Hi ,

I love this quote because of the compassion it reminds me to have for myself. Learning something new requires compassion - you have to accept your ability as it is, in it's imperfect infancy, and in order to get better, you're going to have to practice.

So when you first get started free motion quilting, be gentle with yourself. Yes, the stitches you make at first are going to be shaky and wobbly. Some are going to be huge and some are going to be too tiny for even a pixie to rip out!

But every stitch you take, every square you fill, every quilt you finish all by yourself will get you closer and closer to competency. Then one day you will sit down at your machine and suddenly you will have the ability to free motion quilt effortlessly.

 So if you've been feeling frustrated lately with your free motion quilting and ripping out every little mistake and beating yourself up for every missed stitch, please stop. Don't fight yourself as you learn this. It's not an easy skill to start with and you're making it a million times harder by beating yourself up.  Be gentle and have fun!

Now let's check out the latest design we've learned on the Free Motion Quilting Project:

This is Basic Maze, though I seriously considered calling it Ruler Stitch instead! It's probably the simplest Edge to Center design I've ever created, but quickly becoming one of my favorites. This design will work great in the sashing or border of any quilt. Learn how to quilt Basic Maze right here on the Free Motion Quilting Project.

Are you struggling to get the hang of free motion quilting? Have you been practicing a lot, but still find it difficult to move the quilt where you want it to go?

Of course, free motion quilting does require a lot of practice. I strongly suggest setting up your sewing machine so you can easily sit down and quilt every single day. Even just 15 minutes a day of practice in a small, fat quarter sized practice sandwich will make an enormous difference in your quilting ability.

But there is one other way to make this easier: investing in the right tools for the job. We all use loads of tools for piecing and applique, so why not use some special tools to make free motion quilting easier too?

Unfortunately this is one area of the quilting world that seems full of junk tools. Everything from clunky hoops to sticky lotion, I've tried almost every tool, but very little of this stuff actually seems to help the core issue: making the quilt easier to move under your needle.

But that doesn't mean all free motion quilting tools are useless! Through trial and error, I've found three quilting tools that work together to make this process much easier. I use these tools daily, and anytime I'm missing one, I notice immediately because I simply cannot quilt as beautifully without them.

Make free motion quilting easier with these three tools:

Supreme Slider - This Teflon sheet gives you an ultra smooth surface to slide your quilt over. By reducing all the friction between the machine and the quilt, you will now be able to move the quilt much easier, and with far less strain on your arms, shoulders, and back.

Machingers Quilting Gloves - Get a grip! Machingers are lightweight nylon gloves with rubber tips that grip the surface of the quilt, allowing you to move it exactly where you want it to go. Students trying these gloves in class have often reported instantly feeling "in control" over their quilts.

Little Genie Magic Bobbin Washers - Are you tired of your thread breaking constantly? These little Teflon washers pop inside your bobbin case (both top and side loading) and help the bobbin spin more evenly. Using these washers will help reduce minor tension issues, backlash, and birds nests from forming as you quilt.

Click Here to get all three tools for $50 in the Ultimate Quilting Kit

That's it for this week! I'm heading back into the sewing room to try a few new designs and maybe a piecing technique or two. We've got a lot of interesting piecing videos coming up soon so make sure to be on the look out for newsletters in July!

Let's go quilt,

Leah Day