Have you always wanted to try free motion quilting but never quite dared?

You're not alone. Wobbly lines, uneven stitches and the fear of spoiling a quilt top hold so many quilters back. Free-motion quilting is a completely new way to use your sewing machine. Even if you've sewn for years, it won't feel like anything you've done before. That's not a sign you can't do it. It just takes the right steps, some practice and a little patience with yourself. In this 8-week course, award-winning quilter Vendulka Battais takes you from a complete beginner to a confident free-motion quilter, one step at a time. All you need is about two hours a week, from the comfort of your own home.

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About Vendulka

Vendulka Battais is an award-winning quilter, textile artist and qualified quilt judge. She won

Best in Show at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham in 2021, and runs her own quilting and

patchwork business, OliVen. Vendulka has been teaching sewing and quilting since 2011, for over 15 years. She's known for her warm, encouraging style and for helping quilters let go of perfectionism and self-criticism, so they can enjoy the process and grow at their own pace."I love free motion quilting, and I hope some of my enthusiasm will rub off on you too." Vendulka.

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So, how does this FMQ journey work?

It's so easy, after joining up, on February 1st you will be able to access the members page. this is where you'll see the access code to our live Zooms and where you will watch the weekly video tutorials. Everything will be left in place on that page until 1st Februray 2028. You can tune in when you wish! Built for complete beginners, starting from setting up your machine and building one skill at a time.

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• One new lesson a week, with short theory and practical videos plus designs to practise

• About two hours a week. Little and often works best, even 10 minutes a few times a week.

• Catch-up weeks every three weeks, with a live Zoom Q&A with Vendulka and Rachel

• No final project. You practise on quilt sandwiches, so there's no pressure and no precious quilt top at risk.

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How the Course is provided:

• Recorded Lessons are released on your members page every Monday from 1st February 2027 and for the next 8 weeks, they are approximately 30 - 60 minutes each in length.

• Within the course there are also 3 live Zoom Q&As (they will be recorded and placed in the members area for re-watch) they are at 7pm UK time on 22nd Feb, 22nd March and 19th April.

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Week 1:

• Lesson: Your quilting space. Setting up your machine, extension table and free motion foot, then your table and chair. 

• Practice: Basic designs.

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Week 2:

• Lesson: Stitch Length. Why stitches vary when you're moving the fabric, and how practice evens them out.

• Practice: spirals.

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Week 3:

• Lesson: Holding the work. How to control your fabric so you can stitch evenly and follow your design

• Practice: flowers

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Zoom:

• 22nd Feb No new lesson. Live Zoom Q&A, 7pm

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Week 4:

• Lesson: Mindset. Letting go of the expectations that hold us back.

• Practice: Stippling (meandering to fill a space),

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Week 5:

• Lesson: Drawing the design. Drawing designs on paper and marking guide lines on fabric to build confidence

• Practice: Tracing hearts, with a printable

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Week 6:

• Lesson: Intensity of quilting. How dense or open quilting changes the look.

• Practice: Spirals with loops, and stacked spirals as fillers.

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Zoom:

• 22nd March. No new lesson. Live Zoom Q&A, 7pm

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Week 7

• Lesson: Thread Choices. Choosing thread to make your quilting stand out or blend in

• Practice: Building on flowers.

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Week 8:

• Lesson: Final wrap-up. Bringing it together and next steps

• Practice: Writing on fabric, for signing or dedicating a quilt.

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Zoom:

• 19th April. No new lesson. Final Live Zoom Q&A, 7pm

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