How to Quilt Perfect Waves with a Serpentine Stitch

What are your feelings about quilting on your home machine? I have to admit, other than straight-line quilting, I'm still not super confident. In this post I'm sharing one of my favorite shortcuts for quilting the layers of a quilt to give the effect of 'free motion quilting' but still stitching in straight lines. (Is your mind blown just a little?) This technique can be done on your home sewing machine using a "serpentine stitch."

The serpentine stitch, a versatile and slightly curved decorative stitch, is perfect for quilting. Most modern computerized sewing machines with a variety of stitch options, especially those designed for quilting or decorative stitching, include a serpentine stitch. This stitch is often labeled with a wavy line icon in the stitch menu.

I'm sewing with the Baby Lock Altair II sewing machine. This tutorial is sponsored by Baby Lock. As an ambassador you can use my exclusive discount code SAVE10-ASM2 at checkout for 10% off any machine, accessory, or software.

Preparing Your Quilt for Stitching

Before you start quilting, ensure your quilt layers are basted securely to prevent shifting during sewing. You can use safety pins, spray adhesive, or hand basting to hold the layers together. I walk through the options and basic steps of basting the layers of a quilt here.

For best results, (and if you have the option) consider using a walking foot, which evenly feeds all three layers under the needle. This is particularly important for the serpentine stitch, as the wavy pattern can emphasize any puckering or misalignment.

I also recommend quality quilting thread and a fresh needle, specifically a Quilting Needle designed for going through the three layers-quilt top, batting, and backing. These needles are specifically designed with a slightly rounded point and a stronger shaft to penetrate multiple layers without causing damage or skipped stitches. The ideal size depends on the thickness of your materials:

• Size 75/11 - Best for lightweight quilts or fine fabrics
• Size 90/14 - Ideal for most quilting projects with medium-weight fabrics and batting
• Size 100/16 - Suitable for heavy fabrics or thick batting (like a jeans quilt)

You can read more about the difference between sewing machine needles here.

Don't forget to thread your machine with quality quilting thread. I used a 50 wt cotton thread for this little project and I went with pink to help the quilting stand out a bit. 🙂

Another option for pre-marking your first line if you don't have a natural seam or guide to go by is using a hera marker to lightly crease a line into the fabric.

Setting Up the Serpentine Stitch

On your sewing machine (I'm using the Baby Lock Altair II), navigate to the stitch menu and select the serpentine stitch (commonly labeled with a wavy line icon). On my machine it's 2-19.

Adjust the stitch width and length according to the look you want. Wider and longer stitches create a more gentle wave, while shorter stitch settings produce a more dramatic ripple.

For large quilts I like to take the stitch as wide as it will go. (You will be limited in width by the width of your presser foot.) For length I don't like going beyond 3.5mm , but you can totally play with longer if you want. One other note - the longer the stitch length, the faster your lines will stitch.

On machines with a screen like the one above, you can get an diagram of what the stitch will look like when stitched, but I recommend testing the different lengths and widths of stitches on a fabric scrap layered like your quilt so you can really get a visual of what they will look like stitched out.

The stitches on the bottom left are the pre-programmed length and width - the rest of that row is as long and as wide as the stitches go. You can see how the waves change when you play with the different stitch lengths and widths.

This is also a good way to practice the feel of running the quilt through the machine as well as a chance to fine-tune the tension and ensure smooth stitching.

Quilting Through the Layers

Begin quilting from the center of your quilt, working outward to minimize puckering. Align the edge of your walking foot or a quilting guide bar with a seam or marking to keep your stitching consistent. I used the built in laser guide-beam to stay right on the center diagonal seam for my first stitched row.

Let the machine feed the fabric naturally-resist the urge to pull or push, as this can distort the waves of the serpentine stitch.

I like to quilt in evenly spaced rows or echo a motif from your quilt top, like the edges of a block or appliqué design. In the case of this mini quilt I used the strong diagonal lines as my guide.

Adding Personal Touches

I love how using this wavy serpentine stitch creates movement and almost mimics free motion quilting. And don't hesitate to get creative. Experiment with stitching on a diagonal vs. straight lines, or in meandering rows to add more visual interest. You can also play with thread color to enhance or blend with your quilt top. Using a variegated thread can add dynamic color changes to your quilting lines, complementing the organic nature of the serpentine stitch.

Finishing Your Quilt

Once you've completed quilting, trim the excess batting and backing, and prepare the edges for binding.

When I went to bind the quilt I used the Quilt Binding Foot for a perfect top-stitched finish to the binding. This is the method I used for Binding this quilt.

This post is sponsored by Baby Lock. One of my favorite things about my Baby Lock sewing machines has been the huge variety of quilting feet and attachments available to simplify all of your sewing and quilting needs. The prices are excellent and the variety of specialized tools is amazing.

Get 10% off your Baby Lock purchase

Also don't forget you can use my discount code SAVE10-ASM2 at checkout for 10% off any machine, accessory, or software. Excludes Classes, Getaways and Love of Knowledge. Unlimited uses. 1 per customer account.

Adding the wavy Serpentine Stitch as a go-to for quilting any of your projects is a simple way to add variety to your quilting skills as well as style and functionality to your quilts.

This little mini quilt was made with scraps for a cute niece. The star blocks were pieced using these foundation-piecing templates.

If you're looking for help with basic straight-line quilting as well as more tips about using a walking foot, stitch length, etc. check out this post here.

Happy Quilting!