Virtual Trunk Show of My Book Quilts

May 3, 2021May 1, 20212 Comments

Well it’s been awhile since I last posted, but life just got in the way! However, today I’m excited to be back blogging agin and sharing a virtual trunk show of my quilts for your viewing pleasure. Below are all of the patterned quilts from my books, plus several alternate versions. The best part is that each of my book includes step by step instructions to make the quilt top, and also how to quilt them. Enjoy!!

Click here to get signed copies of my books.

Books by Christa Watson

Piece and Quilt with Precuts (2017)

Piece and Quilt with Precuts by Christa Watson

All of the quilts in this book are precut friendly and each pattern includes piecing instructions and a quilting plan with diagrams and quilting suggestions. You can mix and match pieced patterns and quilting motifs to your heart’s content!

Squiggles – Original Version from the Book

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Squiggles by Christa Watson from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Squiggles Remake using Modern Marks Fabric

Click here for the Quilt Along for this quilt.

Gridwork – Original Version from the Book

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Gridwork by Christa Watson from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Gridwork Remake by Vicky Holloway Using Modern Marks

Click here for Vicky’s blog post about this quilt.

Gridwork by Vicki Holloway

Frequency – Original Version from the Book

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Frequency by Christa Watson for Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Frequency – Mini remake using Modern Marks

Click here to read more about this collaboration between me and Leah Day.

Mini Frequency wiht Modern Marks

S.W.A.K

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

SWAK from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Starstruck – Original Version from the Book

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Starstruck by Christa Watson from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Starstruck remake using Modern Marks

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Modern Starstuck by Christa Watson

Dot ‘n’ Dash – Original Version from the Book

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Dot 'n' Dash by Christa Watson from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Dot ‘n’ Dash remake using Fandangle

Click here for the Quilt Along for this quilt.

Dot 'n Dash quilt by Christa Watson

Twinkling Diamonds

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Twinkling Diamonds by Christa Watson from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

Windows

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Windows from Piece and Quilt with Precuts by Christa Watson

Kites

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Kites Quilt from Piece and Quilt with Precuts by Christa Watson

Arrows

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Arrows from Piece and Quilt with Precuts by Christa Watson

Spools – Original Version from the Book

Click here for the blog post about this quilt.

Spools Remake by Hollyanne Knight Using Modern Marks

Click here for Hollyanne’s blog post about this quilt.

Spools from Piece and Quilt with Precuts

The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting (2016)

Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting

Angela Walters and I each made the same ten quilts in our own choice of fabrics and quilting motifs. There are 10 different patterns presented along with over 50 different machine quilting designs. Below are each of the 20 quilts we made showcasing different color combos and machine quilting suggestions.

Choosing Colors

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Choosing Colors by Christa Watson

Christa’s version – in rainbow order.

Choosing Colors made by Angela Walters

Angela’s version – mix it up and throw in a scrappy binding!

Swirling Butterflies

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Swirling Butterflies Wholecloth Quilt

Christa’s version – bold and contemporary.

Swirling Butterflies Angela Walters

Angela’s version – white and traditional.

Plumb Lines

Click here to read more about this quilt.

My version of Plumb Lines won 2nd Place, Modern at HMQS in 2016.

Plumb Lines Quilt

Christa’s version – free-motion alternatives to straight line quilting.

Plumb Lines Quilt

Angela’s version – peachy keen!!

Cornered

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Corned quilt by Christa Watson

Christa’s version – pretty in pink!

Cornered by Angela Walters

Angela’s version – make your friends green with envy when you learn how to quilt these motifs!

Directionally Challenged

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Directionally Challenged by Christa Watson

Christa’s Version in shades of blue with walking foot quilting and FMQ.

Directionally Challenged by Angela Walters

Angela’s version in red showing how to break down large blocks for quilting success.

Migration

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Migration Quilt

Christa’s version – grid quilting in warm earthy tones.

