Wednesday, December 3, 2008

How I Quilt Quilts.


How I Quilt. from lauren hunt on Vimeo
My favorite part about this video is when I have to make an L with my left hand, and you can see me trying to figure out right from left. Because, yes, I am that classy.

61 comments:

Evelyn said...

Okay, that made my day! You are such a cutie pie, and that video is awesome. :-)

Probably a stupid question, but if you're not doing free-motion quilting, how do you go backwards?

Two Dogs and a Quilt said...

Thanks for the good video explanation. I've wondered how you quilt in such a unique style. I'll have to give it a try myself.

Auntjune said...

Thanks! Evelyn, my machine has a big button that makes it go backwards. I actually specifically looked for one with a BIG button and not a small one, like my old machine had, because I can sometimes hit the big button with my arm so I can use both hands.

Alissa said...

Great, great post. Not only did I learn your awesome way of quilting, but I feel like in bloggy land it's so hard to get a sense of who someone is and you're so fun! Loved your video.

laura capello said...

i want to put you in pocket and bring you home.

and lock you in basement and throw quilt tops at you.

no, seriously, i don't. know that i know how to do this! squee! thanks!

Evelyn said...

Ah, just regular old backstitching - thanks! My machine has a tiny button. :-P But still I might just give it a try. I have a sort of "japanese garden" themed quilt in mind for a gift for my husband, and I think this type of quilting would be just perfect for it. Thanks!!

Cami said...

Greatest video ever! I have been dying to learn how you do this and you explained it so well. I think I am going to give this a try on my next quilt. Oh, and you are a doll by the way, I love your hair!

Erin said...

I agree you are a cutie pie!

I LOVE your quilting, so I'm so glad you have put this video. I'm pretty happy with my free motion thingie, but I was so worried about "rules" no overlap especially that I'm really into trying the idea of just doing a fun scribble look.

You are clearly an artist though, you whipped out those leave sketches like it was nothing. Don't think we didn't notice that. *wink* :)

Georgia said...

Oh what a sweet little pixie you are!
Thankyou so much for doing this video. I love your quilting, but was totally stumped as to how you did it. I'm going to be brave and give it a go...maybe on a placemat to start with. ;-)
Walking foot, or ordinary foot?

Georgia said...

Don't worry - I looked at one of your photos - ordinary foot it is.

And...I never know my left from my right either.

Stephanie said...

Haha! Great tutorial.

My big question for you, now that I'm in the market for one, is what machine do you use??? (I'm struggling with indecision). :)

S. Anderson said...

Okay, so I love this! Thanks for explaining it. I will definitely have to try this. I might try it with other shapes too, just to see what comes out!

Btw, you are too funny!

Anonymous said...

I think that maybe if could quilt if you come over to my house and sing the little song that you sang.

You make the best blog posts ever.

L said...

awww, what a cute video! and i totally still make the L to figure out left, so don't feel bad. (my art history teacher used to take points off because i got everything right except which slide was left and which was on the right. OH WELL).

AlissaWendy said...

Thank you so much for showing us how you do this! I have studied your quilt pictures and tried this several times - and then spent several hours ripping the stitches out. My spirit is renewed! I just my try this again!! Thanks Lauren.

Alicia A. said...

Lauren- I swear. You are so flippin cute.

abcgirl said...

perfect! i've often wondered how you make that quilting design and despaired of ever really understanding it since i can't watch you quilt and this was a perfect way to illustrate it! thank you!! and i love the way you had to check your right/left--i do that every time.

i think i remember once, long ago, you mentioned something about this particular quilting style being a pain in the bobbin--did i make that up? did you ever come up with a way to cope with the enormous amount of thread (and numerous bobbin changes that necessitates?)

Liz Harvatine said...

Very cute video! Thanks for the inside tip.

Auntjune said...

