May 14, 2025 • 18 mins
In this episode, I share the story behind my Free Motion Quilting Masterclass, explaining how I discovered my passion for longarm quilting and developed techniques to help others master freehand quilting without patterns or templates.
Resources Mentioned:
- Free Motion Quilting Masterclass: Available at stitchedbysusan.com under the "Learn" tab
- YouTube Channel: "Stitched by Susan" featuring live quilting demonstrations on select Fridays
- Pinterest: "Stitched by Susan" with a board called "My Gallery, Edge to Edge" showcasing quilting designs
Special Offers:
- Cozy Earth bamboo sheets: 40% off with code "MEASURE" at cozyearth.com
- Registration for the Free Motion Quilting Masterclass opens twice yearly (currently May 2025)
- Six weeks of bonus live sessions with Susan for new class participants
About the Free Motion Quilting Masterclass:
- Comprehensive training for domestic and longarm machines
- Teaches over 25 specific quilting designs
- Focuses on practice methods to advance skills
- Teaches thought processes to create original designs
- Especially helpful for quilters intimidated by freehand work
- Emphasizes affordable "edge-to-edge" designs for everyday quilts
Upcoming Events:
- Live, informal sessions on YouTube throughout May 2025
- New "KNOT of Freehand Quilters" group launching soon
Connect with Susan:
- Website: stitchedbysusan.com
- YouTube: Stitched by Susan
- Pinterest: Stitched by Susan
Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple steps to get going.
------------------------
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review here.
Resources:
ADVANCE, my monthly subscription membership
FREEHAND QUILTING MASTERCLASS, an on-demand comprehensive course
ALL-OVER FEATHER, sign-up for a FREE quilting class
And here's where you can find more of my work:
YouTube - LIVE & UNSCRIPTED episodes
Website - for more information on classes and quilting services
Facebook - current projects and photos
Instagram - current projects and photos
Pinterest - photo galleries and
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Welcome to season five ofMeasure Twice.
Cut.
Once this entire season has beenan exploration into behind the
scenes of not just quilting, butbuilding a creative business
that truly lights you up assomeone who's navigated the
exciting and sometimes quitebumpy world of turning a passion
into a profession, I'm excitedto pull back the curtain and
(00:26):
share my own experiences.
Some episodes will be just mediving deep into my own personal
journey.
While other episodes willfeature guests who are also
navigating the world of creativeentrepreneurship, we'll explore
the nitty gritty of building acreative business, the lessons
learned and the unexpectedchallenges that come with
(00:47):
transforming your craft.
Into a thriving enterprise, anddon't worry, I'm not leaving
storytelling behind.
Instead, I'll be weaving theminto the conversations about
what it takes to grow a businesswhile staying true to your
creative spirit.
So whether you are dreaming ofstarting your own business, or
you just love hearing aboutcreative entrepreneurship, this
(01:07):
season is for you.
This episode is sponsored by myfree Motion Quilting
Masterclass.
This online on-demand course isa comprehensive training for
mastering freehand quiltingskills and navigating design
decisions.
It not only teaches over 25specific quilting designs.
(01:28):
But they're demonstrated at botha long arm and a domestic sewing
machine.
But in addition, and this iswhat sets it apart from other
courses, is that I also teachthe practice methods that
advance your skill and yourthought processes that enable
you to create your own designs,your own original quilting
designs with confidence.
(01:50):
For more information on thisclass, I've provided a link in
the show notes, or you cansimply head to my website
stitched by susan.com, and fromthere, click on the learn tab.
Registration opens twice a year,but you're welcome to join the
wait list at any time, and thenyou'll be the first to know when
the doors open.
So once again, the link is inthe show notes or the learn tab
(02:10):
on my website.
Let's talk a minute about theidea of quilting machine
quilting absolutely freehandwith no pattern at all.
No repeats, no lineups, noscaling.
Let me tell you, it isincredibly freeing and it's
immensely satisfying, but reallyI'm getting ahead of myself.
(02:31):
How did I come to thatconclusion?
Well, it's all Mary's fault.
You might remember Mary fromepisode 10 called Quilting
Offers New Beginnings.
My friend Mary is an extremelyaccomplished quilt maker.
She does beautiful hand work ofall kinds, embroidery, quilting,
knitting, and she's also thefirst Longarm quilter that I got
(02:54):
to know.
