In my latest Quilt as Desired column for the National Quilting Association, I was able to explore how background fills can add depth and texture to your quilts. I love quilting textural designs that add a lot to the quilt with little to no marking.
Excerpt from Quilting Quarterly by the National Quilting Association, Spring 2015 Issue
Speaking of NQA, you still have until April 10th to enter your quilts (especially your modern ones) into their show that will occur June 18-20 of this year. I will be teaching Modern Machine Quilting, along with two other classes and can’t wait to encourage others to give it a try.
I’ve also written a series of articles for Craftsy including tips to get you started free-motion quilting and 5 ways to trouble shoot your fmq.
As I get out there more in the world of quilting, it’s been fun to share my knowledge in different venues. Sometimes I worry that I may repeat a little bit of what I have to say. But then, it makes my day when a kind reader emails me to say, “If it wasn’t for ___ (insert name of venue or website), I never would have found you. Thanks for the tips!”
That’s truly what keeps me going! 🙂
Christa Quilts 
I’ll be looking for your Craftsy articles to read more about free motion quilting. Right now I’ve begun one of their classes to learn more about FMQ, and hopefully improve my skills.
Thanks for the reminder on the show, I need to see if I have a quilt that might fit there. I don’t think you should worry about repeats, new quilters begin every day and more seasoned quilters try fmq for the first time every day, the new audience is very large.
I read your 5 tips to FMQ and have a question. I forget which number the tip was, but you said to start at the edge and work your way to the center, this is exactly the opposite of how I’ve read in every book on FMQ on a DSM. Why is this? I mean, it must work for you, because you do a good job on your FMQ, just curious why/how it works.
The community of quilters is the most encouraging, uplifting…excited…group of people I can think of. It’s a community where successes are “applauded” and those challenging moments bring suggestions of solutions and lovely thoughts of “you can do it”!!!!!! Thanks for all your wonderfully written articles that, I’m sure, ignite the fmq ‘spark’ in many!!!!!!
Christa I love that phrase “casual quilter”! I just really do. I think it’s a positive way of identifying quilters who are serious about what they do but don’t have the opportunity to quilt every.single.day.
Teri