99 Designs Episode 31 – 3 FMQ Chain Designs

September 16, 2025September 15, 2025Leave a comment

In this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs learn to quilt 3 versions of Geometric Chains, or what I lovingly refer to as “Shapes on a Stick.” Click play below to watch:

The featured quilt on the wall behind me is called Plumb Lines and the pattern can be found in my book with Angela Walters called, the Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting. I was so pleased when I entered it into a machine quilting show and it won a ribbon!

Click here to get the PDF download of our book, The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting.

Are you continuing to practice these designs? We are more than half-way through the series, and I can’t wait to show you more!

99 Designs Episode 30 – Walking Foot Quilting Square Spirals

September 5, 2025August 29, 2025Leave a comment

Watch 99 Designs Episode 30 – Square Spiral

In this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs, learn to quilt this geometric walking foot design easily on your domestic machine! Click the image below to watch:

Get the Pattern to Make S.W.A.K. from my Book

The quilt shown behind me is called Sealed With a Kiss from my book, Piece and Quilt with Precuts. The printed version is sold out, but you can grab the PDF download below!

Catch Up on All the Previous Episodes

There will be over 55 videos in all, once this series is complete! If you’ve missed any of the previous videos, click the link below to go to my playlist. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you’ll be first to know when a new video drops!

Click here to watch all 99 Machine Quilting Designs Videos

Machine Quilting Bling with Your Walking Foot

August 26, 2025August 22, 2025Leave a comment

I’m excited to share my step-by-step process for quilting my latest iteration of Bling. This is one of my favorite patterns I’ve made over the years. Whenever I get a new idea for a fun colorscheme or quilting plan, I can’t help remaking some of my most popular patterns! Click below to watch and let me know what you think!

Get the Bling Quilt Pattern

You can choose a similar color story and layout, or you can switch things up and make it your own! The last few times I’ve made this quilt, I chose scrappy backgrounds, but you can also use one fabric for the background and it looks just as good. Hmmm, maybe you’ll want to make more than one like I did??

Grab My Kits and Fabrics While Supplies Last!

Click here to view all quilt kits made from my designer fabrics.

I always like to kit up a quilt when I make it because I know others will like it too. However, these are only available for a limited time, as long as the fabrics are in print. Enjoy some beauty shots of this quilt that I took while on a recent beach vacation. It was a nice cloudy day, and seeing these pics brings back great memories!

I had just as much fun making the pieced backing and using up a bunch of leftover Dazzle Dots!

Come Take a Free-Motion Class with Me at AQS Quilt Week!

August 15, 2025August 14, 2025Leave a comment

I’ve had a nice summer break but now I’m gearing up for my next teaching trip which will take me to Lancaster Pennsylvania for AQS Quilt Week, September 10-13, 2025. I made a short video teaser telling you more about it, you can watch by clicking play on the video below:

I recommend kicking things off with my Free-Motion Bootcamp class and then delving deeper with some of the other design-specific workshops I’ll be teaching.

Click here for class details and registration.

Whenever I teach at a large event like this, the classrooms are sponsored by a sewing machine company, usually Bernina. I’m excited to announce that the local dealer, Hinkletown Sewing Machine Shop, is offering some bonus incentives for those in the local area:

~ Register and attend any of my classes and receive a coupon for a $50 Shopping Spree in the Hinkletown Booth during the show!

But Wait… There’s more!!!

~ Purchase a new Q Series Longarm system, from the classroom or the show booth, and receive your class fee as a credit towards the machine’s show price!

Click here to register today. I can’t wait to see you there!!

99 Designs Episode 29 – Free-Motion Quilting Scrolls & Curls

August 12, 2025August 10, 2025Leave a comment

In this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs you can learn how to free-motion quilt 2 closely related designs called Scrollwork and Echoed Curls. Watch below:

Get the Swanky Spirals Pattern

The quilt shown behind me in the video is my Swanky Spirals pattern featuring Dazzle Dots. It’s my machine quilting sampler that includes nearly every FMQ design I can think of!

Bonus Video – Quilting Swanky Spirals

In each of these videos, I like to share an example of a quilt in which I’ve quilted the design I’m showing. Take a look below to see how I did it:

If you are enjoying these videos, let me know! There’s so much to explore over on my YouTube channel!

99 Designs Episode 28 – Free-Motion Quilting Switchbacks

August 5, 2025August 1, 2025Leave a comment

For this week’s 99 Machine Quilting Designs video, tutorial, I’m demonstrating how to quilt one of my favorite free-motion designs called Switchbacks. It looks great when paired with other motifs. Click play below to watch:

Bonus Video – Quilting Switchbacks on a Real Quilt

I quilted switchbacks, combined with other motifs on the smaller version of my Charming Chevrons quilt. I quilted a second quilting plan on the larger version, and you can see how I quilted both below:

Bonus Quilt Pattern & Quilting Plan for Facets

Each week I like to feature a quilt behind me that uses the designs I’m sharing. This week’s featured quilt is Facets, from my first book, Machine Quilting with Style. The book itself includes 12 start-to finish patterns. I take you from cutting, to quilt top assembly to a detailed quilting plan for each and every design. That way you can put what I’m teaching into practice!

