Bling Quilt Along Begins Next Week

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Who’s excited to join me for the Bling quilt along which begins next week? All you need is a copy of the Bling quilt pattern to follow along, and each week’s assignment will be posted right here on the blog. But just remember, you can totally quilt along at your own pace!

Click here to get the optional Bling quilt kit – made from Dazzle Dots!

I will be making this version of Bling from my Dazzle Dots 1 and 2 fabrics. I love how the softer pastels in the background make the more saturated colors pop!

I also played around with what this quilt would look like using my Stitchy fabric collection, below:

Click here to get the optional Bling quilt kit – made from Stitchy fabric!

Which colorway do you prefer? The Bling quilt pattern itself comes in multiple sizes and you can choose to include the floater border as shown in my Stitchy version above, or leave it off like I did with the Dazzle Dots variation

Click here to get the Bling quilt pattern – PDF version
Click here to get the Bling quilt pattern – printed version

Sharing is Caring

As you gather your supplies, I’d love to see which fabrics *you* choose! You can post pics of your fabric pull over in my Christa Quilts Group on Facebook, or feel free to email me directly: christa@christaquilts.com. You can also tag me on social media @christaquilts or use #blingquilt on instagram. I’m excited to cheer you on every step of the way!

Bling Quilt Along Schedule Begins July 17!

  • Week 1 July 17 – Cutting
  • Week 2 July 24 – Making the Blocks
  • Week 3 July 31 – Quilt Top Assembly
  • Week 4 Aug 7 – Catch up & Basting
  • Week 5 Aug 14 – Quilting and Finishing

99 Designs Episode 24 – Walking Foot Spirals

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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.

Sparkling Stars

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.

Optical Illusion Pattern by Christa Watson

Click here to get the Optical Illusion Pattern – PDF Instant Download
Click here to get the Optical Illusion Pattern – Printed Hardcopy

Poll Results and Quilt Along Schedule

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I asked followers amongst all of my social media channels if they wanted to create Bling or Beaded Lanterns for our next Quilt Along, and the majority voted for Bling, but not by much. So guess what?? I’m actually going to make both!! We will kick off with Bling then follow up with Beaded Lanterns after. See below for details and QAL schedule….

Bling Quilt Along Schedule Begins July 17!

  • Week 1 July 17 – Cutting
  • Week 2 July 24 – Making the Blocks
  • Week 3 July 31 – Quilt Top Assembly
  • Week 4 Aug 7 – Catch up & Basting
  • Week 5 Aug 14 – Quilting and Finishing

Each week I will guide you through each step of making the quilt. I will be making the Dazzle Dots version shown above with the scrappy Hashtags layout. All you need is a copy of the quilt pattern, or the optional kit to follow along. There are so many different ways to lay out this fat quarter friendly quilt!

Bling Supply List

Each week of the quilt along, I will be sharing tips and tricks right here on my blog and will include a bonus video during the quilting and finishing week. Just remember, you can work at your own pace, and the quilt along will stay up indefinitely so you can refer to it again and again, any time you wish!

Beaded Lanterns Quilt Along Starts Aug 28!

Beaded Lanterns will follow a similar format and will begin about a week after we finish up Bling. So you can make either quilt, both quilts, or neither – it’s totally up to you. I’ll follow up with a reminder once it gets closer, but as long as you read my blog updates, you’ll be all set!

Click here to get the Free Beaded Lanterns Quilt Pattern
Click here to get the optional Beaded Lanterns Kit (while supplies last)

So – who’s in????? Leave me a comment letting me know if you plan to make either of these quilts. I’m happy to cheer you on, every step of the way!

99 Designs Episode 23 – FMQ Ribbon Loops & Harlequin

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When practicing your free-motion quilting, I recommend trying a variety of curvy and geometric designs. You may decide you like one style over another! In this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs you can practice both techniques when you stitch up Ribbon Loops or Harlequin! Click play below to watch:

Bonus Video – Quilting Ticker Tape

My Ticker Tape quilt shown behind me in the video, is quilted using single ribbon loops. I love making the same quilt multiple times to try out different fabric combinations and quilting plans. Check out my bonus video below, showing I quilted Ticker Tape using 2 different quilting plans:

Get the Ticker Tape Quilt Kit!

If you’d like to take your quilting practice to the next level, grab my Ticker Tape kit while supplies last. It comes in 4 different colorways, all made from my Dazzle Dots fabrics.

Which color way is *your* favorite??

YouTube Play Lists

Let me know how you are liking this video series, and if you have any special requests of designs I haven’t covered yet. You can watch the entire machine quilting designs series as much as you like, and also check out my other playlist showing how I quilted these designs on real, full sized quilts!