Migration by Angela Walters

Angela’s version – jewel box quilting with lots of negative space fillers.

Exploding Star

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Exploding Star by Christa Watson

Christa’s version using Angela’s fabrics with walking foot continuous spiral quilting.

Exploding Star by Angela Walters

Angela’s version quilted with multi-sized spirals.

fractured squares

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Fractured_Squares_Christa

Christa’s version – completely quilted with a walking foot.

Fractured_Squares_Angela

Angela’s version – having fun with improv borders!

Quatrefoil Applique

Click here to read more about this quilt.

Quatrefoil-Applique_Christa

Christa’s version – it’s a machine quilting sampler!

Quatrefoil-Applique_Angela

Angela’s version – bold and dramatic.

U-Turns

Click here to read more about this quilt.

U-Turns_Christa

Christa’s version – cool teal solids with a touch of print.

U-Turns_Angela

Angela’s version – perfect for practicing turning a corner!

Machine Quilting with Style (2015)

Click each highlighted link below each image for more about that quilt.

Machine Quilting With Style

13 friends each remade the 12 quilts + 1 of the backings. I have included their versions, too. Photography of my quilts courtesy of Martingale and Brent Kane. Here’s the order in which they are presented in the book:

ripples Ripples, made by me

ripples_melissa

Ripples, made by Melissa Corry and her MIL Barbara

mqws_rain Rain, made by me
Juried into QuiltCon 2016
Shown at MQG Exhibit at Int’l Quilt Festival

rain_drizzle_cheryl

Drizzle, made by Cheryl Brickey

color crystals. Color Crystals, made by me

colorcrystals_vicki

Color Crystals, made by Vicki Ruebel
Honorable Mention, PIQF 2015
Faculty Award, MQX New England 2016

technicolor_backing

Technicolor backing made by me

technicolorbacking_ida

Urban sunrise, made by Ida Ewing
Best Machine Quilting, Pahrump Quilt Show 2016

Little Man's Fancy Little Man’s Fancy, made by me

littlemansfancy_tina

Little Man’s Fancy, made by Tina Guthmann

static Static, made by me

static_quilt_lee

Static, made by Lee Heinrich

Square in a Square, made by me
Juried into Road to California, 2016

squareinasquare_stacy

Square in a Square, made by Stacy Cooper

focal_point

Focal Point, made by me
Juried into QuiltCon 2016

Focal Point - Chic Neutrals no lines

Focal Point, recolored in EQ7 using Chic Neutrals fabric from Amy Ellis

focalpoint_amy

Focal Point, made by Amy Garro

Lightning and backing

Lightning, made by me
Bonus backing tutorial from Martingale
Juried into Road to California 2016

lightning_leanne Pink, made by Leanne Chahley

Candy_Pop Candy Pop, made by me
Awarded 3rd Place, Applique at DQN 2016 Quilt Show

candypop_linda

Candy Pop, made by Linda Hungerford

BrokenV Broken V, made by me

brokenv_sharon

Broken V, made by Sharon McConnell

Facets_Kona

Facets, made by me
2nd Place Modern, AQS Paducah 2016
Juried into AQS Phoenix 2016
Quilt Along Blog Series 2016

facets_kristy

Facets, made by Kristy Daum

Finals B1324.indd Pearl Gray, made by me
1st Place Large, Single Maker, DQN 2016 Quilt Show

pearl_gray_alyce

Pearl Gray, made by Alyce Blyth

Click Here for Signed Copies of All 3 Books

Books by Christa Watson

My Interlinked Quilt Pattern is Now Available!

March 8, 2021March 6, 20216 Comments

I’m thrilled to introduce a brand new quilt pattern called Interlinked.It’s one of my more modern quilts and was recently shown the QuiltCon Together online quilt show.

