Quilting the Flower Meander – A Video Tutorial
Hey! You wouldn’t happen to want another machine quilting tutorial, would you? I sure hope so, because I just so happen to have one ready for you.
In this video tutorial, I show you how to machine quilt the Flower Meander. This design is featured in my very first book, Free-motion Quilting with Angela Walters. It was one of my favorites then and it still is now.
About the Flower Meander
This is a great design to use when you want to add texture to your quilt. The individual flowers aren’t noticeable once the whole quilt is finished, all you can see is the overall design. This makes it a great design for newer quilters.
But even though this design is easy to quilt, it’s can have a lot of impact. I have used it in several different ways in several different quilts. I have definitely gotten a lot of quilting mileage out of this design!
Fun facts about this design:
Before I share the link to the tutorial, here are a few fun facts about the flower meander.
I first quilted this for a book by my friend, Jacquie Gering.
When quilting her quilt Lilac Crush, she requested a feminine design that wasn’t feathery or swirly. After a few sketches, we settled on this flower meander. I was so nervous quilting this quilt since it was for a book. Thank goodness it turned out great!
Bigger flowers are even better.
Even though I show you how to quilt the flower in an overall meander, it also looks great quilted on a much bigger scale.
On this quilt, I quilted one gigantic flower starting in the center. I would like to say that it was quick and easy. But it definitely wasn’t quick! I did it on my longarm, which meant that there was a lot of advancing back and forth. If I ever do this again, I will definitely quilt it on my sewing machine.
It can be a very centered design.
I love how it looks in the center of blocks, but it also looks really nice in the center of a quilt.
Even though I went feather-crazy quilting this quilt, I opted for a simple flower in the center of the quilt. Like a single bloom in a vase, it’s so beautiful in it’s simplicity. Remember, quilting doesn’t need to be complex to be impactful!
It’s a booty-shaker kind of design.
When I teach this design in classes, I call it the booty-shaker. Why? Because when quilting this on a longarm, it helps to get your whole body into the momentum. Except when I quilt it, I tend to wiggle my whole body. No, I won’t share a video of it, it’s just plain scary to watch.
Downloadable PDF
I have put together a tip sheet for quilting the flower meander. It’s available as a free PDF download, which you can get by clicking here. Feel free to quilt it out and keep it close by while working on this design.
Your Turn
Alrighty, are you ready to learn how to quilt the Flower Meander? Here’s a link to the video tutorial which shows you how easy it is to quilt.
Please let me know what you think about the video or if you have any questions. You can do that by leaving them in the comments.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss out on any new videos!
Happy Quilting!
What machine do you quilt on?
I would like the print out but the link doesn’t work. Thank you!
The flower meander PDF is not available using the link provided. 🙁
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Thank you for the tutorial and the inspiration! As a newbie to free motion, your humor and reminders that no quilt is perfect have helped me move forward. I do find myself very judgmental of my work and I’ve had to force myself to move the seam ripper away. I’m currently using the flower meander on a quilt. I’m thinking the arcs are not so great (so maybe the wavy line version?) but I see the overall pattern coming together and it looks pretty good! Thanks!
Hi angela, enjoy the videos you share.
Question: do you prefer the double spring machine quilt foot better than the clear plastic circle type?
#2 do u know what type of machine that has a large neck openING 4 quilting & has a stitch regulator together?
Thank you, jacquie from Ohio
You really have been blessed with a wonderful gift. I have just recently gotten into machines quilting and have biggest problems when pushing material upwards or backwards. It almost looks like skipped stitches. I blamed my machine but invested in another one and have the same problem. What am I doing wrong?
Cheryl
Thanks, Angela! I can hardly wait to try this and the many variations.
You really have a wonderful gift. You also make this look so easy. I’m 60 and have just gotten into machine quilting. My biggest problem is when I try going back wards or upwards. I blame my machine but now I have another machine and I have the same problem. It’s almost looks like skipped stitches. What am I doing wrong?
Cheryl
will certainly try this but find quilting so hard. Was at my MQG meeting the other day when someone was talking about quilting and the advice given was buy one of Angela Walters books she`s the best. So I came home and went to Amazon but was spoilt for choice what do you advise for someone who struggles so much please.
Thanks Angela, I found the echoing difficult but will keep on trying. Do you spray baste or just pin far apart. Great tutorial!
Great job on the video! I like the adding of variations. What a fun design and tutorial!
I had to laugh about your nickname for this design… the booty-shaker… it’s SO TRUE! I love using this design and happened to be using it when a friend came over to watch me quilt. Well, we had a LOT of laughs over my 49 yr old – not as thin as it used to be- shakin’ booty! She thought that was hilarious. But somehow, I felt relieved to know this was a normal “technique” for you too!
Thanks for the laughs,
Wendy
That looks so fun to do. Thanks for taking time and sharing your knowledge and love of quilting!
LOVE this! Thank you.
Love it! I so enjoy your videos and have learned heaps.
Thank you Angela, that was great and such a nice fill. It just makes me smile and will need to practice this one as I think I will be using it a lot.. Loves these video’s that you’re doing as it’s very helpful and kind of forces me to focus more on one single design instead of a lot of different ones…Again thank you for doing these… Very inspiring and you are just so talented…
Angela! Thanks so much for your great tutorials! The way you break down and explain each step makes so much sense. I’m new to FMQ and you have given me the understanding of the process and confidence to dive right in. You are certainly a gifted and talented teacher!
Love it! I think the quilt that is about ready to be sandwiched will have flower quilting on it! (and lots of practice before the quilt of course). Thank you
Love you, Love this design, but I think you forgot the download link? Love it in the book, but having a single sheet it easier to take to the machine.
Oops! Sorry about that! Here’s the link: https://www.quiltingismytherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Tips-for-Quilting-the-Flower-Meander.pdf (I have changed it on the post)
Love the tutorial! and even though I am much more a piecer than quilter I will give it a try.
Hmmm, I’m having some problems with the PDF download. There doesn’t seem to be a working link. Can you help?
I have fixed it! Here’s the direct link: https://www.quiltingismytherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Tips-for-Quilting-the-Flower-Meander.pdf
Thanks, Angela. Got it.
so clever and the result is great! Can’t wait to try it.
Your way of teaching is not only fun, but inspirational! GB
Thanks so much! That is the ultimate compliment. I quickly realized that just because you could do it, doesn’t mean that you can teach it. I have worked hard on perfecting my teaching skills 🙂
Love all your designs, your teaching makes them easy to quilt. ? Thanks
Love all your designs, your teaching makes them easy to quilt. ?
Hi Angela
Thanks, a lovely design with plenty of options for new quilters like me.
It’s not only easy, but it can also grow with you as you become better and better at free-motion quilting.
Thank you for the tutorial, it helped a lot. I found with the books it shows you step by step how to make the design but not necessarily how to quilt large areas so the tutorial fills in that gap and just showed how to fill in a large area. Again thank you,
Thank you so much Angela ! The Flower Meander is a great idea for a negative space especially left in my City Sampler I am quilting right now on my long arm. You are wonderful! I am a great fan! XOXO from France
Thank you Angela! You’re such a good teacher.