Mini Tutorial
Feather Guide Circle Templates

To view photos of other feather designs that can be created with the Feather Guides
Click Here

 

New! New! New!
Video Tutorials for Feathered Wreaths!

Single Feathered Wreath Video Tutorial

Double Feathered Wreath Video Tutorial

 

Video length, 10 minutes, 28 seconds

 

Video length, 3 minutes, 14 seconds

 

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If your computer is unable to open these videos you can purchase a DVD of these videos for $5.00 (to cover the cost of duplicating and postage.)
How to Quilt Feathered Wreaths DVD   $5.00

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How to Stitch a Feathered Wreath and Background Stitching
With One Start and Stop

Feather Guides look like regular circle templates – except that there is one huge difference. The Feather Guides compensate for the ¼ inch of most quilting machine hopping feet AND they come with complete, step-by-step photo instructions. You will learn how to make several “no measure” feathered borders, “ no measure” corners and circle feathered wreaths. You will also learn how to combine these elements to make even more feathered variation

The Feather Guides come in four different sizes and will make Feathered Wreaths and other feather designs in the following sizes: 6 inch, 8 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch. 
 

Begin by making registration lines on the area where the Feathered Wreath is to be stitched.  On the photo at the left, there are diagonal registration lines drawn on the quilt block.

When marking registration lines, on light fabrics I like to use the Mark Be Gone water soluble fabric marking pen.  On dark fabric I like to use Miracle Chalk in a Chalk O Liner dispenser.

Place the donut shaped template on the fabric, matching the drawn registration lines to the etched lines of the template.

Draw around the outer and inner edges of this template.  Remove the template from the fabric.
Place the solid, ¼ inch acrylic template on the fabric, matching the drawn registration lines to the etched lines of the template.

I recommend applying a small amount of Temporary Fabric Basting Spray on the etched (back) side of the template to keep it from slipping when stitching.

Carefully stitch around the template to create the "spine" of the feather. Keep your fingers near the needle and keep firm, but gentle pressure on the template. 

 

Overlap your stitching line about 1/2 inch.  Do not break your thread.  Move the solid template.  You will be stitching the remainder of the block free hand.

Note: to show the detail of the stitching, I have cut my thread and moved the quilting machine out of the following photos.

Begin making the inner wreath feathers.  Keep the "tops" of the feathers even with the drawn inner circle. After the inner feathers have been stitched, if desired, stitch a fill in design in the center.  Bring your stitching line back to the spine at the (approx.) 9 o'clock position.  Do not break your thread. 

Click on the photo for a larger view.

Begin stitching the outer feathers, again keeping the tops of the feathers even with the drawn outer circle. Do not break your thread.  Stitch one row of echo quilting around the tops of the feathers.

Click on the photo for a large view.

Now begin the fill in stitching around the Feathered Wreath.  After the fill in stitching is completed, if possible, bring your machine back to the 9 o'clock position and (finally) break your thread.

Click on photo for a larger view.

Congratulations! You have just stitched a whole feathered wreath and the background fill in stitching with only one start and stop!

Photos of other designs that are made with the Feather Guides.  The instructions for all these designs are included in the step-by-step instruction manual that is included with each set of Feather Guide templates. 

To view a larger image, click on the photo


Swirled Feather Border and Corner


Swirled Feather Corner Detail



Feathered Baptist Fans


 


Wreath and Swag Border


Feathered Baptist Fan Border, Corner Detail

Feathered Baptist Fan, Border Center


Interlocking Wreath Border

   
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