One afternoon, she invited me tocome to her quilting room, bring
a baby quilt and play on herlong arm.
Of course, I did.
And I knew that afternoon thatthis was what I wanted to do.
The rest, as they say, ishistory.
I searched out a used long arm,bought it and named her Lucy,
and I've since changed long armsa couple of times, but I dived
(03:17):
in and I've quilted over 1400quilts since.
Since then.
No one.
Was more surprised than me,believe me, when people began
telling me I was an artist whoknew, I certainly didn't.
I mean, never in my life have Ishown an inclination for
sketching or painting or what Iperceived as any artistic
(03:38):
pursuits, but I met my medium ina motorized needle and thread.
To this day, I can honestly saythat I quilt better than I draw.
Ask any client for whom I'vetried to doodle my quilting
ideas, and that's really true,but artistry.
Drawing is just part of thepicture.
(03:58):
So my freehand quiltingmasterclass was developed
directly from the need.
I felt as a novice quiltermyself for some practical
training.
I can vividly recall feelingabsolutely overwhelmed with the
choices to float the quilt top.
Not to based or not, and do Ihave to use the same thread in
the needle, in the bobbin?
(04:19):
Or how in the world do I choosethe right quilting design?
And how does one avoid gettingquilted into a corner?
And oh, yes.
Why do my circles look likethey've been sat on?
And the questions could go onand on.
So this masterclass is what Iwish I'd had.
At my fingertips.
I don't know how many of yourecall handwriting classes, but
they were a foundation andeventually a springboard to
(04:43):
developing a personalhandwriting style.
Free hand quilting is just likethat.
Really.
Each quilter stitching is asoriginal as their handwriting.
And just like handwriting, ifsome basic shapes are mastered
and practiced.
With focus and intention, theybecome second nature, and then
(05:03):
they become a springboard foryour own creative work.
When you can quilt a beautifulshapely S-curve, you have a
multitude of curvy designs atyour fingertips.
You know how I'm always ravingabout bamboo batting in my
quilts while I found somethingthat brings that same incredible
softness to your entire sleepexperience.
(05:24):
Cozy earth's bamboo sheet set asa quilter.
I'm pretty picky about the feelof fabric, and these are
honestly the most luxurioussheets I've ever slept on.
They're breathable, silky,smooth, and they feel amazing
against your skin, and they getsofter and softer with every
wash.
Great days.
After all.
Start with better nights andbetter nights.
(05:45):
Start with cozy Earth sleepessentials.
Not sure if you'll love them.
Take a hundred nights to decidewith a sleep trial and a 10 year
warranty, visit cozy earth.comand use my exclusive code
measure.
That's M-E-A-S-U-R-E for 40% offyour entire order.
Prioritize your sleep,prioritize you, your creativity
(06:06):
will.
Thank you tomorrow.
One more story that reallyillustrates, a specific.
Impetus that propelled me intocreating this freehand quilting
masterclass.
It happened a few years back.
I'm a member of a local machinequilting guild, and that guild
does an annual challenge aroundvintage quilts.
(06:27):
So different years that haslooked different ways, but this
particular year, particular eachperson who entered the contest,
it is indeed a contest.
Received a little box with somevintage.
Quilt blocks in it.
So not a completed top.
Not a whole quilts worth, justsome, and you never know what
(06:48):
you're getting.
You have to cast your lot in,buy your competition ticket, and
then you receive these surpriseblocks.
So the ones that I receivedwere, let's see if I can
describe them for you visually,they were kind of like.
Elongated diamonds.
So they had parallel sides andthen a point at each end, and
(07:10):
they were about seven inches bythree and a half or four, and I
got 26 of these blocks.
So not nearly enough for a wholequilt, but as part of this
competition or challenge, I'mable to add any fabric that I
want to create my own originaldesign.
And then the requirement is.
10 months later at our localquilt show, I've got to bring
(07:31):
the finished project, allquilted, heavy emphasis on
quilting because we're a machinequilting guild, plus a
storyboard that shows theprogress of this project from
these rather dirty little handpieced blocks that I received to
finished quilt.
What I had in my favor was.
(07:54):
Nine months to work on it, rightbefore I had to deliver it to
the quilt show.
So at the very early part ofthis year, I was sitting,
looking at these blocks.
