Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting

Natalia Whiting Bonner has enjoyed piecing quilt tops for more than twenty years. She learned how to quilt on her conventional home machine. She felt good about it, but decided that if she really wanted to take her quilting to the next level, she needed to invest in a longarm machine. In 2007, when she was pregnant with her daughter, she got the crazy idea to quit her job as a dental assistant and become a longarm quilter. Without really knowing what a longarm machine was, she spent a day at a longarm dealer’s shop and walked out after purchasing a Gammill machine. Natalia’s passion for quilting and being creative has grown each day since.Shortly after her purchase, Natalia began blogging at piecenquilt.blogspot.com, and blogging became her connection with other quilters and fellow work-at-home moms. By 2009, her quilting business had grown, and it was time to leave the tiny, poorly lit bedroom where she had been doing all her quilting. Natalia moved into a studio at her parents’ home, and with the inspiration of her mother, Kathleen Whiting, she has realized that the sky is the limit.Whether it’s working on an intense show quilt or a simple baby quilt, Natalia has become a real quilting addict. She has won numerous awards for her work and has been featured on Moda Bake Shop, in Quiltmaker Magazine and American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine, and in books such as Fresh Fabric Treats: 16 Yummy Projects to Sew from Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes & More with Your Favorite Moda Bakeshop Designers and Modern Blocks: 99 Quilt Blocks from Your Favorite Designers (both from Stash Books, an imprint of C&T Publishing).

Nov 12Does your sewing machine have a mind of its very own when you try to free-motion quilt? Are you always breaking needles? You need this book. It will help you achieve professional results in no time. Natalia presents over 50 visual tutorials and there are 6 modern quilts to try out your new found skills. I was impressed by the content of this fabulous quilt book. It starts with the basics - equipment, fabrics, thread tension, sampling. I love the way this book does not assume you know anything - it starts with straight line quilting and squaring up. The instructions are easy to follow, with excellent photos and great tips. Each tutorial builds your skills. Sections include all-over, background, borders and custom quilting. Each design has several patterns you'll want to get familiar with. There's also a great section for quilting on applique. The six quilt projects are contemporary and fun. There's also information on binding. Right at the back, there are full size patterns for free-motion quilting, which really made this book a must for me. Highly recommended to improve your free-motion quilting skills.