Click here to get the Interlinked PDF Quilt Pattern

Interlinked Quilt by Christa Watson, 64″ x 80″
Made from neutrals of Fandangle, Geo Pop, and Gridwork

I love making all kinds of quilts and most of my designs fall on the “Modern Traditional” side of things. But with Interlinked, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and really embrace modern principles like “minimalism” and “negative space.”

The most fun part about making this quilt was combining neutrals from several of my fabric lines. I love how they all work together!

Get the Kit!

When I shared sneak peeks of me making this quilt a few months ago, I immediately got requests for kits once the pattern was available. So I’m happy to announce that kits are now in stock and ready to ship over at shop.ChristaQuilts.com.

Click here to get the interlinked quilt kit (fabric only) while supplies last.

The PDF pattern can be found in my Etsy shop and it includes easy to follow step by step instructions. I’ve also included an option for adding borders, several alternate colorways and machine quilting suggestions. I threw in a coloring page, too – so you can play around with different colorways to your heart’s content!

The quilt is actually really quick and easy to make and you can have fun with the quilting just like I did. I quilted a different geometric design in each fabric of the quilt and it was so fun putting this one together. It’s the first time I’ve made a quilt from my fabrics where I’ve used more than one collection and I really enjoyed the freedom of doing that!

Interlinked free-motion quilting detail – click image above to enlarge.

I hope you enjoyed looking at all these fun pics and I can’t wait to see your version of the quilt. When you make it, please use the hashtag #interlinkedquilt on social media so I can cheer you on!

Where to Buy

Get This Book by Heather Black: Design, Make, Quilt Modern

February 12, 2021February 9, 20214 Comments

My BQF (Best Quilty Friend) Heather Black of Quiltachusetts just wrote her 2nd book, Design, Make, Quilt Modern and I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover!

The book includes wonderful explanations of her design process including how the quilting can affect the look of the quilt, plus so much more useful info, especially if you enjoy designing your own quilts.

As a bonus, the book also includes 4 modern quilt patterns for you to make. They are:

#1 Grounded – I love how Heather explains her reasoning on why this quilt only has borders on 3 sides. At first you don’t notice it but when you read her explanation it makes total sense. When you see the step-by-step process she used to design this quilt, you’ll be amazed at how and why it looks so fabulous!

#2 Moving Through – Heather always constantly amazes me with her color choices in her quilts. And the machine quilting is always superb. I love her trick of quilting a different machine quilting motif in each color of the quilt! But it’s done with purpose rather than random which results in a truly stunning quilt!

#3 Misprint – This is one of my all-time favorites and I learned so much about design from this quilt. In her book, Heather goes over the rule of thirds and clearly explains how to effectively achieve an asymmetrical design. It’s all about balance!

#4 Around Town – This is another knock-your-socks-off modern design that uses tried and true design principles such as odd numbers of groupings and a hidden grid layout to achieve incredible results. Heather has a style that I really gravitate towards and I just love her bold, geometric designs!

Heather also includes a bit about binding and backing choices which can really make a difference in the overall success of your design.

Aren’t these just stunning? Here’s a quote from Heather that I really like:

“One of my favorite topics to teach on is quilt design and one of the themes I try to communicate in both my lectures and in my new book is that anyone can design a quilt that is uniquely them. All it takes is a curiosity about design. My book takes you through finding what you like and exploring design in your everyday life to applying that design to your inspiration and finally making the inspiration reality.”

I highly recommend Design, Make, Quilt Modern not only for the patterns, but also for the fabulous lessons in design.

Click here to preorder your signed copy from Heather Black which releases on February 25, 2021. You won’t be disappointed!

QuiltCon Together Begins Feb 18, 2021 – See My Schedule of Events!

February 9, 2021February 8, 20213 Comments

I’m very excited about QuiltCon Together, the annual event presented by The Modern Quilt Guild. So far, I’ve been to every show and I’ve had a quilt in every show, too. Even though this year’s event is virtual, I still wouldn’t miss it. Here’s where you can find me – and my quilts – online from February 18-22, 2021.

