Dot to Dot Quilting is the 3rd in a series of online machine quilting classes by Angela Walters. Along with her other two classes, Machine Quilting Negative Space, and Free Motion Quilting with Feathers, Angela helps you to conquer your fear of machine quilting your own quilts.
Her warm, humorous manner along with her motto, “close enough is good enough” really put me at ease in this class. Even though she is a professional long arm quilter, Angela Walters teaches this class entirely on a domestic machine. Can we say “versatile”?
Dot to Dot Quilting is a way to quilt intricate designs on your quilt top with little to no marking, using points on the quilt as a guide.
Angela covers 3 of her favorite quilting motifs in this class (starbursts, lattice and diamonds), plus some cool FMQ variations for borders, sashing and blocks that create entirely different looks. In this class Angela shares how she thinks it’s easier to learn one design and tweak it 5 different ways, rather than learning 5 different designs. Clever!
After watching the first couple of lessons, I quickly quilted up these little diamond and starburst sample motifs, just to get the hang of it.
Dot to Dot Practice
Being able to watch Angela quilt “live” on video, then being able to pause and try it out immediately is an excellent way to learn. 🙂 I really like how I can go back and rewatch the segments again, to review what I just learned and make sure I really get it.
Here are a couple more quilting doodles I tried, to get a feel for the process. I just used some scraps I had lying around, quilting with whatever thread was in the machine.
Filling in the Diamonds
Because I enjoy learning and sharing free-motion quilting techniques, I appreciate it when Angela demonstrates things that I also teach, such as using a blending thread whenever possible. This allows you to see the quilting texture, rather than the stitches themselves.
Dot to Dot Quilting is broken down into 8 different segments of about 8 to 10 minutes each, plus an introduction at the beginning. This is a wonderful way to watch because for me personally, I only have about 10 minutes of uninterrupted free-time at any given point in the day!
More of Christa’s Quilt Doodles – This is Fun!
Angela first shows how to quilt the designs in roughly square shapes, then uses a variation on a theme to show how to fit the designs into other shapes, too. Her designs are very scale-able, which means you can quilt them in any block size, large or small. She shows how to quilt them in a regular, classic way, and then she changes it up by starting off-center, or in a corner. The possibilities are endless!
My favorite motif I quilted is this diamond star. I stitched it completely with my free-motion foot and no marking. 🙂
Christa’s Diamond Star, FMQ
Angela states that quilting is like handwriting – she can show you how to form the shapes, but it’s up to you on how you develop your own signature style.
At the end of the class, she shares tons of different examples of dot-to-dot quilting from quilts that she has finished. This was one of my favorite parts of the class – I love looking at all that quilting eye candy!
Angela Walters’ Dot to Dot Quilting
Angela includes a free sample pattern in the course materials along with stitching diagrams and quilting design variations. I recommend tracing them with your fingers or sketching them on a piece of paper before quilting to get your “muscle memory” flowing.
Another highlight of the class is reading the comments left by other class members as they watch. Both Angela and the other classmates are quick to answer the questions I have while watching. I highly recommend Dot to Dot Quilting!
Christa Quilts 
I just love Angela’s work. Her quilting on Tula Pink’s quilts is awe inspiring. Her classes are worth every penny and more. I love the Craftsy platform. Christa I have been watching your blog for over a year now and just love it. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
What a great review Christa and I like the idea of the shorter classes too! Thanks for sharing.
Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday
This kind of quilting is really cool! I’m definitely going to have to check out that class!
Thanks for sharing at Needle and Thread Thursday, Christa!
🙂 Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
I think I will have to sign up for this. Great review and your samples look great. I just did a quilt with alot of negative space using her class and book. It was fun!
I have signed up for 6 to 8 classes already from craftsy and i love them. I quilt my quilts using stencils and sometimes free hand and i do get a better job done when i use a stencil or draw on the quilt and then quilt it. I can alway practise more and i will, i would love to win this dot to dot class from craftsy.
Thanks
Edwina Parsons
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I’ve been thinking about doing this one. I haven’t finished the other 2 of hers yet!! Great review! Hugs………
Love the idea of quilting dot to dot. I haven’t signed up for the class and looks like it may be a winner. I love learning new ways to FMQ. Your piece looks wonderful!
I have signed up for many Crafty Classes and I had one qualm about Dot to Dot. Each session is 10 minutes or less compared to other classes that are 20 to 30 minutes each class. No matter how wonderful the difference seems over priced. What do you think?
I actually liked the shorter time frame because I was actually able to finish the class and rewatch several segments over again. I can’t tell you the number of classes that I have in my “homeroom” that I haven’t finished because they are too long, LOL!! I think Angela & Craftsy did a great job editing this class and giving the most important information in an easy to digest format. 🙂
I know she is really wonderful and concise but I was more talking the monetary value. Ninety minutes compared to her Negative Space almost 21/2 hours.
My best tip is to sign up when it goes on sale. Whenever Craftsy has a sale which seems to be quite often, I sign up for as many classes as I can afford that are on my list. Angela’s other 2 classes were still on sale last time I checked 🙂
I signed up for the class too, I am still watching the Negative Space class at the moment. I am working on a pinwheel quilt and wondering how to quilt that. ? Use the walking foot and outline the pinwheel then FMQ in the sashing area. Any suggestions?
Yes, I think you could do that. Or, after watching the dot to dot class, you could fill in the pinwheel spaces with some of the starburst motifs. You can share a picture in the class and ask for more suggestions from Angela and other class members, too!
Looks like I will be going to school. .as soon as MY laptop comes home from the computer hospital! Thanks Christa.
It’s a great school, LOL!
It sounds really fabulous and the theory is just like some of the basics in making my Ukranian Easter Eggs. I’m definitely putting this class on my wish list. Thank you for your great review. It is always best to get real feedback from others.
Thanks, Christa! Sounds to me like you’ve learned a lot. All exciting stuff.
I am excited about this class! Thanks for sharing your FMQ samples from her class, and the review. I really enjoyed it!