Click here to watch my full playlist: 99 Machine Quilting Designs
Click here to watch my How I Quilted It playlist

99 Designs Episode 22 – Free Motion Quilting Clouds

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Are you keeping up withy my 99 Machine Quilting Designs Series? If so, what are some of your favorite designs so far? I have another fun one for you to try this week. Click the image below to watch me quilt a fun, whimsical design called “Clouds.”

Practice quilting this design (and many more) on my Swanky Spirals quilt pattern!

Bonus Video – How I Quilted Swanky Spirals

If you’d like more ideas for making and quilting this quilt, check out my bonus video below. It’s part of my “How I Quilted It” video series where I show how to quilt real, full sized quilts on a domestic machine. Happy watching!!

Quilt Along Poll – Which Quilt Do You Want to Make?

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It’s been awhile since I’ve hosted a quilt along, but I’m home for the rest of the summer before travel picks up again in the fall. So August is the perfect time for me to guide you through the process of making an entire quilt from start to finish. However, there’s only 1 problem – I need to know which quilt you’d like to make! Here are two choices up for consideration:

Click here to get my Beaded Lanterns free PDF pattern download

Choice #1 – Beaded Lanterns QAL

Beaded Lanterns is one of my free patterns, and it’s designed using my latest fabric collection, Dazzle Dots 2. I designed it with several background options, and kits are available for all 3 versions. However, I will make my version with the icy blue background because that one really speaks to me.

Click here to get the optional Beaded Lanterns Quilt Kit in 3 Color Options

Choice #2 – Bling QAL

I’ve made this quilt several times over the years with different fabric collections I’ve designed. However, my latest iteration combines both my Dazzle Dots 1 and 2 fabrics for a colorful scrappy look! You can get the Bling quilt pattern as a stand alone option; or if you get the optional Bling kit, it comes with the pattern included.

Bling quilt pattern designed by Christa Watson
Dazzle Dots by Christa Watson

Please do me a favor and leave me a comment letting me know which quilt you would rather make: Beaded Lanterns or Bling. The quilt with the most votes wins, and I’ll announce the results along with the quilt along schedule at the beginning of July.

Then we will kick things off during the last week of July/beginning of August. So – who’s in??

AQS Quilt Week Registration Now Open!

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I’m super excited to be heading to Lancaster, PA for the American Quilters Society show this fall to teach a full load of machine quilting workshops. I’ve taught for AQS before, but this will be my fist time visiting this location. I will also be one of the quilt judges which makes the event even extra special!

I will be teaching the following workshops as listed below. Machines will be generously provided by BERNINA for all workshops, and they will be based on my best-selling machine quilting books.

Click here to register for my workshops now, before they fill up!

Wednesday, 9/10, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm or
Friday, 9/12, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Embrace perfectly imperfect quilting! That means little to no marking, and a whole lot of gorgeous texture. Ease into freemotion quilting with asymmetrical textures that are fast and fun to quilt. We’ll explore a wide range of motifs that will look good on any quilt from modern to traditional. You’ll leave the workshop armed with the confidence that, yes, you can quilt your own quilts. Students should be comfortable with a sewing machine and will practice on their own pre-basted fabric and batting samples. Students will also learn best practices for successful free-motion quilting.

Click here to register for this workshop.

Thursday, 9/11, 8:30 am – 11:30 am

Just like penmanship, everyone has their own unique machine quilting style. In this workshop, you will learn how to form the basic swirl shape, then branch off in many different directions as you discover your own signature swirl! Ideas to explore include the wonky swirl, the flower swirl, the elongated swirl, the packed swirl, and many more. Combine swirls with other favorite motifs for even more possibilities! Students should be comfortable with basic machine quilting techniques.

Click here to register for this workshop.

Thursday, 9/11, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

In this workshop, you will learn how to turn basic shapes into linear freemotion quilting designs. Using the seam lines on your quilt as a guide, learn how to divide and conquer your quilting while you stitch interesting motifs that are a great alternative to straight line quilting. These can be quilted as allover designs across the surface of your quilt, or scaled down to fit a specific shape in your quilt. Students should be comfortable with basic machine quilting techniques.

Click here to register for this workshop.

Saturday, 9/13, 8:30 am – 11:30 am

Can feathers really be “modern?” In this workshop, the answer is a resounding, “yes!” Students will learn basic feather plume shapes, then build upon those shapes to create entirely new designs. They’ll explore a variety of options such as echo feathers, swirl feathers, broken feathers, and many more! Each student will discover their unique feather style and learn how to apply what they’ve stitched to an actual quilt. Adventurous quilters may choose to customize their swirls by adding pebbles or other flourishes to their designs. Note: Students should be comfortable with basic freemotion quilting.

Click here to register for this workshop.

Please let me know if you plan to attend. I would love to see you there!

99 Designs Episode 21 – Walking Foot Quilting Diagonal Crosshatch

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We are back to walking foot quilting with another fun machine quilting video tutorial for you to watch. Check out Diagonal Crosshatch and Irregular Crosshatch. Click the image below to watch and let me know which design you prefer!