Thanks, everybody! abcgirl- I did say it was a bobbin-eater. There is no solution to the bobbin dilemma. It is unavoidable. I buy a ton of white thread whenever it is on sale. I am going to do some larger projects before Christmas, and I need to experiment with keeping the quilting more spread out and larger (because I tend to get really anal and have way too much line-age) which might help, but other than that, I'm just getting used to winding the bobbin. A lot.

Marisa said...

Lauren, you are so adorable. I loved your video. My husband even thought it was the cutest ever. Thank you. I was really wondering how you go about doing your quilting. It is so very very pretty. I'm going to give it a try too!

Marit said...

Thank you for so generously sharing your quilting tecnique ; )
You are a great teacher, too. Have you tried those little bobbins with thinner tread? They are pretty handy, and contains a lot, so you dont have to change them all the time....

Fulvia said...

I enjoyed your video. If you have some concern about not creating a huge bubble for yourself towards the center of the quilt [as pointed out when you said that for part II, you turn the quilt around and go from the center out], why not also start at the very beginning from the center out? That is one of the tried and true quilting guidelines, btw; hope you won't mind my comment/question ...

misschris said...

Lauren, you are just the cutest thing. I mean, I knew that already, but I just wanted to say thanks for the morning giggle/tutorial today.

And I'm digging the darker hair.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for sharing! Like everyone else I've admired your quilting, trying to figure it out :) I'm going to give it try too!

Melissa said...

I LOVE your video! I'm awful at free motion too, so I'll have to give this a try. I love the look of it. So cute! Thanks for sharing!!!

Amy said...

Thanks for taking the time and effort to do that. It's a very original style and distinctively yours. It was generous of you to share. I think I'll try it soon.

Valerie said...

The absolute best part of the video was the sound effects you did in the last part of the "quilting". You rock. ;)

Seriously, thanks for the tutorial. I have wanted to start quilting my own quilts, but I am intimidated by free motion for whatever reason, and honestly, I was hoping there would be someone out there to tell me that it's not going-against-all-that-is-right-in-the-quilting-world to just use my regular foot and use the straight stitch (oh the horror).

Unknown said...

Thanks for the tut. I love your quilting.

Lisa said...

That was great, I wondered what you did. I don't think it would be possible to push the back button on mine and still use two hands on the quilt, but I might have to try it.

TORTALCACAO said...

Thanks for your enlighten tutorial. A little kiss from Milan, Italy.
Anna Maria

bettyninja said...

Cool I try it that way! Never would have figured that out in a post- the video makes total sense. Plus, I love that your cat is playing in the background

abcgirl said...

Thanks for the response! Maybe if I try your method, I'll just pre-fill a whole slew of bobbins before I start so I don't have to growl so ferociously when they run out.

Rachel said...

man, you rock.

I knew i liked you for a reason.

and you made your own video. which is rad.

Kelley said...

That was wonderful! My 3 year old son and I were watching intently! He would like to type a message for you:

jhjhducdjcfffffffffffvncvjfvnfvfnvfvfkvnfvfnvnvfff

Thank You,
Kelley and Hawley

amy h said...

You are funny. :) And very informative. I don't have a big button, just a tiny lever. So this may be hard for me. I want to try though!

And your hair turned back to brown! I bet you didn't know that.

Mandalin said...

Oh boy, that tutorial was just fab fun. You'd make a great teacher, I learnt while being entertained! Thank you for removing the mystery and intimidation from quilting for me. And garden gloves!! Great idea.

Caron at Michigan Quilts said...

Great video! Quilting that way is a whole lot more fun!

Marie {Make and Takes} said...

Love this video! You did a great job. It really makes tons of sense! I can't find a free motion needle for my machine anyway, so this is PERFECT! And I love the tips on flipping it half way, and using garden gloves (are they the grippy kind?)

PLEASE make another video of you actually quilting. That would be fabulous to see you in action with your big quilt under the machine!

Quiltycat said...

Great video! Thank you Lauren,I try your quilting tecnique soon. Your style is original and unique.

Tracy said...

Wow, thanks! I just finished a queen sized top, my first big quilt, and wanted to quilt it this way, so your video came at just the right time!

