uneven Nine Patch Quilt Pattern Antique Style
and this simple one patch scrap quilt.
All the best,
Susie
© Susan Stuklis 2020