I have recently had the chance to attend one of Angela Walters’ class in person at Sewdown Nashville. It was fantastic. I wanted to continue practicing and growing this skill of Free-Motion Quilting.
Review
I already had in my growing library of books her book Free-Motion Quilting. I grabbed it and decided to start working through it.
Title: “Free Motion Quilting with Angela Walters”
Author: Angela Walters
Publisher: C & T Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-60705–535-8
This book has a great layout that builds on the knowledge you learn with each chapter. It starts with similar techniques as in her class however I was pleasantly surprised while the topic was the same, the patterns were different. Each design includes step by step instructions making it very easy to follow and practice.
The book includes circles, swirls, squares, lines, vines, arcs, and points. A great collection of designs are discussed.
My favorite section is in Section 3, in which Angela, helps you visualize how to use the designs in modern quilts. It provides great inspiration on how to combine different designs to highlight but complement the quilt.
I really enjoyed reading through this book as it was easy to follow which is perfect for a book that is an instructional guide and possible replacement/substitute for those who can’t attend a class.
Definitely a 4 out of 5.
Project
My project is kind of different as it is a long-term project this time. I am committing to practice Free-Motion Quilting for 15 minutes every day from May 1st through May 31st. Practice…Practice…Practice. There are 4 main groupings of techniques in this book that fits perfectly with 4 weeks of May. You can see the daily progress on instagram @ ml_wilkie; and I will show you all a weekly recap on my blog right here.
This is where I am starting at:
and…
I hope you can stop by and see the progress!!
Give-away
Giveaway time!! The winner will win a copy of Free Motion Quilting with Angela Walters and a pair of Machingers quilting gloves (recommended in Angela’s book and I am loving my new pair already!!).
All you need to do is leave a comment on either what you would like to learn in FMQ or what is your favorite FMQ tip or design. There is a second chance to win if you are a follower, just leave a second comment. A winner will be chosen at random and announced next Tuesday, May 6th after 6pm.
A disclaimer, all reviews and opinions of the books reviewed will be mine, unless otherwise stated. Please note, I may not respond to all comments due to volume and bandwidth.
Linking up with Lee Over @ Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday.
Factotum of Arts 
1. Sounds like a wonderful plan to do the book and practice each day. I FMQed everyday for a while – really grew my confidence. I want to get better with working designs on larger projects. I haven’t been sewing much at all lately but sort of feel like I’ve been cheating as I have been doing blocks or groups of blocks and plan to join them with strips after they are all done. The hardest design for me are the circles. Thanks for putting my name in the hat for the drawing!
2. I am one of your followers, I receive your updates via email. I will try to follow your progress in instagram. I have an account but am not very facile with that yet so this will be a good challenge to try and figure instagram out! Thanks for the second chance!
3. I’d just like to learn how to FMQ. Period. LOL
4. I follow you via email. Thank you for the chance to win!
5. Ohh I’d love to win this book! I really want to get the hang of pebbling!
6. I follow you via BL 🙂
7. It’s on my list to learn! Someday I’ll have enough courage to try 🙂
8. I follow via bloglovin…
9. A book such as this would get me away from straight lines, which are all I do on my machine at present. Hand quilting I find tedious after the first few days!
10. I follow by email
11. I would learn more large designs.
12. I just need to practice more and more this I know. Would love the book.
13. I have a quilt top finished that I would like to do a square meandering type design on. I have some quilting gloves but they are not the much coveted machingers – I haven’t yet found anyone in NZ selling them.
14. I follow with Bloglovin’ – looking forward to seeing more of your free motion quilting projects!
15. I’d love to learn FMQ – I just lack the confidence!
I hope you will continue sharing your FMQ projects to inspire me!
16. I follow you via email!
17. I’d love to get better at smooth curves instead of a saw-blade effect, which would make my favourite pebbling look much better. I’d love to win this book, as the author’s too far away to attend any classes!
18. …and I follow you, so here’s hoping my second attempt is the lucky one.
19. I’ve attempted a little FMQ but really want to learn more. I’m going to a class in June and really looking forward to it.
20. I follow you on Feedly
21. Thanks for the review. I’ve just started playing with FMQ and simply want to learn everything I can about it.
Christine
22. I would like to learn to tell myself, “That was ONE stitch out of THOUSANDS that will be on this quilt. NO ONE will see that it is microscopically larger than the ones next to it.”
23. I’ve been looking at Angela’s book for a long time. I really admire her quilting style. I have listened to her presentation at Quiltcon and I love her attitude as well of ‘go for it’!. I do FMQ but still have improvement in skill to work on and can only do a couple of patterns well. I love pebble quilting and recently worked on swirls. I would love the book and the machingers! Currently I am using a pair of those stretchy, inexpensive winter gloves you can find at the drug store. They have little rubber grippers on them for driving. They work well but would love the book and the machingers. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
24. I’m a follower! Thanks for the chance!
25. I use my go-to Meander design a lot, it’s easy and fast. I’m trying to make feathers happen, they tend to look more like leaves when I make them and I haven’t been able to use them in a quilt yet, but I’m working through it! I’d love to win some gloves, mine are permanently stained at the fingertips and are looking pretty disreputable!
26. I haven’t started any FMQ yet, but I really want to give it a go!
27. I think would love to be a more confident free motion quilter. Currently, I am terrified! Clearly I need some direction 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!
28. I follow on Bloglovin!
29. I am a follower on bloglovin’
30. Angela is one of my favorite quilters and I follow her so much sometimes I feel like a stalker (sorry!) I am just starting FMQ and that is my project goal for 2014. Everybody has to start somewhere. Thanks.
31. I would like to learn how to FMQ. I have only tried it out a little on some scraps.
32. I follow your blog with bloglovin.
33. this is quite possibly my favorite book on my shelf (actually its usually not even on the shelf because it’s always in use) I am looking forward to the shape by shape book from her coming out later this year.
34. I am a bloglovin follower — my favorite designs to FMQ are loops, swirls, chrysanthemums and Feathers
35. Machingers and a supreme slider are my biggest tips, and making a little practice quilt using the same materials as your full size quilt to test quilting patterns, threads and the tension on. I think my favorite motif to FMQ are organic swirls–where the lines pass over themselves, it gives it a scrollwork look.
36. I follow via feedly.
37. I follow you on bloglovin 🙂
38. My best tip is to just have fun with it! No one is going to inspect your quilting except you. Husbands and little kids are not going to care about consistant stitch length and perfect circles 🙂
39. HI, still working on FMQing; it is getting better though and I’d love to win the gloves+book! Thanks for sharing a neat giveaway!
40. Not very good at FMQ, I generally just meander
41. I follow you by email
42. I want to learn/be more comfortable with filler patterns on larger quilts. I really need the Machingers – mine are worn out!!
43. I’ve been wanting to learn FMQ and this book has been on my to-read list! I’m always afraid I’m going to ruin something with my lack of FMQ knowledge so I just resort back to my walking foot.
44. I follow you with WordPress reader!
45. I’m a follower on Bloglovin’.
46. I’d like to learn more modern free-motion designs.
47. I follow you on bloglovin. Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
48. I would like to learn anything about free motion quilting; I tried it once without knowing anything, and it is a lot harder than I thought! Thanks for the giveaway!
49. I would like to learn the basics of FMQ.
50. I follow you on Feedly