Do you want to quilt your own quilts? Does free-motion quilting pique your interest? Would you like to learn how to free-motion quilt using your home sewing machine? If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions… join me at the John C.Campbell Folk School in August for “Intro to Free-motion Quilting.”
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| Intro to Free-motion Quilting on your home sewing machine, August 1-3, 2025. John C.Campbell Folk School. |
Beginner level, no experience necessary!
This is a beginner level class. No prior free-motion experience is necessary, but students must know how to operate a sewing machine. We’ll start with the basics and discuss the tools and techniques to get you up and running with successful free-motion quilting.
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| Free-motion quilting on a domestic sewing machine. |
Topics include
In this workshop, we’ll discuss a myriad of topics for successful free-motion quilting, such as
- quilting terminology
- sewing machine set-up
- threads, fiber content, thread weights
- needles and needle sizes
- choosing batting and preparing the quilt sandwich
- helpful tools and supplies for free-motion quilting
- tips for creating your own free-motion designs, and more.
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| Free-motion quilting designs. |
In the Folk School’s spacious and well-lit quilting studio, students will learn and practice continuous line patterns that can be used with traditional or modern quilt styles. Should you be inspired and so inclined, the studio can be opened in the evenings for additional free-motion quilting exploration.
Practice makes progress
One of the ways I like to practice my free-motion quilting is with charity quilts. Here are examples of cuddle quilts (a guild community service project) and kitty quilts (that I donate to local veterinarians).
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| Free-motion quilting on a cuddle quilt. |
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| Free-motion quilting on a cuddle quilt. |
I often bring a charity quilt top for demonstration purposes and go back to the quilting studio after dinner to spend time with the feed dogs dropped.
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| Small charity quilts are a great canvas for practicing free-motion quilting. |
With practice, students can easily achieve continuous line quilting designs such as these.
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| Kitty quilts for the local Cat Clinic. |
Sign up for a weekend of free-motion quilting at the Folk School
Spend a weekend at the Folk School, learn a new skill, and meet new quilting friends. Sign up for this “Intro to Free-motion Quilting” weekend workshop (August 1 - 3, 2025) on the John C. Campbell Folk School website. There are limited spaces still available.
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| View of the Folk School campus from one of the on-campus houses. |
Nature abounds on the sprawling 270-acre campus of the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. Soak up the beauty and learn free-motion quilting, too. I hope to see you there!
