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I am going to use this stencil on my baby quilt for several of the major blocks on my quilt. I've already quilted one block using this stencil & I quilted it using my walking foot but it required TONS of stitch a couple of stitches, stop, raise pressure foot, turn quilt slightly, quilt a couple of more stitches, stop, etc. I thought it would be best to use the walking foot since I have the 3 layers & didn't want backing fabric to slip.

Would it be easier for me if I put my darning foot on & lowered my feed dogs & just did regular free motion quilting? I have 7 more blocks to do & I need an easier way. HELP!

put your darning foot on and drop your feed dogs and do regular free motion quilting. That is what I would do.

Like many things it's a matter of personal preference but if it were me I'd definitely use a darning foot. If you haven't done much free motion and are uncomfortable doing that on your quilt try an experimental sandwich first. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is.

OMG .. a walking foot will take forever and NOT get you the look you want .. put on the darning foot - i suggest here that you check out Leah Days tute on altering that foot - I did and love it .. and then practice a bit - I do wear gloves as I'm not very steady
and that IS a pretty complicated pattern if you aren't comfortable with free motion - I just looked at your stencil again - you could modify it - leave out some parts, or try something a little more simple for a baby quilt, just a suggestion

This message has been edited. Last edited by: City/Sandie,

Nicki....use the darning foot for sure...1st trace your finger around the pattern to see how you can do it in one continuous line without stopping and starting.It looks like a easy one to do that with.Remember the lines are a guideline...it does not have to be sooo perfect.Good luck..I use latex gloves,a top stitch 90/14 needle and that helps a lot.

It would be very easy to do with the freemotion foot (darning). As far as the layers slipping, try stitching in the ditch (like a grid) the way your quilt was constructed to stabilize it before you quilt the stenciled design. Another alternative would be to use spray baste and wash well after quilting to remove any residual chemicals. If you can't see a marked line, with your needle down and presser foot up, try turning the quilt minimally until you see the line better. You don't have to reposition the entire quilt--sometimes just a little shift in the area you are working makes a big difference. Remember that you can pick out a few stitches rather than a complete area if you make a mistake that you can't live with! A few out of place stitches here and there usually blend in just fine. If you go off the line by a little bit, sew back to the line with a gentle curve it will be less obvious than abruply sewing straight toward the line. Most importantly, relax and enjoy the process!

I have used that very stencil on quilts and did it with free motion process. Don't worry about the perfection according to the traced lines, when you get all done they will look good and the tracing lines will be gone so no one can tell what the original would be.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I'm going to put that darning foot on & do some practicing. I'm not great with the darning foot but have practiced quite a bit. It's so much easier for me when I have a traced pattern to follow instead of trying to remember where to stich in my mind. I will wash the quilt before I give it away & I know that after washing most mistakes get hidden in the little puckers from the washing/drying.

This is a continuous line stencil & really looks pretty on the one block that I did.

Nicki, when you use the darning foot, just take your time to stitch and move the quilt. I used to try to quilt fast, but found I had been results just slowing me down a bit, nicer stitches and smoother curves. If you can slow down the motor of the machine a bit too, then you don't feel like you need to rush the moving process.

Then let us see the finished quilt!

Just remember, when the marking is removed, no one knows whether you stayed on the line or not! It does not have to be exact!!