Quilting with Stencils on Your Domestic Machine

As someone who doesn't feel confident quilting my quilts on my home sewing machine in anything other that straight lines (and the occaisional waves) I was so intrigued and excited the first time I met Melodie Harding and saw her clever acrylic templates for drawing free-motion quilting designs so that you can confidently quilt your own quilts on your domestic sewing machine. Meet today's guest writer, Melodie!

Hello friend, my name is Melodie Harding from SEW • HARMONY and I am here to walk you through the benefits of quilting with stencils on your domestic machine.

Are you a quilter who likes to finish your projects on your own? Maybe you want a change from straight-line quilting? Do you love the look of a long-arm but can’t bring yourself to send your quilts away? Are you intrigued by free motion quilting but don’t know where to start? Does the process of custom quilting your projects stress you out - trying to decide what to quilt in each block? Or do you have a stack of quilt flimsies just waiting to be finished?

Using stencils has been a game changer in my quilting journey and I want to share with you the joy I’ve found in using this simple process to stitch my quilts. In this post I hope to guide you through the process of stenciling your quilt tops, share tips with you for success, and recommend some helpful tools that can get you started.

And I've got a special shop discount on these templates for all of you. Check out the deatails at the end of the post!

Why Use Stencils for Quilting at home?

The use of stencils can make quilting more accessible, they can help reduce decision-making stress and can improve your free motion quilting skills. Time spent drawing out the design first helps build muscle memory for your free motion quilting and allows for less stress at your machine. When you finally sit down to quilt, you simply follow the line with your needle allowing your focus to be solely on the free motion technique and building your skills.

Creating beautiful continuous line designs can be done on your home machine - no need for a long-arm. And having the marked line for you to follow builds confidence in your quilting. There are a variety of patterns you can create with stencils to expand beyond just straight line quilting. Giving your projects more dimension and creative expression - while still allowing you to finish your quilt tops quickly.

Start enjoying these benefits of using stencils today:

• No need for a long-arm - you can quilt your projects on your domestic machine!
• Create a variety of patterns - expand beyond the straight line quilting
• Build confidence and muscle memory for free motion quilting
• Eliminate the stress of deciding what to quilt next by having a pattern already marked out

Choosing the Right Stencil

When it comes to choosing a quilting pattern to use on your project there are a number of factors to consider. Think about the overall aesthetic and style of your quilt. A more modern quilt would benefit from a geometric or minimal quilting pattern such as hexagon or curves whereas a more traditional quilt might prefer a more classic motif such as feathers or vines. 

An edge-to-edge all over design works great for quilts that will get frequent use, whereas a more custom pattern that includes block specific or border designs would work well with a show quilt or heirloom. Continuous line quilting patterns are a great option for beginners and more experienced quilters alike. Patterns with curves or gentle loops can be easier for stitching and the repetitive manner of continuous line patterns can help improve free motion quilting skills by building muscle memory. 

There are a number of different stencils available on the market from plastic mylar stencils to nylon mesh full line stencils used with a pounce pad. These come in block specific patterns, borders and some continuous line designs. You can also use cardstock or plastic film to create your own stencils.

Over the last couple of years I have worked to design a new option for stencils. Made of a 3mm transparent light green acrylic material, the SEW • HARMONY stencils are continuous line stencils of geometric patterns with a focus on modern quilting.

The acrylic material has a nice groove that ensures your marking tool does not slip, and it is also much easier to store and does not bend or warp when using. The stencils come with a custom cut top edge that helps keep consistent row spacing and additional etched lines and marks make it easy to create multiple patterns with a single stencil. Learn more about our stencils at our YouTube channel.

Considering the factors above can help you choose the perfect stencil design to enhance your project while making quilting on a domestic machine more enjoyable and successful. Whether it is a block specific design or an all over pattern, the steps for completing your project are the same.

How to Quilt with Stencils

Once you have decided on a stencil to use for your project there are just a few short steps until you will be quilting at your machine. Mark your design, baste your quilt, prepare your machine for free motion quilting and then you will be off and stitching! Let’s break down these steps into more detail. 

Tools and Materials You’ll Need for Quilting on your Home Machine

• Domestic sewing machine (I recommend a free motion or darning foot)
• Stencils (like SEW • HARMONY’s custom acrylic stencils)
• Marking tools (air or water soluble pen, chalk pencils, or heat erasable pen)
• A quilt top or fabric panel, batting and backing (see this blog post on choosing quilt batting)
• Basic sewing supplies like scissors, seam ripper and thread
• Optional: quilting gloves for better grip and control

Step One: Mark your Design

Step one is marking your quilt. In my experience I have found that it is best to mark the quilt top before basting. This allows you to work on a more flat surface and to avoid the hassle of working around pins and batting.

Prepare your project by ironing your quilt top. By taking the time to iron your quilt top and to flatten any seams you will have a better chance of keeping your stencils straight as you mark your pattern. Choose a large flat surface to mark your pattern. Having ample space to work, along with a surface you can smooth out your project on, it will be easier to line up your design and you will also find most marking tools work better on a flat surface.