I literally had them spread outall over my sewing room floor,
arranging them this way,arranging them that way,
auditioning different fabricswith them.
What in the world am I going todo and.
(08:14):
The idea that came to me was tomake this swath of blocks, so to
arrange them kind ofgeometrically and then have this
diagonal swath of them across asolid kind of iris colored
background.
And there was some of that colorin the blocks and it just spoke
to me and it said fifties somuch to me.
So that kind of, um, sleek.
(08:36):
Fifties clean lines is what Iwas after.
Well, when I envisioned thatlayout for the quilt top, I also
had this vision in my head ofquilting that would really play
up, emphasize that diagonalswath.
And so I wanted all my quiltingto literally travel diagonally
(08:56):
on the quilt too.
And I had a very vivid idea inmy mind of what I'd like that
quilting to be.
But here's where the catch was.
I didn't feel like I had theskill to do the kind of
intricate eye-catching quiltingthat I envisioned.
It needed real control, real,um, intricacy, real precision,
(09:19):
and I didn't feel like I had it.
Like I said earlier, I had thisnine months, so I actually spent
a period of that time.
You know, piecing the quilt washonestly the easy part, but I
spent a period of those months.
Researching how people learn,and I don't just mean quilting.
How do people learn academicthings?
How do people memorize poems?
(09:41):
How does a golfer improve hisgame?
How does a musician learn aninstrument?
Or maybe even someone who's nota musician, but wants to learn
to competently play oneinstrument?
How do people approach that andare there shortcuts to make that
learning process quicker ratherthan spending.
Years and years and years.
(10:02):
You've heard the quote, I'm surethat says that mastery of
something requires 10,000 hoursof repetition.
I mean, 10,000 hours certainlywill make you better, but I only
had nine months.
I did not have 10,000 hours.
Can I get significantly betterat my quilting control at my
Longarm machine in just a fewmonths of time?
(10:24):
So long story short.
I made the quilt.
I was happy with my quilting.
I handed it in and it got secondplace, which was lovely.
And out of it came this thoughtprocess of, Hey, if I can do
that, if I can find ways toshorten the learning curve, I.
To provide quicker results tosee change in quilting.
(10:48):
I can show others how to dothis.
So that is literally where theFree Motion Quilting Masterclass
was born.
The next year, I started pullingtogether a class outline, my own
original designs, and thenteaching my process with them of
how to learn these foundationalshapes and movements and really
(11:10):
ramp up quilting.
Um, control and, um, competencyin a hurry.
It was so, so fun.
The finished result now is.
This masterclass reallyemphasizes, edge to edge
quilting, which is my personalfavorite.
My personal love.
Edge to edge just means the samequilting design is over the
(11:30):
entire quilt top rather thanspecific things in blocks and
areas.
And I love this edge to edgestyle of quilting because most
of the quilts I do are forfamily use, right?
So they're not hyper fussy.
My clients are not looking forexpensive heirloom quilting.
They're just looking for prettyserviceable quilting at an
(11:54):
affordable price.
So this method.
Really lines up all those thingstogether.
So my intention in the classthen is to kind of take away a
bunch of the mystery and theintimidation of just getting
started quilting without apattern.
That's a big scary thing formany quilters, stitching without
a computer driving or apantograph to guide your every
(12:17):
line.
Well, it feels a little likeletting go of your training
wheels.
I mean, your heart kind ofraces.
You start sweating a little andget a bit wobbly.
Or you stand and stare at thequilt and never get started.
Does that sound familiar?
If it does, this class is theperfect place for you.
So in the next few weeks I'mgoing to be launching another
knot, A-K-N-O-T of Freehand,quilters, and walking alongside
(12:42):
them through the masterclass.
So all the lessons areprerecorded.
You can absolutely watch them atyour leisure.
They're yours for forever.
You can watch them as fast or asslow, or press rewind as often
as you want to.
But for a period of six weeks,I'll walk alongside and have.
Bonus live sessions each weekwhere you can ask me any
(13:02):
questions.
I can do some drawings for you,that sort of thing.
So if you'd like to explore thesyllabus, like what's in each
lesson some more, just head tomy website stitched by
susan.com, And click on thelearn tab.
Look for the free motionquilting masterclass.
you'll also find lots offrequently asked questions
there, that might answer some ofyour questions about it.
