Check out these unique and free motion quilting designs from around the web.
1. Bursting Flower Free Motion Design
- Difficulty Level – Intermediate. This is a pretty easy design. Just keep the initial leaf / petal shape in your mind and you’ll do just fine.
- Design Family – Center Fill. This design is started in the center of your quilting space, then stitched outward. This means this design will work great in open, uncomplicated areas like blocks.
- Directional Texture – Center focused. This design will center your attention right on it. I’ve been using these designs in the center of Dresden plates and flower appliques for a very interesting effect!
- Suggestions for Use – We’re definitely collecting a lot of center fill designs lately. One of these days I’ll piece up a very simple charm quilt with 4″ squares and stitch each square with a different center filled design.
2. Mistletoe and Berries Quilting Design
3. Basket Weave Free Motion Quilting
4. Super Spider Web Quilt Block
5. Icicle Lights
6. Deep Blue Sea Quilt
7. Finger Lakes Pattern
8. Bitty Beluga Free Motion Quilting Pattern
9. Football Free Motion Quilting Pattern
10. Basic Bow–A Free Motion Quilt
Tip: How To Find Cheap, Unusual And Beautiful Fabrics For Quilting
I know quilter like you love to search for beautiful fabrics or supplies that you can use for your quilting projects. Did you know that in many instances, the most interesting and pretty designs can be found in places that you wouldn’t normally consider?
I though of sharing with you tips on how to find the best places + tactics to use to find fabrics:-
1. Swap Meets or Flea Markets
Swap meets or flea markets are a great place to shop for fabrics. You may be lucky and find sellers liquidating bolts of materials. In many cases, these materials are not in use or were excess inventory or closeouts. The other day, I found a vendor with a selection of 30 different types of materials in bolts of 30 and 40 yards! And he was selling each one at fifty cents a yard 🙂
2. Garage Sales
I would also recommend you be on the lookout for garage sales in your area, where you might find quilters selling excess materials and tools.
Another tip to consider that will help you increase your chances of finding quality fabric is to look for quilters selling items at neighborhoods that have a larger population of retired folks. Retirees normally have a lot of time to spare and you will find them engaged in quilting projects and seem to sell off their items regularly. Garage sales in mobile home parks seem to yield good finds.
3. Online Auctions
Use Google and search for online auction sites which can reap a great supply of fabrics without leaving your house. One thing I’d caution you is to watch out for shipping related costs.
Search for online auctions that are in or adjacent to your state. After the auction has ended, contact the seller and ask them if they can reduce the shipping costs since you are in the same shipping zone.
4. Storage Auctions
Storage auctions are a little bit more hit and miss than the others ideas that ive mentioned above. I’d suggest you lookup your local newspaper for storage auction dates and times. You can also contact the various storage unit facilities and ask about auction dates.
The best part is that before the bidding begins, the door is opened and you are allowed to look inside.
5. Quilting Shows
Quilting shows are another place that you should consider finding quality fabrics and supplies. During quilting shows, on the last day, there is normally blowout sales and bargains to choose from. This is normally because they don’t want to leave the show in with excess inventory.
6. Estate Sales
Did you know that estate sales can yield some surprising catch? Check out your local paper for estate sales. Similar to garage sales, I’ve found the best places to visit are retired residences or mobile home estate sales.
7. International Trips
You can find awesome bargains and really amazing fabrics in other countries such as India, Thailand and the continent of Africa. If you are business minded you can purchase extra fabrics and sell them at a quilt show or local quilting guild.
8. Classified Ads
Classified ads can be a way to have people calling you to sell their excess fabrics. You can place a classified ad in your newspaper of penny saver paper stating that you are buying fabric.
