Free Machine Quilting Designs

April 16, 2014
Need ideas for quilting your quilt top? Get free quilt patterns with full-size quilting patterns from Handi Quilter.
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Americana Home

Inspired by Close Quarters from designer Wendy Sheppard

Fabrics: Star Spangled Liberty collection by Pam Buda for Marcus Fabrics

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Americana Home Quilting Diagram

icki Hoth, Handi Quilter Educator, stitched in the ditch around the houses, doors, and windows and stitched an X in each window and door (Quilting Diagram). She quilted a meandering design in the sky and curls in the skinny house sashing. She used the Paisley Curl Border design from the HQ Pro-Stitcher for the inner and outer borders. Vicki filled in the middle border blocks with straight lines and a curved leaf design, leaving the dark prints unquilted, which allows the triangles to stand out.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Soft and Bright Baby Quilt

Inspired by Silent Film from designer Stacey Day

Fabrics: Ric Rac Paddywack collection by Kim Diehl for Henry Glass & Co

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Soft and Bright Baby Quilt Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Studio Educator Marie Eldredge used two Handi Quilter Pro-Stitcher designs to quilt this project. Bunnies and Stars, an allover design, fills the center of the baby quilt, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star runs through the border (Quilting Diagram).Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Classic Christmas Quilt

Inspired by Kettle Corn from designer Lissa Alexander of Moda Lissa

Fabrics: Wrapped in Joy collection by Rachel Thomas Pellman for Marcus Fabrics

Machine quilter: Helen Godden of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Classic Christmas Quilt Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Ambassador Helen Godden decided to add sparkle with couched metallic yarn snowflakes in the block centers and a star in the quilt center (Quilting Diagram). She added movement to the quilt with free-motion swirls of metallic thread. Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Coffee and Cream

Inspired by Just Rosy from designer Laurie Simpson of Minick and Simpson

Fabrics: Mochachino collection by Penny Sturges for Red Rooster Fabrics

Machine quilter: Kerri Rawlins of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Coffee and Cream Quilting Diagram

Snowball blocks are a natural place to show off a quilting design, such as the computerized Celtic knot that Handi Quilter Studio Educator Kerri Rawlins centered in each one (Quilting Diagram). A windmill design formed from multiple kite shapes in each Shoo Fly block makes an appealing counterpoint to the block seams.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Happy Baskets

Inspired by True to Tradition from designer Annette Plog

Fabrics: Calico Days collection by Lori Holt of A Bee in My Bonnet for Riley Blake Designs

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Happy Baskets Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Education Coordinator Vicki Hoth first stitched in the ditch around the blocks and borders with monofilament thread (Quilting Diagram). For the remaining designs, she used white Deco Bob thread from WonderFil. She stitched every other triangle with closely spaced straight lines to create a basket-weave effect and make the remaining triangles stand out. She quilted a half-inch channel around the setting squares to frame a digitized medallion motif from the HQ Pro-Stitcher library. She filled the outer border with a digitized flower design that also is from the HQ Pro-Stitcher library.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Stunning Star-Crossed Quilt

Inspired by Star-Crossed from designer Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts

Fabrics: Chocolate and Cherry collection by Marsha McCloskey for Clothworks

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Stunning Star-Crossed Quilt Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Studio Educator Marie Eldredge highlighted the A block stars by machine-quilting a freehand feather and circle design in the center of each (Quilting Diagram). In the rest of the block, she used rulers to make straight lines and geometric shapes that balance the feathers. In the center of each B block she quilted a computerized feather design. To make a frame for the center feathers, she quilted the remainder of the B blocks with outline quilting and rows of circles. Marie used matching brown thread for the border feather quilting to tie the quilting designs together without stealing attention from the stars.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Flirty Florals

Inspired by Plum Perfect from designer Kay Wright Handy for Animas Quilts

Fabrics: Intrigue collection by Nancy Rink for Marcus Fabrics

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Flirty Florals Quilting Diagram

In keeping with the floral theme, Handi Quilter Education Coordinator Vicki Hoth featured computerized flower designs from Wasatch Quilting in the blocks and outer border (Quilting Diagram). Vicki framed each quilted flower with channel quilting 1⁄2" inside the white print and white floral squares. Vicki's curved quilting in the A block rectangles and crosshatching in the B block rectangles added texture and keeps the eye moving across the quilt. Debbie Tribble machine-quilted medallion motifs in the blocks and an arc design in the border.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Sunrise Stars

Inspired by Star Bright from designer Mary McGuire

Fabrics: Emilia and Fresh Solids collections, both by Camelot Fabrics

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Sunrise Stars Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter educator Marie Eldredge wanted a curved quilting design to complement the angular piecing, so she chose a computerized allover bubble-and-swirl design from Wasatch Quilting (Quilting Diagram). The curvy design doesn't compete with the piecing, but does grab your attention in the solids and more subtle prints.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Flower Power

Inspired by Linking the Seasons from designer Annemarie S. Yohnk of Quilts Remembered

Fabrics are from the Fantasy Garden collection by Marie V. Montiel, the Suede Medley collection, and the Bella Suede collection, all for P&B Textiles.