(13:23):
And also as I'm recording this,it is in the month of May, 2025,
and I'll be doing lots of live,impromptu or informal live
sessions on YouTube this month.
So it's a great place to comewith your questions.
I'll do my best to answer them.
I'll be talking about manythings machine quilting related,
not only long arm.
(13:44):
And just sharing some of myinsights and the things that
I've learned, and it's anopportunity for us to get to
know each other a little bit Mymission, my heartfelt mission is
to help as many quilters as Ican get past the starting.
Position, the starting linewhere I wanna help you feel
comfortable loading up a quilt,starting out with a design, not
(14:07):
having to buy a pattern thatsomeone else has designed, not
having to figure out repeats andline matching and all those
things, but to get comfortableat your quilting machine and
confident.
That you can do these freehandquilting designs.
So in support of themasterclass, which teaches the
specific designs and practicemethods, I also go live on
(14:31):
YouTube on Fridays, and Igenerally do it one or two
Fridays a month, and Ilivestream the actual quilting
of a project.
So I'm welcoming you into mystudio to kind of look over my
shoulder as I'm working onusually a client quilt.
And so.
Because they're often prints andflorals and so forth.
(14:53):
It's not so much about thequilting design as an
opportunity for you to see thebig picture, how I do load that
quilt up, how I deal with wavyborders or not so straight seam
lines or bulky seamintersections, or whatever the
case may be in that particularquilt.
I'll be a hundred percent honestwith you.
Things do not always goperfectly smoothly on the show,
(15:15):
and that's why I've called itQuiltings first reality show.
I do not edit out things likethread breaks or tension issues,
or perhaps even things that Iforget to do because I'm so busy
talking.
The truth is I'm still learning,learning all the time, and I
love those informal livestreamsessions because conversations
(15:36):
take place.
I get tips from viewers.
We all get to learn together andyou know, things run amuck in my
studio just like they do inyours.
So I choose not to edit thosethings out, but to let it show
and show you what work trulylooks like at my quilting
machine.
My YouTube channel is alsocalled.
Stitched by Susan.
And then one last place you canfind some visual ideas of what's
(15:59):
in the masterclass is on myPinterest account.
Again, it's called Stitched bySusan, but there's a specific
board called My Gallery, edge toEdge, All the designs on that
board are edge to edge or allover ones, and I teach them
either in my free motionquilting masterclass or in my
advance monthly membership.
(16:19):
So you're able to see them atwork, at play, if you will, on
actual quilts, and that can helpyou really visualize how those
designs would look on your ownquilts.
Okay, summing things up.
If you would like to see freemotion quilting edge to edge
style in action, do check out myYouTube channel.
One or two Fridays a month, I golive.
(16:41):
Just literally letting you comeinto my studio and watching me
work through a project and chatwhile I do it.
So I'd love to have you jointhere.
You can ask questions and I'llanswer them.
And if you want to learn how toquilt some of these designs and
put them on your actual projectsand have walkthroughs step by
step by step, check out my freemotion quilting masterclass.
(17:02):
Again, it's on my websitestitched by susan.com.
Until next time, my friend, mayyour sorrows be patched and your
joys be quilted.
Welcome to season five ofMeasure Twice.
Cut.
Once this entire season has beenan exploration into behind the
scenes of not just quilting, butbuilding a creative business
that truly lights you up assomeone who's navigated the
exciting and sometimes quitebumpy world of turning a passion
into a profession, I'm excitedto pull back the curtain and
(00:26):
share my own experiences.
Some episodes will be just mediving deep into my own personal
journey.
While other episodes willfeature guests who are also
navigating the world of creativeentrepreneurship, we'll explore
the nitty gritty of building acreative business, the lessons
learned and the unexpectedchallenges that come with
(00:47):
transforming your craft.
Into a thriving enterprise, anddon't worry, I'm not leaving
storytelling behind.
Instead, I'll be weaving theminto the conversations about
what it takes to grow a businesswhile staying true to your
creative spirit.
So whether you are dreaming ofstarting your own business, or
you just love hearing aboutcreative entrepreneurship, this
(01:07):
season is for you.
This episode is sponsored by myfree Motion Quilting
Masterclass.
This online on-demand course isa comprehensive training for
mastering freehand quiltingskills and navigating design
decisions.
It not only teaches over 25specific quilting designs.