My Workshops

Carefree Walking Foot Quilting (On Demand) – Sold Out
Carefree Free-Motion Quilting (On Demand) – Click here to register for DSMQ009

My Walking foot quilting class is completely sold out. However, as of this writing I still have room in my Carefree Free-Motion Quilting workshop. These classes are the next best thing to being live in person. They’ve been pre-recorded and you’ll have access to them the entire length of the show. That means you can view them on your schedule and then pause to do the “homework” given in each class.

There’s an “enhanced” option meaning that students have the option of meeting with me live online in a small group setting to get additional help on anything they need from in class.

Click here to register for my Free Motion Quilting class at Quiltcon Together.

My Lectures

#1 BERNINA LIVE 2/18 at 10:30 – FREE for QuiltCon participants
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE SHOW

I’m kicking off the event first thing on Thursday morning, February, 18th at 10:30 AM Central time with a live presentation sponsored by BERNINA. It will be about 30 minutes of me chatting about my favorite machine feet for quilting. Following that, I’ll stick around for about an hour to chat with everyone and answer any questions you may have. Best of all, this event is FREE for all QuiltCon attendees. So be sure to pop over to the vitrual BERNINA booth that morning and join the fun!!

#2 Quilt Perspectives Panel 2/20 at 11:00
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR LE17

Join me and industry experts Riane Menardi Morrison, Sandra Johnson and Tia Curtis as we chat about all things machine quilting. This will be another live event that you can register for separately, or as part of an all access lecture pass.

#3 How Do I Quilt It Lecture 2/21 at 5 PM
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR LE29

I’m excited to be presenting my ever popular lecture “How Do I Quilt It” at QuiltCon Together. It will be shown on Sunday, February 21 at 5 PM Central Time. It also includes a Q&A live chat so that you can better understand the material presented. Through the magic of technology I’ll also be answering your questions live during the pre-recorded presentation.

My Quilts In the Show

I’m thrilled to have 2 quilts in the virtual show this year. The first one is a brand new design called “Pixie Stix” that in included in this year’s version of QuiltCon Magazine.

Click here to get QuiltCon Magazine 2021 for the Pixie Stix Quilt Pattern

Pixe Stix is made from a fat quarter bundle of my Good Vibes low volume fabric plus the Bedazzled print in dark gray for the background and binding.

Click here to get my Good Vibes Low Volume prints.

It was fun to design and make this quilt and there’s a bonus article in the magazine all about my design process and different versions I came up with until I settled on the final layout.

My other quilt in the show is called “Interlinked” which was patterned in Make Modern Magazine isue #34 last year. This is one of those “try, try again” situations. I actually submitted it to QuiltCon last year and it didn’t get in. But this year it did – so you just never know how things will turn out!

Click here to get issue #34 of Make Modern Magazine for the Interlinked Quilt Pattern

I’m currently in the process of updating the Interlinked pattern with more information and hope to release the PDF version along with some kits, soon. So be on the lookout for that in a few weeks!

Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks Part 3: Preparing the Quilt

February 4, 2021January 30, 20211 Comment

When I’m prepping a quilt for machine quilting, I do everything I can to get a nice, flat quilt sandwich. This is especially helpful when quilting on a domestic machine because of all the quilt wrestling, scrunching and smooshing that happens during the process.

“Scrunching and Smooshing” in progress!

In order to make my quilt as flat as possible, I press ALL of my seams open. I know this can be a bit controversial, but contrary to popular belief, it will NOT weaken your seams. After all, dressmakers have been pressing seams open forever, and clothing certainly gets a lot more wear and tear than a quilt.

Seams pressed open on my Color Weave quilt.

In order to ensure that the seams don’t split apart, I recommend sewing with a shorter stitch length (such as 2.0 instead of my default 2.5). This has the added benefit of hiding the piecing thread in the seam, so you don’t have to worry about perfectly matching your thread to your fabrics while piecing. Another reason I love Aurifil 50 weight cotton thread is that it really seems to sink onto the seams!

