Last month before I quilted Hypnotic Eye I spent two nights lost in Zentangle. I printed out four copies of the block I designed, which makes up the entire quilt, taped them together and started filling them in with my pencil.
I wanted to focus on designs that could be accomplished with my free motion foot or my walking foot. I was really quite delighted because once I started quilting I was able to use my free motion foot for the entire quilt. This was only possible because my foot has some very nice markings that I was able to use for reference and guidance on the sections that I wanted to look straight.
While this process may seem a bit excessive, I have to say it gave me lots of confidence knowing the overall visual impact the quilting would have before I started. I doubt I will do this with every quilt, but at least I will have this technique in my back pocket for the future.
Do you ever pre-draw your quilting designs before you start quilting?
No, I like the effect of your Quilting on this one. A bit too close for me, but very Zentangle.
I am so impressed with your work. Is there anything you can’t do?
Love this!! I like every square mm quilted, so this is perfection to me! I took a class from Lisa Calle and she teaches drawing out the block to size and then using plastic overlays to add quilting elements, layer upon layer. Love this because when I get to the longarm, it is all right there for me and the quilting goes fast!
Wow, your quilting is awesome!
The way I learned to do great feathers on the longarm was to doodle them over and over and over! You bet I draw them out. I think of it as laying down a track for my brain to follow with the needle.
I have a couple times. It does help especially when you are unsure what to quilt. Your quilting is beautiful , so well done!
Beautiful quilting!
Love how you are quilting this!! Nothing wrong with drawing it out. I bought a bamboo tablet that has photoshop elements software with it for this purpose. I don’t do it for every quilt but on the ones I really get stumped on.
Amazing quilting.