Machine Quilt a Strip Quilt: Natalia Bonner Course

Quick answer

Natalia Bonner's 33-minute course walks you through planning, marking, and machine quilting a strip quilt using both hand-guided and ruler techniques.

How to machine quilt a strip quilt: step by step

1. 1. Prepare your quilt top and backing: Press all seams flat and make sure your strip quilt top is square. Baste with your preferred method (spray, pins, or fusible). A common mistake is skipping the pressing step, which can cause tucks later.
2. 2. Watch Natalia's marking and planning section: In the course, Natalia explains how she marks the quilt top to guide her quilting lines. Pause the video and mark your own quilt using a water-soluble or chalk marker. Don't rush—clear marks prevent wandering lines. Marking before you start helps you stay on track and avoids uneven spacing.
3. 3. Start with hand-guided quilting on long seams: Begin quilting along the longest strip seams using free-motion hand-guided techniques. Keep your hands close to the needle for control. A common mistake is pulling the fabric sideways, which creates puckers.
4. 4. Switch to ruler quilting for straight lines: Use a ruler foot and a straight ruler to quilt parallel lines or geometric motifs. Natalia demonstrates how to align the ruler with your marked lines. Check your ruler position every few inches to avoid drifting. Ruler quilting gives crisp, professional lines but requires steady pressure on the ruler.
5. 5. Fill in remaining areas with free-motion motifs: After the main seams are quilted, fill open spaces with stippling, loops, or a simple meander. Keep the scale small so the quilting texture complements the strips. A common mistake is making motifs too large, which can overwhelm the strip design. Smaller motifs echo the strip pattern without competing with it.

Course overview

• Machine Quilt A Strip Quilt With Natalia Bonner: 33-minute video covering marking, planning, hand-guided and ruler quilting for a strip quilt. You see a complete process from start to finish, so you can apply the same workflow to your own strip-pieced projects.