This is my default setup. I reduce the stitch length and usually lower the tension.

When it comes to preparing my fabric for quilt making, I do prewash any fabric that’s a fat quarter or larger. Sadly I’ve seen too many issues with fabric bleeding to leave it to chance. If I’m using precuts, I don’t prewash since that will shrivel them up. However, I DO wash the finished quilt with dye magnet sheets such as Color Catchers. This grabs any excess dye in the wash and makes a huge difference in protecting your quilts!

I also starch my fabric yardage after washing and before cutting into it. This makes a huge difference in how well the fabric sews together without stretching, and it’s an important step when sewing together larger lengths of fabric for a quilt backing.

Click the short video below for my starching tutorial on a small piece of fabric. This works well for larger pieces, too!

The other thing I’ll do to get my quilt layers nice and flat is to iron the quilt batting if it has any wrinkles. I prefer to use natural fiber battings (cotton, wool, or silk) rather than synthetic battings because they are more breathable AND ok to iron.

I’ll spray a bit of water on the batting, then iron it directly. If I’m worried about damaging the batting with my iron, I’ll cover it with a piece of fabric first. As with any new technique in quilting, be sure test on a smaller pice first to ensure you get the results you are looking for.

I use a “big board” that fits on top of my regular ironing board.

Once all 3 layers are nice and flat, it’s time to baste them together. I’ve written several basting tutorials over the years, but my favorite method is to use basting spray and my design wall.

Click the clip below for my most recent spray basting video tutorial.

Just for your reference, here are several links to other basting tutorials I’ve shared over the years. Feel free to pick and choose which techniques resonate with you.

Just remember there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to quilt – just different techniques that work for your particular situation!

If you’ve enjoyed these hints, Click here for my full series of Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks.

To continue supporting my sewing and sharing, you can pick up any of my fun fabrics, patterns, thread and books on my website at shop.ChristaQuilts.com.

Happy quilting, friends!!

My Newest Book is Now Available: 99 Machine Quilting Designs!

February 1, 2021January 31, 20213 Comments

I’m thrilled that my 4th book has now officially been released and I have a signed copy waiting for you! Take a look at my newest pride and joy called 99 Machine Quilting Designs from Martingale/That Patchwork Place.

Click here to get your signed copy of 99 Machine Quilting Designs

As an author, it’s been great fun to open up boxes and boxes of my brand new book and get it out into the world.

99 Machine Quilting Designs includes a detailed photo, illustrated diagram, and step-by-step instructions on how to quilt 99 different machine quilting motifs, using walking foot AND free-motion techniques. I wrote the book from the perspective of a domestic machine quilter, but most of the designs will translate well to longarm quilting, too!

Here’s an example of one of the walking-foot designs from the book:

And here’s an example of just one of the dozens of free motion ideas in the book:

Each of the 99 designs also includes a variation to try, so it’s really like 198 designs in all! Plus there’s space on each page for you to practice your doodles and take notes right in the book! My hope is for you to get better at machine quilting by practicing as often as you can.

Here’s a video sneak peek of the book:

To make things even more fun, I created a bunch of cute buttons to promote the book, and I’m including one with each order, along with a signed message from me.

Click here to get your bonus button + signed copy of the book!

So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t already snagged your copy, you can click here to order 99 Machine Quilting Designs. Leave a note with your order if you’d like it personalized with your name, or as a gift for a friend. I PROMISE it will make you a better machine quilter!!

As always, thanks for your support, and happy machine quilting!!

Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks Part 2: Tools of the Trade

January 20, 2021January 19, 20216 Comments

To be successful with machine quilting, especially on a home sewing machine, the right tools can make all the difference. Below, I’m sharing some of my favorite tools and supplies that make the job easier. This is by no means an exhaustive list. And if you have a tool or tip you love that’s not listed here, please be sure to share it in the comments so we can all learn from each other!