(01:28):
But they're demonstrated at botha long arm and a domestic sewing
machine.
But in addition, and this iswhat sets it apart from other
courses, is that I also teachthe practice methods that
advance your skill and yourthought processes that enable
you to create your own designs,your own original quilting
designs with confidence.
(01:50):
For more information on thisclass, I've provided a link in
the show notes, or you cansimply head to my website
stitched by susan.com, and fromthere, click on the learn tab.
Registration opens twice a year,but you're welcome to join the
wait list at any time, and thenyou'll be the first to know when
the doors open.
So once again, the link is inthe show notes or the learn tab
(02:10):
on my website.
Let's talk a minute about theidea of quilting machine
quilting absolutely freehandwith no pattern at all.
No repeats, no lineups, noscaling.
Let me tell you, it isincredibly freeing and it's
immensely satisfying, but reallyI'm getting ahead of myself.
(02:31):
How did I come to thatconclusion?
Well, it's all Mary's fault.
You might remember Mary fromepisode 10 called Quilting
Offers New Beginnings.
My friend Mary is an extremelyaccomplished quilt maker.
She does beautiful hand work ofall kinds, embroidery, quilting,
knitting, and she's also thefirst Longarm quilter that I got
(02:54):
to know.
One afternoon, she invited me tocome to her quilting room, bring
a baby quilt and play on herlong arm.
Of course, I did.
And I knew that afternoon thatthis was what I wanted to do.
The rest, as they say, ishistory.
I searched out a used long arm,bought it and named her Lucy,
and I've since changed long armsa couple of times, but I dived
(03:17):
in and I've quilted over 1400quilts since.
Since then.
No one.
Was more surprised than me,believe me, when people began
telling me I was an artist whoknew, I certainly didn't.
I mean, never in my life have Ishown an inclination for
sketching or painting or what Iperceived as any artistic
(03:38):
pursuits, but I met my medium ina motorized needle and thread.
To this day, I can honestly saythat I quilt better than I draw.
Ask any client for whom I'vetried to doodle my quilting
ideas, and that's really true,but artistry.
Drawing is just part of thepicture.
(03:58):
So my freehand quiltingmasterclass was developed
directly from the need.
I felt as a novice quiltermyself for some practical
training.
I can vividly recall feelingabsolutely overwhelmed with the
choices to float the quilt top.
Not to based or not, and do Ihave to use the same thread in
the needle, in the bobbin?
(04:19):
Or how in the world do I choosethe right quilting design?
And how does one avoid gettingquilted into a corner?
And oh, yes.
Why do my circles look likethey've been sat on?
And the questions could go onand on.
So this masterclass is what Iwish I'd had.
At my fingertips.
I don't know how many of yourecall handwriting classes, but
they were a foundation andeventually a springboard to
(04:43):
developing a personalhandwriting style.
Free hand quilting is just likethat.
Really.
Each quilter stitching is asoriginal as their handwriting.
And just like handwriting, ifsome basic shapes are mastered
and practiced.
With focus and intention, theybecome second nature, and then
(05:03):
they become a springboard foryour own creative work.
When you can quilt a beautifulshapely S-curve, you have a
multitude of curvy designs atyour fingertips.
You know how I'm always ravingabout bamboo batting in my
quilts while I found somethingthat brings that same incredible
softness to your entire sleepexperience.
(05:24):
Cozy earth's bamboo sheet set asa quilter.
I'm pretty picky about the feelof fabric, and these are
honestly the most luxurioussheets I've ever slept on.
They're breathable, silky,smooth, and they feel amazing
against your skin, and they getsofter and softer with every
wash.
Great days.
After all.
Start with better nights andbetter nights.
(05:45):
Start with cozy Earth sleepessentials.
Not sure if you'll love them.
Take a hundred nights to decidewith a sleep trial and a 10 year
warranty, visit cozy earth.comand use my exclusive code
measure.
That's M-E-A-S-U-R-E for 40% offyour entire order.
Prioritize your sleep,prioritize you, your creativity
(06:06):
will.
Thank you tomorrow.
One more story that reallyillustrates, a specific.
Impetus that propelled me intocreating this freehand quilting
masterclass.
It happened a few years back.
I'm a member of a local machinequilting guild, and that guild
does an annual challenge aroundvintage quilts.