Click here to get Machine Quilting with Style which includes Facets.
I was thrilled when my Facets quilt won a national show ribbon several years ago!

Are you practicing these designs? If so, be sure to share your samples over in my facebook group!

99 Designs Episode 27 – Wavy Walking Foot Spiral

July 28, 2025July 25, 2025Leave a comment

For this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs learn to quilt one of my favorite walking foot quilting designs: Continuous Wavy Spiral. Watch the full video by clicking play below:

Get the Sparkling Stars Quilt Kit

While supplies last, I still have a few Sparkling Stars kits made from Stitchy fabric. Grab one now and start practicing your wavy spirals!

Click here to view all Quilt Kits

Bonus Video: How to Quilt Wavy Spiral on Sparkling Stars:

I made this video in response to everyone saying, “sure I can quilt that on a small sample, but it must be hard to quilt that on a larger quilt!” My answer is that it’s super simple to do! Watch and learn below:

If you’d rather choose your own fabrics in similar colors, you can grab the Sparkling Stars quilt pattern and get started making this quilt right away! The full color pattern incudes color charts so it’s easy to follow. It’s available both as a PDF instant download, or I’m happy to snail mail you the physical hardcopy. Choose your favorite format below:

Click here to get the Sparklign Stars Pattern – PDF Digital Download
Click here to get the Sparkling Stars Pattern – Printed Version

Have you tried the Wavy Spirals design yet? If so, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

99 Designs Episode 26: FMQ Spiral Flowers & Wavy Spirals

July 21, 2025July 11, 2025Leave a comment

I’m back with more fun free motion designs for you to try! Whenever I teach in person, I emphasize the importance of sketching out your design, quilting it on a practice sample, then making a quilting plan to quilt an entire quilt. Watch my latest tutorial below, and then give it a go!

Quilt These Designs on Surplus Strips!

Now, I invite you to try quilting these designs on a real, full sized quilt. I Stitched out the Spiral flowers on the soft, pastel version of Surplus Strips, and a secondary design on the gray version. While supplies last, you can grab the kit to make either of these quilts. They are made from precut strips + background, so you can whip up the quilt top in no time!

Bonus Free Motion Quilting Video

Watch me quilt two different versions of Surplus Strips below, and let me know what you think!

99 Designs Episode 25: Free-Motion Swirls

July 14, 2025July 11, 2025Leave a comment

For this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs learn my basic free-motion swirl motif, then see how I can easily change it up to create several different variations. Click play below to watch:

With every episode I like to include bonus tips and tricks for quilting these designs on a real, full sized quilt. And I like to share a different quilt for my backdrop each time. This week I’m talking about Terrace Tiles which is literally one of the fastest and easiest quilts you can make. In fact, I love it so much I’ve made it 6 different times, each with a different quilting plan, LOL!

Terrace Tiles Quilt Pattern

Grab the Terrace Tiles quilt pattern (if you don’t already own it). And then watch this bonus video below, showing how I quilted 3 of them. I always say the best way to practice is to quilt an entire quilt with one motif; you’l be an expert at that design by the time you finish the quilt!

Bonus Video: 3 Free-Motion Designs, 1 Quilt Pattern!!

Practice Makes Progress

How are you doing with each of the designs? If you practice quilting about 10-15 minutes a day, you’ll see an improvement in no time! Be sure to share your practice samples over in my Christa Quilts Group on Facebook, and ask any questions you have!

99 Designs Episode 24 – Walking Foot Spirals

July 7, 2025July 4, 2025Leave a comment

For this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs I’m showing how to use your walking foot or dual fee to quilt two spiral spiral variations: continuous Round Spirals and Overlapping Spirals. Watch the full video on my YouTube channel below:

Get the Kits!

While supplies last, I still have Sparkling Stars kits made from Stitchy and Optical Illusion kits in black and white. I quilted wavy spirals on Sparkling Stars and Overlapping Spirals on Optical Illusion. I think this was the perfect design for both of these quilts! You’ll use the same technique that I show you in the video above, but you’ll just keep turning the quilt round and round until it’s done.

Click here to view all Quilt Kits, while supplies last.

Get the Patterns!

Although I enjoy offering kits as a convenience, it’s also very easy to grab my quilt patterns and then select your own fabrics in similar colors. My Optical Illusion pattern is such a crowd pleaser and it looks great in any fabrics. The secret is choosing light, medium, and dark fabrics to create contrast which forms the illusion.