FMQ Challenge - creating quilt stencils

Our FMQ expert this month is Don Linn.  With this lesson, he shared how he makes his own stencils, then transfers them onto the fabric prior to quilting.  A very interesting lesson which requires 2 tracings for each motif.  One on netting, the other onto the fabric.  He supplied us with one stencil and I decided to try my hand at other designs found in a Dover Coloring Book, "Geometrix", and a book, "Freehand Filler Patterns" by Sue Patten.

I used a blue water soluble marking pen to trace onto the fabric as Mr. Linn directed in his lesson.  I really hate these pens!  LOL  It always takes me several wettings to get the marks to stay gone. I've posted photos of my FMQing showing my quilting over the marks and after the marks have been removed.  All quilting uses a variegated brown to cream quilting thread.

Here is the motif from Mr. Linn

Here's the motif from Dover.  I thought this would be fairly easy...just scallops.  Wasn't as easy as I thought as you can see once the marks were removed!

Here's the motifs from the "Freehand Filler Patterns" book.  Again, I thought an easy one!  Not too smooth going around those curves.

Believe it or not, the one that I thought would be the hardest, turned out to be the easiest for me.  Who knew?????

These were fun and interesting to do.  Opens up a whole new world of quilt motif ideas!  I stayed on the lines pretty well, and was surprised that I could keep a line straight and even back track over it very well.  Much more practiced needed, but I'm gaining so much confidence and experience.  And having fun....that's the important thing!!

Keep on stitchin'!!