(06:27):
So different years that haslooked different ways, but this
particular year, particular eachperson who entered the contest,
it is indeed a contest.
Received a little box with somevintage.
Quilt blocks in it.
So not a completed top.
Not a whole quilts worth, justsome, and you never know what
(06:48):
you're getting.
You have to cast your lot in,buy your competition ticket, and
then you receive these surpriseblocks.
So the ones that I receivedwere, let's see if I can
describe them for you visually,they were kind of like.
Elongated diamonds.
So they had parallel sides andthen a point at each end, and
(07:10):
they were about seven inches bythree and a half or four, and I
got 26 of these blocks.
So not nearly enough for a wholequilt, but as part of this
competition or challenge, I'mable to add any fabric that I
want to create my own originaldesign.
And then the requirement is.
10 months later at our localquilt show, I've got to bring
(07:31):
the finished project, allquilted, heavy emphasis on
quilting because we're a machinequilting guild, plus a
storyboard that shows theprogress of this project from
these rather dirty little handpieced blocks that I received to
finished quilt.
What I had in my favor was.
(07:54):
Nine months to work on it, rightbefore I had to deliver it to
the quilt show.
So at the very early part ofthis year, I was sitting,
looking at these blocks.
I literally had them spread outall over my sewing room floor,
arranging them this way,arranging them that way,
auditioning different fabricswith them.
What in the world am I going todo and.
(08:14):
The idea that came to me was tomake this swath of blocks, so to
arrange them kind ofgeometrically and then have this
diagonal swath of them across asolid kind of iris colored
background.
And there was some of that colorin the blocks and it just spoke
to me and it said fifties somuch to me.
So that kind of, um, sleek.
(08:36):
Fifties clean lines is what Iwas after.
Well, when I envisioned thatlayout for the quilt top, I also
had this vision in my head ofquilting that would really play
up, emphasize that diagonalswath.
And so I wanted all my quiltingto literally travel diagonally
(08:56):
on the quilt too.
And I had a very vivid idea inmy mind of what I'd like that
quilting to be.
But here's where the catch was.
I didn't feel like I had theskill to do the kind of
intricate eye-catching quiltingthat I envisioned.
It needed real control, real,um, intricacy, real precision,
(09:19):
and I didn't feel like I had it.
Like I said earlier, I had thisnine months, so I actually spent
a period of that time.
You know, piecing the quilt washonestly the easy part, but I
spent a period of those months.
Researching how people learn,and I don't just mean quilting.
How do people learn academicthings?
How do people memorize poems?
(09:41):
How does a golfer improve hisgame?
How does a musician learn aninstrument?
Or maybe even someone who's nota musician, but wants to learn
to competently play oneinstrument?
How do people approach that andare there shortcuts to make that
learning process quicker ratherthan spending.
Years and years and years.
(10:02):
You've heard the quote, I'm surethat says that mastery of
something requires 10,000 hoursof repetition.
I mean, 10,000 hours certainlywill make you better, but I only
had nine months.
I did not have 10,000 hours.
Can I get significantly betterat my quilting control at my
Longarm machine in just a fewmonths of time?
(10:24):
So long story short.
I made the quilt.
I was happy with my quilting.
I handed it in and it got secondplace, which was lovely.
And out of it came this thoughtprocess of, Hey, if I can do
that, if I can find ways toshorten the learning curve, I.
To provide quicker results tosee change in quilting.
(10:48):
I can show others how to dothis.
So that is literally where theFree Motion Quilting Masterclass
was born.
The next year, I started pullingtogether a class outline, my own
original designs, and thenteaching my process with them of
how to learn these foundationalshapes and movements and really
(11:10):
ramp up quilting.
Um, control and, um, competencyin a hurry.
It was so, so fun.
The finished result now is.
This masterclass reallyemphasizes, edge to edge
quilting, which is my personalfavorite.
My personal love.
Edge to edge just means the samequilting design is over the
(11:30):
entire quilt top rather thanspecific things in blocks and
areas.
And I love this edge to edgestyle of quilting because most
of the quilts I do are forfamily use, right?
So they're not hyper fussy.
My clients are not looking forexpensive heirloom quilting.
They're just looking for prettyserviceable quilting at an
(11:54):
affordable price.
So this method.
Really lines up all those thingstogether.
So my intention in the classthen is to kind of take away a
bunch of the mystery and theintimidation of just getting
started quilting without apattern.