Sewing Machine with Drop in Table

Having a large work surface will help as you scrunch and smoosh your quilt through the machine. My table is about 20 years old and originally held a different machine, so you can see that the hole in the middle doesn’t really fit my new machine. However, by placing the extension bed on top of it and adjusting the height of the drop in table, it works great!!

Sewing Machine Feet

For “Walking-Foot” style quilting you can use a walking foot made for your machine. Or if your machine has a built-in dual feed like mine does, you can use an open-toe dual feed foot instead. Both types of feet perform the same function which is feeding the bulky quilt through the machine evenly so you don’t get puckers on your quilt.

For free-motion quilting, you’ll need to use a specialty free-motion foot that looks like a circle or an oval, along with dropping the feed dogs on your machine. This will allow you to move the quilt and stitch in any direction. Just like with the walking foot, I prefer an open toe so that you can see the needle better. This makes it easier to see where you are stitching.

Recommended Sewing Machine Features

Here’s a quick list of bells and whistles that make the job easier:

Stop with the needle in the up or down position
Wider throat space (8″-10″ is ideal. Most standard machines are 6″.)
Ability to adjust presser foot pressure; less pressure is great when walking foot quilting.
Knee lift or hover feature to raise presser foot without having to use your hands
Full shank feet rather than snap ons so it’s fast and easy to switch out the feet
Straight stitch throat plate – for free-motion quilting
Decorative stitches (with zig-zag plate) for walking foot quilting effects

Quilting Notions

When free-motion quilting, I place a Supreme Slider on the bed of my machine to make it more slick. This makes it easier to move the quilt around. The gloves give me a better grip on the quilt while I scrunch and smoosh it through the machine.

Marking Tools

I don’t like to mark my quilts very much, but when I do, I’ll use painters tape to create a straight edge. Or I’ll use a white plastic hera tool to create a crease on my quilt that I can follow. If I want to mark out evenly spaced lines, I’ll use a grid marker with the hera tool, or a water soluble marking pen to mark the lines.

Thread

I prefer to piece and quilt all of my quilts with Aurifil, 50 weight 100% cotton thread. It’s thin, yet strong and comes in a wide variety of colors. Because it’s cotton, it won’t make my quilts stiff when I quilt them heavily. And I can use up the leftover bobbins when piecing my next quilt!

Needles

To go along with the size 50 weight thread, I prefer size 80/12 topstitch needles. The titanium coating makes them stronger so they last longer than regular needles. I use the blue package above for both piecing and quilting.

Stack of practice sandwiches

Make a stack of practice pieces with 2 squares of fabric and batting in between. Around 10-12″ is good so you have plenty of room to practice your designs. You can try a variety of fabrics, a variety of battings, and even use up some leftover quilt blocks. You can also use leftover fabrics and long pieces of batting that have trimmed off when you basted your quilt. Put those scraps to work!!

Pen and Paper for Sketching

A small notebook will do but it’s important to sketch out your designs on paper before you try them out on the real quilt!

Inspiration pics and quilting ideas

Click here to get your signed copy of 99 Machine Quilting Designs

My latest book, 99 Machine Quilting Designs is chock full of quilting motifs for you to practice! You can sketch each one or follow the line drawings to see how each design is formed and it includes alternate ideas on each and every page. It includes dozens of ideas for walking foot and free motion quilting!

So that’s pretty much it when it comes to machine quilting supplies. I’m a minimalist when it comes to tools needed, but these above items serve me well for all of the quilts I make.

Just remember, the most important thing you need in your quilting toolbox is a “can-do” attitude. After all, this is supposed to be fun!!

Click here for my full series of Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks.

Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks Part 1 of 9: Introduction

January 4, 2021January 30, 202111 Comments

Today I’m excited to kick off a 9 part series on Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, especially since I’ve written and taught on this topic extensively over the last few years. This week’s post will serve as an introduction to the series, and also as the landing page where I’ll update each of the links below as they are written.