Click here to watch the complete 99 Machine Quilting Designs Video Series for free!!

Have You Checked out My Latest Kits?

It’s one thing to practice your designs on small samples, but you really get the hang of things when quilting them on a real, full sized quilt. I’ve been having fun putting together all sorts of fun kits from my fabrics I’ve designed. I often make the same quilt more than once, just to try out different machine quilting plans.

99 Designs Episodes 19 & 20 – Free Motion Quilting Wavy Lines

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Have you been watching my free series of domestic machine quilting videos? New episodes drop each week and you can watch them anytime, on your own schedule for FREE! This week I have 2 for you to catch up on. First of all, learn how to quilt fun free-motion wavy lines. They are fast and easy to stitch! Check it out below:

If you want to take your quilting up a notch, stitch this design in both directions and it becomes an interesting, organic wavy grid! You can stitch this as an edge to edge design, or in smaller areas of your quilt wherever you want to add texture. Watch and learn below:

Grab My Book and Follow Along!

All of these designs can be found in my Book, 99 Machine Quilting Designs. The digital download includes images of each design, diagrams and step by step instructions showing how to quilt each design.

Click here to get 99 Machine Quilting Designs as a Digital Download.

99 machine quilting designs

Grab Some Scrap Fabric to Make Practice Sandwiches!

As a fabric designer, I love coming out with fun new fabric collections for you to play with. However, to keep things fresh, I’m clearing out the old to make way for the new! Be sure to check out my current clearance section to grab a great deal on yardage and bundles. These are great to use for quilting practice!!

Click here to shop my fabric clearance sale.

There’s a Whole Lot of Teaching Going on!!

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My goodness summer is already flying by! I’ve had a banner year of teaching domestic machine quilting so far in 2025 and I plan to continue a robust travel schedule into 2026 and beyond. So with that said, here are highlights of the big events coming up this fall and next spring. Be sure to click the links below each event to register or get more details. They sell out quickly!

American Quilters Society – Lancaster, PA Sept 10-13, 2025

Registration is open for members of AQS, with a discount on all workshops! General registration opens to the public June 17, 2025 for any workshops that are not yet sold out. Below is my schedule of events at a glance:

  • Wed 9/10/25 – 8:30-4 PM Beginner Free Motion Bootcamp (option 1)
  • Thurs 9/11/25 – 8:30-11 AM Fun with Free Motion Swirls
  • Thurs 9/11/25 – 1-4 PM FMQ Between the Lines
  • Fri 9/12/25 – 8:30-4 PM Beginner Free Motion Bootcamp (option 2)
  • Sat 9/13/24 – 8:30-11 AM FMQ Modern Feathers

Click here for more information about my AQS workshops, along with registration & supply lists.

International Quilt Festival – Houston, TX Oct 6-12, 2025

Registration is open now for this event. It will be extra special for me to attend this year because I have a couple of quilts hanging in the show!! Check out my full schedule of events below:

  • Tues 10/7/25 – 2-5 PM Sketch It, Then Quilt It
  • Wed 10/8/25 – 9-5 PM Walking Foot Bootcamp
  • Thurs 10/9/25 – 9-12 PM Improv Free-Motion Quilting
  • Thurs 10/9/25 – 12:45-1:45 Modern Machine Quilting Lecture
  • Fri 10/10/25 – 9-5 Free Motion Bootcamp
  • Sat 10/11/25 – 9-12 Modern Free Motion Feathers
  • Sat 10/11/25 – 2-5 PM Perfectly Imperfect Free-Motion Swirls

Click here for the main catalog page with additional details.
You can sort by day and then register for the event.

QuiltCon by The MQG – Raleigh, NC Feb 19-22, 2026

This is truly one of my favorite events of the year. If you love modern quilts, and haven’t attended yet, this needs to be on your bucket list!! Check out my lineup below:

  • Thurs 2/19/26 – 1:30-4:30 PM Quilting Between the Lines
  • Thurs 2/19/26 – 6-9 PM Free-Motion Improv
  • Fri 2/20/26 – 1-2 PM Modern Machine Quilting Lecture
  • Sat 2/21/26 – 9-12 PM If You Can Sketch It, You Can Stitch It (Option A)
  • Sat 2/21/26 – 1:30-4:30 PM If You Can Sketch It, You Can Stitch It (Option B)

Click here for the interactive catalog. You can filter by day or by instructor.
Member registration opens August 20th at 9 AM Central Time and workshops sell out right away.

Empty Spools at Asilomar, CA – March 1-6, 2026

This event is going to be epic. You’ll be spending entire time with me quilting a real, full sized quilt. This is the most comprehensive, intensive class I offer, and I promise we will be besties at the end of the week. Make plans to attend because this is definitely a destination retreat!

Will I see you at any of these events?