Machine Quilting a Panel - Custom Machine Quilting by Natalia Bonner

I always thing it's fun, and a little bit amazing that custom machine quilting can really bring a panel to life. Deloris sent me this fun panel quilt and asked me to custom machine quilt it for her. I immediately knew that I need to treat each of the flowers, and leaves like they were applique pieces, actually, whenever I'm going to custom machine quilt any panel that's how I like to treat them.

After I finished custom machine quilting this quilt I was kicking myself, I should have taken a before picture, just to show how flat the quilt looked, and then you would really be able to see just how much custom machine quilting can bring a panel to life.

For the background filler I chose to machine quilt some pebbles, swirls and clams, I teach how to quilt these patterns in my book; Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting.

Then on each of the flowers I outlined all of the pieces and then machine quilted a swirl in the center of each flower.

For the borders, I chose to outline each of the leaves and the ric-rac then quilt straight lines in the green border and a fun swirly pattern in the outer print border.

I chose to quilt the straight lines in the green border because I felt like there was so much swirly curved quilting going on in the rest of the quilt that something more simple would give the eye a nice place to rest.

Thanks for letting me custom machine quilt your beautiful quilt Deloris!

I used Quilters Dream Cotton Batting and So Fine! thread by Superior Threads.

Click here for more information about having me machine quilt for you. 

For more machine quilting tips and tricks check out my books; Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting and Next Steps in Machine Quilting.