I’m also happy to answer your machine quilting questions. So don’t be shy – ask you questions in the comments and I’ll include answers in a future post! So first off all here’s the schedule:

Week 1 – Introduction
Week 2 – Tools of the Trade
Week 3 – Preparing the Quilt
Week 4 – Practice, Practice, Practice!
Week 5 – Make a Quilting Plan
Week 6 – Easy Walking Foot Designs
Week 7 – Easy Free Motion Designs
Week 8 – Custom Quilting
Week 9 – Wrap up and Your Questions Answered

Sewing Machine – Longarm vs. Sit Down

The very first question you’ll want to decide is whether you want to quilt on a regular home sewing machine (like I do), or if you want to purchase a specialty machine like a sit-down free motion machine or a stand up long-arm machine.

I like the feel of “scrunching and smooshing” my quilt through a regular machine, so that’s what I’m most comfortable with. Also, I like the freedom to quilt “walking-foot” designs with my feed-dogs up, or “free-motion” designs with my feed-dogs down. A free-motion only machine can be limiting, but it provides more room to quilt and can usually quilt a lot faster than a domestic home machine.

Domestic Machine Quilting

This throwback pic is from 2013 just after I got my first upgraded machine, but I still quilt the same way – in my studio while listening to music or a quilting podcast!

My recommendation is to try out both and do what feels most natural for you. Many quilters start quilting on their regular home sewing machine, then upgrade to a larger machine as they improve their skills. I’ve tried both and I prefer the feel of domestic machine quilting, so that’s mainly what the rest of this series will be about. However, if you are a longarmer, stick around – many of my tips and ideas can be easily adapted to your situation!

A great place to try out sit down “domestic” machines is at your local sewing machine dealer. I recommend visiting all of the dealers in your area and bringing in your own practice samples (or even a full sized quilt) to try out. Although I am a BERNINA ambassador and that’s my machine brand of choice, a good reliable dealer will go along way towards helping you be successful with home machine quilting. I don’t recommend buying a machine online or at a big box store, because you’re just not going to get the level or service you’ll need.

Long Arm Quilting

My friend Vicki Ruebel of Orchid Owl Quilts in her longarm shop in Las Vegas

For long-arm machines, I highly recommend testing out all of the major brands at local or national quilt shows. They’ll usually have a full-size machine set up that you can test out, and it will be prepared with a quilt already on the machine that you can practice on. Most shows will also have great deals on machines if you purchase it at the show. So keep that in mind and don’t be afraid to attend multiple shows until your mind is made up.

Many local quilt shops now offer longarm rental service so that’s also a great way to get your feet wet before making such a large purchase.

If you want further reading on the differences between machine quilting with a longarm versus a domestic machine, be sure to check out mine and Angela Walters’ book The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting. It’s where we get to share the best of both worlds!

Click here to grab a signed copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting.

Here are two other fabulous longarmers I recommend following on social media: my friends Heather Black of Quiltachusetts and Vicki Ruebel of Orchid Owl Quilts. Check out their websites and instagram accounts for some fabulous long-arm quilting eye candy!

In next week’s Tools of the Trade segment, I’ll share about the specific features I prefer to have on my domestic machine that make it much easier to get the job done, so stay tuned!

Free Quilt Pattern – Connections by Charisma Horton in Modern by the Yard Ezine from Benartex

December 3, 2020December 2, 2020Leave a comment

One of the things that I love about working with Benartex on fabric design is that they produce a fantastic free digital magazine called Modern by the Yard. In each issue, they share inspiring projects that you can make from their fabrics. So each time I have a new line that comes out, one of my amazing designer friends creates a fabulous pattern for you for free!!

Click here to download Modern by the Yard for free from Benartex.