Place your stencil on your quilt top. If it is a block specific or border design, lay the stencil over the appropriate area of the quilt and trace the pattern with your marking tool. For continuous line designs I most often start at the top left hand corner of the quilt. Using the top and side edges to help align the stencil. If it is a continuous line pattern or a repeating pattern it is often helpful when you are starting out to overlap some of the previously marked pattern with part of the stencil to ensure you are keeping your rows straight. 

Marking Tools

There are a variety of marking tools to choose from. Water and air soluble pens, heat-erasing pens, chalk pencils or pounce pads. If it is a large project it is helpful to have multiple pens or pencils available as they can often run out. Having two or three sharpened marking pencils can keep you moving along with marking your project. 

I have used a variety of tools to mark my quilts over the years - it is helpful to try different tools to find what works best for you. My preference is with using water soluble marking pens and I find that when I mark a project I like having both a white water soluble pen as well as a blue or pink pen available. Then when I come to a darker fabric I can use the white or yellow color that will show up better. When I do use multiple marking tools on one project, I always try to keep with marking tools that remove in the same way - either all water soluble or all heat-erasing marking tools. That way I only have to use one method to remove the marks after stitching.

Step Two: Baste your Quilt

Once you have marked your quilt top the next step is basting. There are a variety of methods you can use to baste your quilt. Whether you use pins, thread or a basting spray. Find more tips for basting a quilt in this blog post.

Step Three: Prepare Your Machine

A good place to begin with free motion quilting is by doing basic machine maintenance before even starting. By cleaning, oiling and changing your needle, you have put yourself in a terrific position to succeed! If this is your first time - don’t worry! It’s a simple process and a quick internet search of “how to clean _____” and include your machine make and model, will surely get you started.

There are many quilting struggles that can be solved by simple machine maintenance. Skipped stitches and even thread and needle breakage can be a result of too much fuzz by the bobbin case or a dull needle. Since learning anything new can take some practice, don’t let yourself get sidetracked by frustrations with these avoidable problems.

After cleaning your machine, there are some basic steps to take to get your machine ready for free motion quilting:

• Lower your feed dogs
• Install a free motion or darning foot and reduce the presser foot pressure
• Test a sample quilt sandwich to ensure you have proper tension
  Reference this blog post for troubleshooting tension.

Stitching your Project

You are now ready to stitch your design. Stitching at the ends of your quilt can be tricky, maneuvering and finding a good place to hold your project, so I recommend you start at a point closer to the center of your quilt. With a custom quilting pattern you can quilt a block at a time moving out from the center. For a continuous line pattern you will be quilting from edge to edge so you can roll the sides of your quilt to fit within the neck of your sewing machine, and progress along the length of your project. 

When you are just starting out with free motion quilting it can feel strange to move the fabric sideways or forward under the needle, but with the feed dogs down and a free motion quilting foot you control how the fabric moves, allowing you to follow the marked line. Don’t be afraid to move in all directions. As you gain confidence in free motion quilting, you will find your groove with how fast to stitch along with your movements of the quilt for the best stitch length. Go slow to start as you get used to this new method of sewing.

Quilting or gardening gloves help you grip the quilt as you are moving it around under the needle. Looking at the marked design, remove any basting pins in the area you will be quilting next. Lay your hands flat on either side of the needle, ensuring you can see the design you will be stitching. If you have an overlapping pattern, make sure you understand which line you are following to complete the pattern. As you are following the marked design with your needle, I find it is helpful to always stop at an intersection or corner of the design. By stopping at one of these points you are less likely to have jagged edges in your quilting.

Remember to have fun and to enjoy the process! Go here for some additional tips on free motion quilting:

Final Thoughts

Quilting with stencils is a simple yet powerful way to bring confidence, creativity, and ease to your quilting projects. Whether you're looking to build your free-motion quilting skills, eliminate decision-making stress, or create beautiful edge-to-edge designs on your domestic machine, stencils provide a structured yet flexible approach to finishing your quilts.

By choosing the right stencil, preparing your materials, and following a few key steps, you can transform your quilt tops into stunning finished projects—all without needing a long-arm machine. The process may take some practice, but with time, you'll develop the muscle memory and confidence to quilt more freely and enjoyably.

So, grab a stencil, mark your design, and start stitching! With each quilt, you'll refine your technique and discover the joy of finishing your own projects, one stitch at a time.

For more tips on how to finish and bind a quilt go here.

Special Discount!

And just for readers of this post I'm offering 20% off in my shop with code AMY20 at checkout! These templates are a great investment as they're durable and can be used for years. Plus, each template has multiple design-placement options making them extra versatile!

Happy quilting!

Amy: Thank you so much Melodie! Be sure to check out more of Melodie and SEW • HARMONY on her YouTube Channel and Instagram for lots more tips and design layouts using these versatile stencils!