I thought I would share a few of my feather quilting practice for anyone needing to learn or improve their feather skills. I am starting with my freehand feather handout #1 (pdf), shown here:
barrettfeatherpractice1 (right click to download this pdf file)
practice sheet 1 by Carla Barrett
Directions: Print out 5-10 copies of the handout, and trace over all gray lines. Next practice in the spaces provided. This practice sheet covers drawing a freehand feather, feathering a simple spine, a curved spine, filling a space with feathers, and turning a corner while feathering.
This is a first post in a series for improving feather technique. If you like it, and want to encourage me to write more, please leave a message below. Thanks, Carla Barrett
Carla Barrett 
Thank you. I appreciate the practice sheet and would love more information and practice.
I love practicing feathers! I love practicing everything for that matter! Thanks for putting this practice sheet out there for all of us. I love your designs!
Great idea Carla, your feathers are always lovely. I am going to send this link to a couple of friends.
thanks Carla!
Thank you . I am definitely going to print and practice. I like the idea of practicing of paper. I would love to have help with more design practice. I like the idea that you started the design and we get to “finish” it up.l
Yes. Any tips or suggestions are wonderful ! Thanks so much!
This is just the kind of thing we trawl the internet for – thank you so much for offering to improve our technique. Any help would be much appreciated!!
Thank you! I really would love to learn to quilt feathers and this is going to be very helpful.
I”m also going to print and practice. I can do a single feather pretty well but the complete fill confuses me no end. Looking forward to other practice sheets–yes, please, keep going.
Oh, yes…please share more techniques and helps with us. I’m going to print this and practice, practice, practice.
Thanks!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! great practice , just what I needed!
Thank you. This is the type practice that will help me. More, please.
Yes, this is an excellent idea and I certainly would benefit from more practice with feathers and other designs. I like that you give us a starting point and we can go from there. Please share more if you have time. Thanks so much.
Thats really great Carla, thanks
I love how you show us how to fill a whole block. Any help you can share is really appreciated!
Thank you much! I needed this now, so new to quilting
Thank you so much Carla. I really love to learn how to do these feathers. You do such great work. Thanks for sharing.
thank you so, so much! i’ll start practicing right now! jeanine from brazil
I really appreciate your tutorials, suggestions, and practice sheets. They are so helpful for a feather novice like me! I will take as much help as you are willing to give!
Love it! Thank you!
Thank you. I love feathers and this is wonderful.
Reblogged this on Quilt-inista and commented:
Wonderful tutorial for feathers
Thank you for taking the time to comment. My goal is to help and encourage other machine quilters. Remember, that feathers do not have to be perfect, the freehand imperfections are what make free motion quilting so desirable. 🙂
Always looking for new line drawings……this one is great.
Pingback: Feather Practice- Part 3 | Feathered Fibers
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Thanks so much Carla.
I am amazed at the generosity of quilters, helping one another
learn and enjoy this wonderful craft! I never thought I would be able to do feathers but
now I am beginning to believe I can…
Hi Terri, thanks for your comment! Yes, you certainly can do it! Confidence is really important and even if you don’t feel confident, fake it until you do. LOL Have fun!
Hi Carla
Thankyou for sharing this. I have been quilting for 7 years and have only just made my feathers not look like rabid chooks. I practice and doodle all the time and will ceratinly be printing this series off and appreciate all your effort.
Cheers
Jenny Gerdei – Quilted by Jenny – Australia
Pingback: Feather Practice- Part 6 | Feathered Fibers
Thank you, Carla, for sharing your skills with all of us. Keep up the good work as it is very much appreciated.
Pingback: Feather Practice- Part 7 | Feathered Fibers
Thank you very much, Carla!
Pingback: Feather Practice- Part 8 | Feathered Fibers
Pingback: Feather Practice- Part 9 | Feathered Fibers
I´ll never get enough of feathering, thanks so much Carla!!!
I´ve had a Baby Lock QDrive longarm for almost a couple of years but only now just added micro handles, should make the freehand feathering much nicer.
Happy Quilting and hugs from Germany, Bobbi
Greeting from California, Bobbi! I appreciate your stopping by and saying hello. I do hope you will share your feathering journey on your own blog, too. 🙂
Thank you for making feathers look easy to do! Have been afraid to try them for fear of ruining my quilt! This takes the fear out of it. Thank you for sharing!
I just saw this pinned and also must add my thanks for the feathers tutorial. Feathers are one of my favorite quilting designs but one that I struggle trying to quilt.
just found you and I am so thankful for all 10 PDFs that I just downloaded … now to find time to quilt!!
I couldn’t be more excited to have found you. I’m just learning feathers and I appreciate these lessons. I need confidence. Thank you so much.
Obrigada por compartilhar seus conhecimentos. Nunca encontrei alguem para me ensinar como fazer as penas.Vou praticar muito e sempre que vc puder nos ajude.Obrigada.
Eliane, Você é muito bem-vindo! Por favor, deixe-me saber se você tem alguma dúvida sobre penas ou quilting. Atenciosamente, Carla
Thank you so much for taking the time to help us out. Would like any help you can give us.
Love these helpful tips. Not yet brave enough to do free form quilting. Very messy when I try. Maybe someday. Making 21 throw size quilts for my grandchildren and know I am going to get very tired of stitch in ditch before I am done. I think feather stitching is beautiful
Linda, practice drawing on paper or a white board. I have faith in your ability to do freemotion quilting. Wish you the best! Carla