How much thread do you think you actually go through in one big quilt?

Lisa said...

Lauren, I am so far behind in my blog reading but am so glad I am catching up!!! Thanks for sharing your quilting technique!!!! I will give it a try but I think I will try it with my free motion quilt foot! give it a try!!!

Amanda Jean said...

thank you for your video! i'm a lefty, too. ;)

nannergirl said...

Thanks for the video....I found you through Amanda Jean, great blog :)

Julie said...

Cute video. Makes me want to go and try right now. I'd love to actually see you in motion on your machine.

Threeundertwo said...

This is great! Thanks so much.

Esther Gregory said...

Heehee, I have problems with keeping left and right straight too.

Also thanks for sharing your quilting method. I'm just starting out in the quilting world and I love to see all the different ways people do it.

:-)

Anonymous said...

hello,

thank you.

conny

Melanie said...

I love the random design...it could only come from a fellow lefty!

Jennifer said...

love the cat wandering to and fro in the background.

Margaret McCarthy Hunt said...

fun video...i used to do a similar thing before i learned to free motion...go ahead and try it again...you might find its easier now than you think...I know i did once i finally got over the fear of FMQ ...oh and get a set of machingers...they are so much better than garden gloves...you can even rethread your machine with them on your finners!

busylizzie said...

thank you sooo much for the tutorial! i just finished piecing quilts for my twin boys made up entirely of 2.5 inch strips of old plaid shirts ( daddy's closet, goodwill. . .). stippling looks to feminine to me so i will dive in with your technique tonight!

Fran said...

Darling I love you!!!! You have made this look so dooable. (new word)...

I have taken classes in free motion quilting and I've bought all the fancy feet for the machine and all, but your right....unless you are an expert, the work looks really bad, and I'm no expert.

I've been told. practice, practice, practice...but really, how do you say enough is enough? I just can't afford to ruin anymore pieces or to take hours and hours to take it all apart.

It's late right now and I want to go to my sewing machine and get started on this right now...but I will have to wait until morning. I'll send pictures...LOL...

Come visit my blog at http://blogmemories.blogspot.com/ that's where the pictures will be and as soon as I post them I will tell all my buddies to come watch your sooo....smart video.

~~Fran...:c)

Liz Jimenez said...

I just followed a link here from Crazy Mom Quilts, and I wanted to say THANK YOU for this demonstration! I, too, really really struggle with the free motion foot. I just can't do it right. But this is a great method for a nice-looking technique that isn't so so hard. :-) And I'm glad I read the comments, I was thinking the same as Evelyn - how do you go backwards, it doesn't seem like you would keep flipping the damn thing around. Aha - reverse button! (smacks forehead)

Anyways, thanks again!

leslie said...

this rules. thanks!

Madge said...

I recently did a small quilt in your style of quilting, and I found it surprisingly fun and easy (even with the teeny backstitch button on my machine). I'm kind of addicted now, and am going to try it on a large quilt. Thanks for the inspiration!

Pink Zipper said...

I've have arrived here from "filminthefridge" thank you for sharing. this is fantasitic .I'm just starting to some quilting myself and this is a very effective looking technique explained extremely well. thank you!

Karin said...

Hello, I also just got here from FilmintheFridge. Thank you for sharing this technique. The results look great and it sounds like so much more fun than the fiddling around that I am involved with at the moment. I am definitely going to try this next time.

Also, your whole site it lovely!

Suzanne said...

Thanks for the video. A picture (or in this case, a drawing and a video) are worth a thousand words. How liberating to doodle on the quilts with that repeated pattern. I've got to give it a try.

Kathy said...

Thank you so much for this great video. Your quilts turn out lovely, I can't wait to give it a try...Kathy

http://beewitchinstitchin.wordpress.com/

*krystyn* said...

What an awesome video!! You are so cute!!! I love your hair too!!

Kari said...

Okay. You are just the most adorable thing ever. Just found you and I'm hooked.