Free-Motion Weekly: 52 Quilting Fillers and Motifs with Susan Brubaker Knapp

Make this your year of free-motion fun! Susan Brubaker Knapp shares her top 52 free-motion motifs and fillers for finishing her quilts. In 2023, we’ll be adding a one-minute video every week to this page/our Quilt Finishing hub. These motifs will be divided up into several categories that run the full range of filler styles—circular, organic, unique meanders, linear, and modern motifs.

Learn to fill spaces with these 52 practical designs. Like Susan, you’ll find yourself coming back to these quilting fillers over and over again, in all kinds of patchwork situations—to blend in, to stand out, to provide contract or harmony. Along the way, Susan drops hints and tips for stitching these motifs. Master the movements, perfect the path, and free up your free-motion!

Susan talks about how to construct a practice grid, as well as the types of batting and tools, and even finding inspiration around you for your own unique quilting fillers. Plus you’ll have a chance to practice stitching out these organic shapes and find your free-motion fearlessness growing. So drop your feed dogs, attach a free-motion foot, thread your machine, and let’s practice, practice, practice!

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Organic Series

Flowers, leaves, vines, and… pomegranates? Absolutely! Designs inspired by nature are infinitely useful and forgiving. Flowers aren’t always perfectly symmetrical, but they are always beautiful. There are a few other organic motifs in Susan Brubaker Knapp’s repertoire that you might be surprised by… And surprised to find how often you use them!

 

 

Circles & Curves Series

Susan Brubaker Knapp kicks off the year of free-motion with circular designs. Simultaneously very natural and little challenging to quilt, circular shapes are an essential style of filler, useful in so many situations. It takes some practice to stitch a circle—they’ll often come out a little ovoid or wonky, and your eye can pick that out quickly. Practicing circles, curves, and round shapes in different sizes is the only way to truly master the movement.

Weeks of Free-Motion Fun—FREE!

Click here or on the image below to download a digital workbook featuring the reference material and drawings of all 52 free-motion filler motifs. Absolutely free!

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