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Flower Power Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter educator Marie Eldredge free-motion-quilted a string of vines and leaves in the green squares of each block (Quilting Diagram). She also used two computerized designs (just released with the Handi Quilter Pro-Stitcher update) to add a flower design to the setting squares and a basket-weave design to the border. Since the cream fabric is so light, Marie used a slightly darker thread color to make her quilting designs stand out.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Nautical Stars

Inspired by Picking Violets from designer Nancy Rink of Nancy Rink Designs

Fabrics are from the Ahoy collection by Makower UK for Andover Fabrics

Machine quilters: Marie Eldredge and Vicki Hoth of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Nautical Stars Quilting Diagram

To give the quilting depth, Handi Quilter Educator Marie Eldredge and Handi Quilter Education Coordinator Vicki Hoth used two layers of batting-Hobbs 80⁄20 on the bottom and Hobbs wool on top. Marie first stitched in the ditch to stabilize the quilt top (Quilting Diagram). Then Vicki used the HQ Pro-Stitcher on the HQ Infinity machine to stitch an anchor motif in each block corner and tumbling along the outer border. Vicki used a ruler to stitch angled lines in the star points, parallel rows in the sashing strips, and short straight lines following the inner border stripe.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Triangle Dream

Inspired by Richly Red from designer Mary Elizabeth Kinch

Fabrics are from the Edith ca. 1840–1870 collection by Mary Koval for Windham Fabrics

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge of Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Triangle Dream Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Studio Educator Marie Eldredge combined stitching in the ditch and free-motion quilting (Quilting Diagram) for a design that complements the piecing rather than distracting from it. "Every little triangle needed its space defined and deserved its own attention," says Marie, who used monofilament thread to stitch in the ditch around each one. With free-motion quilting throughout the quilt, she produced a leafy feather design with slight variations, including in the quilt center larger triangles. Multiple lines of straight stitching 1⁄2" inside the seams on two of the borders defines those spaces and draws the eye to that area. Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Exquisite Tilework

Inspired by Lovely in Lace from designer Mischele Hart

Fabrics: Desert Moons collection by Lonni Rossi for Andover Fabrics

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Exquisite Tilework Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Educator Marie Eldredge reinforced the diagonal shapes of the blocks by adding double rows of straight-line quilting to delineate certain areas. To balance the angles, Marie featured digitized quilting designs of swirling feathers in the light tan and gold print areas of the quilt. In the border, a line of closely spaced squiggle stitching brings together the straight and curvy elements. Marie used the same design to frame out the center gold tone-on-tone diamond.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Fly by the Line

Inspired by All Nestled In from designer Rose Ann Cook of Quilter's Emporium

Fabrics: Oh Boy! collection by Lori Whitlock for Riley Blake Designs

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Fly by the Line Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter Education Coordinator Vicki Hoth decided to keep it simple when quilting, adding only parallel diagonal lines. She used the piecing to let her know where to quilt the lines and continued the stitching into the setting triangles and borders.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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A Scrappy Romance

Inspired by Create a Classic from designer Pat Wys of Silver Thimble Quilt Co.

Fabrics: Rambling Rose collection by Sandy Gervais for Moda Fabrics

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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A Scrappy Romance Quilting Diagram

Using digitized quilting designs, HQ Studio Educator Vicki Hoth put the most detailed quilting in the areas that are easily seen-the pink and cream fabrics in the quilt center and the teal outer border. "The 36-Patch blocks just cried out for continuous-curve quilting," Vicki says.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Stars on Display

Inspired by Happy Halloween from designer Lila Taylor Scott

Fabrics: Vintage Farmhouse collection by Kim Diehl for Henry Glass & Co.

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Stars on Display Quilting Diagram

HQ Studio Educator Vicki Hoth used classic feathers for much of the quilting: She filled each star with a star-shape feather design from Wasatch Quilting Designs, stitched a single continuous feather design in the second border, and quilted a meandering feathered vine in the fourth border. In the third border she stitched in the ditch to emphasize the piano key design and nicely frame the skinny green line of the first border. Her continuous curve quilting in the blocks and sashing unified the quilt blocks.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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The Light and Dark of It

Inspired by Chocolate & Cherries from designer Tammy Vonderschmitt

Fabrics: Double Vision collection and companion batiks by Joanie Morrow for Andover Fabrics

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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The Light and Dark of It Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter educator Vicki Hoth used both straight- and curve-line quilting to continue the blend of opposites. She machine-quilted diagonal lines through the centers of dark print and batik 2" squares and a fleur-de-lis in each diamond formed by the diagonal crosshatching.Get the free quilt pattern and quilting diagram here.

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Purple Play

Inspired by Pattern Play from designer Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics

Fabrics: Lola by Studio 8, Matrix and Quilting Temptations collections, all from Quilting Treasures

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and full-size quilting pattern here.

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Purple Play Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter educator Vicki Hoth added an edge-to-edge Baptist Fan quilting design. To contrast the modern, straight-line piecing, she chose a very traditional quilting design. Vicki says, "The curves of the Baptist Fan soften the hard lines of the braidlike piecing."Get the free quilt pattern and full-size quilting pattern here.

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Sailing Ships

Inspired by Lost at Sea from designer Annette Plog

Fabrics: Tangier Ikat collection by Dena Designs for FreeSpirit

Machine quilter: Marie Eldredge for Handi Quilter

Get the free quilt pattern and full-size quilting pattern here.

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Sailing Ships Quilting Diagram

Handi Quilter educator Marie Eldredge machine-quilted a cluster of feathers over each circular motif in the outer borde. She highlighted the large triangles and small cream triangles in each Lost Ship block with simpler feathers and connected the triangles with stitched arcs. By using two layers of batting and not stitching in the orange or orange-and-pink small triangles, Marie made those areas stand out.Get the free quilt pattern and full-size quilting pattern here.

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Girly Swirls