Walk, Jog, Run: A Free-Motion Quilting Workout

Tomasson, who blogs about and teaches free-motion quilting, fills this auspicious debut with instructions on the craft of using sewing machines to stitch something other than straight lines onto a quilt. She suggests that quilters “think of free-motion quilting as doodling on fabric with thread” and, to emphasize this point, provides worksheets throughout to practice drawing possible quilt designs. First, though, she provides basic information about sewing machines, their power, speed, and throat size (the distance between the needle and the base of the machine). She wants quilters to profit from her experience but also from her mistakes, so she offers tips, such as using a finger to trace where one is going before putting needle and thread to fabric. Her other preferences include a topstitch needle and a clear darning foot, while design elements range from plain old straight-line quilting to paisleys and circuit boards; the projects she suggests include place mats, checker boards, and table runners. This helpful primer is largely for beginners but would well serve, as Tomasson says, veteran quilters stuck in a rut. (Mar.)