quiltingkimmy 8 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hello! I've been doing pantos and have not stepped to the front of the machine to do custom/freehand yet - but I'm feeling brave. Any suggestions for getting started? Do you SID around the blocks before doing any designs - and are the borders the last thing you do?? Thanks for helping the rookie! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmcclannan 124 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Do the top border and then get going on the body. You can do the side borders as you go or wait till you have finished the body and bottom border and then turn the quilt. SID is up to you but if you're nervous about freehanding try out some stencils to get you started. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Busy Quilting 441 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Use one of your pantographs that you are very familiar with and try and stitch something similar to it from the front of the machine freehand. Practise first on paper, so you have the movement in your head. Then you will be on your way to doing Edge to Edge quilting from the front. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ffq-lar 3,608 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 If you have a good feel for steering your machine, the rest will come easily. Pantos are great training for hitting the mark and stitching smooth curves. Custom only means that there are different designs in different areas. As Julie shared, stencils are a great way to start getting some confidence doing block-work. Find or make stencils you like and use them. Stitching a line with a laser as a guide and stitching a line you have marked on the top are very similar and I bet you will enjoy the closer connection to the quilt you will get when stitching from the front. Develop a few favorite filler designs (like loops, stipples, leaves, feathers, etc.) and you will find stitching these favorites in many different sizes will give you a library of patterns to use over and over. Line Dancing is a technique where continuous lines are stitched through one or many blocks to give a nice even look to samplers. Look up Diana Phillips to find samples of Line Dancing and maybe do an archive search here for photos. Good luck--you will joyfully be stitching custom work in a very short time! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quiltingkimmy 8 Posted February 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 Thank you ladies!! It's going on the frame today...pictures to follow! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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