In the current issue of Modern by the Yard, my talented designer friend Charisma Horton has created and shared her amazing quilt pattern called Connections, which is right up my alley!! She made it using my latest fabric line, Good Vibes from Benartex.

Click here to get your hands on Good Vibes yardage, precuts and bundles.

Here is what Charisma has to say about her latest project:

“I am a big fan of Christa’s fabrics. I have made a few projects with her collections. They are fun, colorful and diverse. I actually designed Connections years ago before I was a professional designer.

I have learned that sometimes you have to wait for the designs to speak and decide when they should be released and where. I have always been a fan of quilts with negative space. This quilt decided that it was time and she is shining in all her glory.

If you’d like to check out some of my other patterns you can visit my shop here:Charismas Corner on Etsy

Thanks so much for letting me share! I can’t wait to design with Christa’s next line of fabric. We make a great team.”

Connections Quilt made by Charisma Horton from Good Vibes fabric.

Thanks Charisma!!!
Click here to see other beautiful quilts and projects that Charisma has made from my fabrics.

I can’t wait to see what she makes next!

Virtual Quilt Festival: Sign Up for My Classes December 3-5, 2020

November 27, 20201 Comment

I’m looking forward to teaching during Virtual Quilt Festival Dec. 3 to 5. This online event is presented by Quilts, Inc., the parent company of International Quilt Festival.

On Thursday, 12/3, I’m one of five presenters in Machine Quilting Forum I.

Focused forum of 20-minute back-to-back presentations from five top educators, including live Q&A and chat for a truly engaging experience. Download a compilation of handouts from each presenter, new ideas, and information on products and processes.

My portion is titled Christa’s Top Tips for Machine Quilting Success:

Learn to become better at quilting on your home sewing machine with Christa’s top tips for machine quilting success. A few of these include proper work station setup, choosing the right materials, how to hide your mistakes, and learning why a “can-do” attitude is the most important tool in your toolbox! If you can sketch it, you can quilt it. See Christa’s “doodle” demonstration and learn up close how practice makes progress with each and every quilt!

Other presenters are Jenny K. Lyon, Sue Nickels, Catherine Redford and Cyndi Zacheis. We’d love to have you join us!

Click here for information on how to register.

On Friday, 12/4, I’m teaching a Master Class called Modern Machine Quilting: Walking Foot Wonders.

Stitch beyond the ditch and unleash the power of your walking foot! Learn how to stitch wavy lines, decorative stitches, grids, spirals, straight-line designs, and more! Christa Watson loves to share her modern machine quilting methods which emphasize texture over perfection in a warm and encouraging manner. After viewing this master class, you’ll feel armed with the confidence that yes, you can quilt your own quilts!

Click here for information on how to register.

More information from Quilts, Inc.:

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AT VQF?

3 days of interactive content – classes, vendors, special exhibits, live connect to exhibitors and fellow VQF attendees, games, and more during show hours

3 months to continue to view beautiful quilts, experience Open Studios™, and shop the vendor mall

WHEN?

Show hours – December 3-5, 2020, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM CST

Special Live Lecture, December 3, 2020, 6:00 – 7:00 PM CST

Quilt exhibits, Open Studios™, and Vendor Mall – December 3, 2020 – March 5, 2021

HOW WILL THE EVENT WORK VIRTUALLY?

VQF includes elements of our in-person shows – special quilt exhibits, classes, vendors – brought to you online in a mix of live and pre-recorded content. VQF is accessible from any device on the web from any computer or tablet and through an app on mobile devices.

WHEN WILL CLASSES BE?

Exciting news – Classes are available throughout show hours AND recordings of selected classes will be available for one week post-show, December 6-12, 2020. This means you can register for any class that you might not be able to join live. It also allows you to register for more than one class that broadcasts at the same time because you can watch classes later.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A few classes will not be recorded and are only available during their scheduled time – these classes are denoted by the words “Live Viewing Only” in the class description.