Freestyle Quilt

By Spotlight

Quilt idea by Hayley Wandelt-Smith from the Queanbeyan (NSW) Spotlight store.

Final Result

Materials

• photo or picture for inspiration
• tracing paper
• lightweight non-woven sew on interfacing
• cotton backing fabric or calico cotton batting
• variety of fabrics
• variety of matching & contrasting threads
• lightbox (or window & daylight)
• fabric glue
• sewing machine with darning foot
• scissors
• safety pins

Step 1

Find a picture or image that inspires you, and that you believe will work well when transferred into a collage format.

Step 2

Using a lightbox (or window in daylight) trace around the image, first making sure you get all the solid features. Then break them up further, by defining and outlining shadows and highlights.

Tip: I find it helps to photocopy the image in black and white, as it increases the contrast, making it easier to define the highlights and shadows.

If there is any thing you would like to add or leave out of the picture, change it now.

When you are happy with your design, trace it onto some lightweight non-woven sew on (not fusible) interfacing.

Step 3

Select your fabrics. The only rule is - there is no rule.

Follow your instinct and combine different fabrics.

You may like to stick to the colours in your original image or change them completely to create a whole new mood.

Step 4

Using the paper drawing as a guide, cut out the shapes and start placing them onto the corresponding place on the interfacing, overlapping where necessary. This interfacing will act as a base.

When you are happy with how the pieces are looking and working together, begin tacking them in place with a few tiny dabs of fabric glue.

Step 5

When you have completed the image it is time for some free-motion quilting.

Sandwich a piece of low loft wadding (I like cotton batting) in between your image and a cotton backing fabric (I use calico).

Using the safety pins, pin the three layers together. With the darning foot on your machine, thread the machine with embroidery thread and lower the feed dogs.

Quilt the image freehand, following the shapes, or patterns in the fabric using as many different colours of thread as desired.

Tip: Using a contrasting thread is great to create drama or add details such as facial features etc, whereas a matching thread can create a subtle texture.

Step 6

Finish the edges by adding a carefully chosen border or two, to frame the image.

Step 7

Quilt idea sample by Hayley Wandelt-Smith from the Queanbeyan (NSW) Spotlight store.