Meander quilting
A meander is stippling at a larger scale: one rounded line that never crosses itself, with lines about 1¼" apart. It is the first free-motion design most quilters learn, and the quickest way to quilt a whole top.
By Editorial Staff
How to stitch meander
- Drop or cover the feed dogs and fit a free-motion (darning) foot. Run the machine at a steady medium speed and move the quilt smoothly with both hands; the speed of your hands sets the stitch length, and 10 to 12 stitches an inch is the usual aim.
- Practice on a 12" sandwich of scraps first. Draw the shape with your finger before you sew it.
- Stitch long, lazy curves with wide turns, keeping roughly the same distance from the lines around you. Don't aim for perfect shapes; even spacing is what makes a meander look finished.
- Quilt the center of the quilt first and work out toward the borders, so any fullness moves to the edges.
Home machine, longarm or by hand
| Level | How | |
|---|---|---|
| Home machine | Beginner | Free-motion foot |
| Longarm | Beginner | Freehand or computerized |
| By hand | Better by machine | Too dense or too long a line to stitch by hand |
Thread for meander
40 or 50 weight cotton or polyester. On a busy print, a thread that blends hides the stops and starts.
| Size | Quilt | Stitching | Top thread | Bobbin thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 45" × 60" | 56 yd | 77 yd | 77 yd |
| Throw | 60" × 72" | 89 yd | 123 yd | 123 yd |
| Twin | 70" × 90" | 130 yd | 179 yd | 179 yd |
| Full | 84" × 96" | 166 yd | 229 yd | 229 yd |
| Queen | 90" × 108" | 201 yd | 276 yd | 276 yd |
| King | 108" × 108" | 241 yd | 331 yd | 331 yd |
Stitching is measured on the drawing above at 1¼". A lockstitch takes about 1¼" of top thread and 1¼" of bobbin thread for each inch it sews; we add 10% for starts and tails. To check your own machine, sew 12", then measure what came off each spool.
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