Beginner Machine Quilting with a Walking Foot - Easy Quilting Tutorial with Leah Day

Follow Leah for more quilting fun!

[petmomful]

Leah, your videos give me confidence. I am doing a stitch in the ditch quilt for my granddaughter, and it is coming out nice. I think one of the most important things you have shown me is to slow down and enjoy the process. Having raised a big family, had a job, went to school, etc, I am always in the habit of rushing. Now I am retired and I need to learn to slow down and enjoy the creative process. Of course, the techniques you show have helped me a great deal as well. Thank you for sharing so much info with us all!! I also enjoy your Craftsy classes.

[nancycarpenter]

Leah, I primarily quilt with my walking foot but I increased my stitch length. You're so right that it shows if I stray out of the ditch so I will switch to a shorter stitch length. Also your idea of lifting the needle and moving the fabric an inch or so before you use the thread cutter is genius. I have a new Bernette b77 and the auto cut thread from the bobbin is too short to bury. Thanks for the very helpful tips.

[robertaluckow]

I have been piecing tops for about 1.5 years and taking some things to the long armer. What a great video for me to start quilting my own quilts. Thank you Leah!!

[HRHDMKYT]

GREAT walking foot tips, Leah, thank you. Having tried the "line up with the edge of the foot" quilting with my recently-completed second quilt, I agree wholeheartedly with your caution about losing your place and not remembering which foot edge I was supposed to be following. In future I will always mark my quilt lines!! (And loving this design: Marking four of these rainbow stars and then joining with a quilt-as-you-go method will make me a very nice sized throw quilt, in my favourite colour combination. I'm sure it will look stunning, and yet the quilting itself will be manageable on my very small-throated Pfaff 1019 Tiptronic from 1985. THANKS for all the videos Leah! (I may have to buy myself one of your affordable sewing tables to save me from the pulling on my needle when I try to quilt with my domestic machine too). ~Diana

[smerle]

You have a great voice, very calm and well modulated. You also calm me, when I'm panicking about how to use my new walking foot! Thanks

[nicolamerrifield]

Your amazing Leah. I am an experienced patchwork Quilter in the UK, but am learning to use my new Bernina and am a newby for free motion work. Your videos are a great help, keep them coming and I will be checking out your others on YouTube. 🤗

[ilovstodance]

HIHEARD ABOUT STITCH IN THE DITCH BUT I REALLY DID NOT USE MY WALING FOOT AMAZING THANK YOU

[deborahakers]

Great tutorial! It helps a lot and at least now I know I haven't been quilting wrong all my yes! lol

[lindabridges]

I just purchased an Elna 730 Pro that has the Upper Feed Foot (replaces the walking foot.  This looks like this would be a great test for this machine and with your information.

[nana-hvsr]

what machine are you quilting on? have you ever tried stitch in the ditch using 100 weight thread (silk or invisifil thread)? i bought my grand daughter a juki and I was wondering what kind of walking foot to get her. she loves to sew. thanks for all your wonderful tutorials.

[CharleyAnnslove]

I'm a beginner quilter. I'm working on a crazy patch. Would it be okay to quilt from the bottom side of the quilt. I would like to do the Baptist Fan design on my machine. I'm guessing that the walking foot is just for straight lines?

[bonitapearson]

What color thread do you use when you have differant color blocks.

[kidkraken]

Thanks so much for a great tutorial! I am attempting to machine quilt my very first quilt and I have a question that I can’t find the answer to. And that is—you talked about free-motion quilting the inside of the triangles. Could you not do any quilting in those spaces? Or would that be too large an area to not be quilted? (I’m working on the Book Nerd quilt and wanted to quilt around the book covers and spine, but not inside the book covers. I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.) I hope my question makes sense.

[sandi]

Leah, that fabric on the back of your quilt is gorgeous. Where can I find this fabric?

[vickiejones]

I know you knot and bury your tails. How often do you stop and do this? At the end of each line of stitching? Or more periodically as long as you don't cross over the loose ends?

[lorinelson]

Hey Leah I'm new to your subscription. I love your videos! What do you mark your lines with!

[scrappinvt]

When you are doing the straight stitch with your walking foot on the lines, do you change the length of your stitch? Or do you keep it the same length as when you are sewing in the ditch?

[jeanjeaniecarroll]

Great tutorial Leah. I'm a total newbie and my top thread keep breaking. I've tried changing the thread and needle and reducing the machine tension. Is there something really obvious I'm not trying? Many thanks x

[martee-jodawson]

Hi Leah,
I am very new at trying to machine quilting. In fact I am still waiting for my walking foot to get here so I can begin. You mentioned using a Queen Size Supreme Slider, I found them on the internet but looks like you have to have a flat surface. I have a portable machine and it sets on the dinning room table and does not give me a large flat space. What can I use for easy movement of my quilt as I do machine quilting?? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

[maxi]

I just have a machine that's sits on a table I got from Walmart, so can't use the mat. In another video on free motion, you were saying to turn a know to zero, which knob was that? Thought I saved video but can't find. I'm a beginner at sewing anything, lol Thanks, I wish I did have a flat bed for machine, but will do what I can