Hey Everyone, welcome back to Free Motion Friday. I have spent most of the day writing the patterns for my Bargello Flowers – they are coming soon (Update: The Bargello Sunflower and Bargello Dahlia patterns are now available. I also teach this technique to guilds and at quilt shops – details here). Yesterday I quilted the dahlia and it has turned out fantastic – tune into Story Time Monday for more details. Having worked on these patterns the past couple of days I figured I should just finish my little pansy quilt that I did the echo quilting on last week. I do really like the look of the free motion zigzag so figured I would use it to finish the edges of the pansy but the day has gotten away from me and so I will finish it another day. Pattern writing on the deck can do that to a person. It was an absolutely gorgeous day – not one to be spent inside at the computer but rather onside with the laptop and the company of 2 furry friends.

What is free motion zigzag?

Pretty much just what it implies – a zigzag stitch that is done using the free motion foot. The machine is set on the zigzag stitch and the stitch length and width can be adjusted. The needle will go from side to side instead of back and forth so the free motion foot must have an opening large enough to accommodate this side to side motion of the needle. Don’t forget to drop those feed dogs. You can make the stitches as far apart or as close together as you like. In the blossoms and leaves on the Jacaranda Tree at the top of the page the stitch is jagged and still quite close together but not as close together as on Midnight in the Desert below. In my quilt Diverse Light the stitches were very far apart throughout the stitching on the northern lights section of the quilt. The aim was to have them sparkle and dance as they do in the sky.

Free motion zigzag stitch through the northern lights to the look of dancing, click on image for larger view

My Sunflower quilt the stitches are not as far apart and I have gone over them several time to create some thickness to the edges of the petals. By going over them several times they have a bit more of a jagged look to them.

Free motion zigzag on the sunflower petals which is jagged and uneven, click on image for larger version

In my piece Midnight in the Desert for the Stitch Along Sunday Party the appliqué pieces were all stitched with the free motion zigzag but are very close together and certainly appear more like the satin stitch done with a regular foot. So the same technique with three different looks.

Free motion zigzag that is close together

The Jacaranda Tree trunk was quilted with the free motion stitch. The stitching is a small loose zigzag lines throughout the trunk and branches.

Can you see the tiny zig zag stitch in the bark of the trees? Click to see a larger image if you need to.

Give it a try – it really is a lot of fun and goes along much faster than the satin stitch. Happy Quilting!           I shared this on Stitch by Stitch