That's a big scary thing formany quilters, stitching without
a computer driving or apantograph to guide your every
(12:17):
line.
Well, it feels a little likeletting go of your training
wheels.
I mean, your heart kind ofraces.
You start sweating a little andget a bit wobbly.
Or you stand and stare at thequilt and never get started.
Does that sound familiar?
If it does, this class is theperfect place for you.
So in the next few weeks I'mgoing to be launching another
knot, A-K-N-O-T of Freehand,quilters, and walking alongside
(12:42):
them through the masterclass.
So all the lessons areprerecorded.
You can absolutely watch them atyour leisure.
They're yours for forever.
You can watch them as fast or asslow, or press rewind as often
as you want to.
But for a period of six weeks,I'll walk alongside and have.
Bonus live sessions each weekwhere you can ask me any
(13:02):
questions.
I can do some drawings for you,that sort of thing.
So if you'd like to explore thesyllabus, like what's in each
lesson some more, just head tomy website stitched by
susan.com, And click on thelearn tab.
Look for the free motionquilting masterclass.
you'll also find lots offrequently asked questions
there, that might answer some ofyour questions about it.
(13:23):
And also as I'm recording this,it is in the month of May, 2025,
and I'll be doing lots of live,impromptu or informal live
sessions on YouTube this month.
So it's a great place to comewith your questions.
I'll do my best to answer them.
I'll be talking about manythings machine quilting related,
not only long arm.
(13:44):
And just sharing some of myinsights and the things that
I've learned, and it's anopportunity for us to get to
know each other a little bit Mymission, my heartfelt mission is
to help as many quilters as Ican get past the starting.
Position, the starting linewhere I wanna help you feel
comfortable loading up a quilt,starting out with a design, not
(14:07):
having to buy a pattern thatsomeone else has designed, not
having to figure out repeats andline matching and all those
things, but to get comfortableat your quilting machine and
confident.
That you can do these freehandquilting designs.
So in support of themasterclass, which teaches the
specific designs and practicemethods, I also go live on
(14:31):
YouTube on Fridays, and Igenerally do it one or two
Fridays a month, and Ilivestream the actual quilting
of a project.
So I'm welcoming you into mystudio to kind of look over my
shoulder as I'm working onusually a client quilt.
And so.
Because they're often prints andflorals and so forth.
(14:53):
It's not so much about thequilting design as an
opportunity for you to see thebig picture, how I do load that
quilt up, how I deal with wavyborders or not so straight seam
lines or bulky seamintersections, or whatever the
case may be in that particularquilt.
I'll be a hundred percent honestwith you.
Things do not always goperfectly smoothly on the show,
(15:15):
and that's why I've called itQuiltings first reality show.
I do not edit out things likethread breaks or tension issues,
or perhaps even things that Iforget to do because I'm so busy
talking.
The truth is I'm still learning,learning all the time, and I
love those informal livestreamsessions because conversations
(15:36):
take place.
I get tips from viewers.
We all get to learn together andyou know, things run amuck in my
studio just like they do inyours.
So I choose not to edit thosethings out, but to let it show
and show you what work trulylooks like at my quilting
machine.
My YouTube channel is alsocalled.
Stitched by Susan.
And then one last place you canfind some visual ideas of what's
(15:59):
in the masterclass is on myPinterest account.
Again, it's called Stitched bySusan, but there's a specific
board called My Gallery, edge toEdge, All the designs on that
board are edge to edge or allover ones, and I teach them
either in my free motionquilting masterclass or in my
advance monthly membership.
(16:19):
So you're able to see them atwork, at play, if you will, on
actual quilts, and that can helpyou really visualize how those
designs would look on your ownquilts.
Okay, summing things up.
If you would like to see freemotion quilting edge to edge
style in action, do check out myYouTube channel.
One or two Fridays a month, I golive.
(16:41):
Just literally letting you comeinto my studio and watching me
work through a project and chatwhile I do it.
So I'd love to have you jointhere.
You can ask questions and I'llanswer them.
And if you want to learn how toquilt some of these designs and
put them on your actual projectsand have walkthroughs step by
step by step, check out my freemotion quilting masterclass.
(17:02):
Again, it's on my websitestitched by susan.com.
Until next time, my friend, mayyour sorrows be patched and your
joys be quilted.
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