Custom Machine Quilt a Traditional Quilt with Crosshatching + Feather Work

Join professional machine quilter Natalia Bonner inside the PNQ Academy as she custom machine quilts a beautiful traditional quilt from start to finish! In this detailed, behind-the-shoulder video, Natalia shows you exactly how she chooses motifs, breaks the quilt into manageable sections, and uses ruler markings—not heavy marking—to bring clean structure and soft movement to every block.

You’ll watch in real time as she combines free-motion quilting, machine-quilting rulers, and no-mark crosshatching to elevate a classic quilt design. Along the way, Natalia explains why she chooses simple straight-line motifs on busy prints, how she works within her quilting “sweet spot,” and how she uses gentle pressure and comfortable hand placement to achieve smooth, precise lines.

Natalia also demonstrates how to use the built-in math and markings of the 4-N-1, Mini 4-N-1, Sway 4, and Sway 5 rulers to create ½" and 1" spacing without having to mark every line. She shares how she uses the hook end of the Sway 5 for quick alignment, why she pulls up her bobbin thread and ties off on top, and how marking a simple “X” allows her to align circles perfectly without drawing them on every block.

Whether you're looking for ideas for traditional quilts, want to understand ruler markings better, or simply love watching custom quilting unfold stitch by stitch, this lesson is packed with inspiration and smart techniques you can apply right away.

Materials & Supplies Used

Longarm Machine

Gammill 22" (stitch-regulated mode at 13 SPI)

Accessories

Ruler Base
Ruler Foot
Piece N Quilt PopSocket Ruler Grip 

Rulers Used

4-N-1 Machine Quilting Ruler
Mini 4-N-1 Machine Quilting Ruler
Sway 4 Machine Quilting Ruler
Sway 5 Machine Quilting Ruler 

Batting

Quilter’s Dream Wool

Thread

So Fine! Light Pink

Bobbin

Light Pink Pre-wound SuperBOBs

Why You’ll Love This Video

• See how Natalia uses ruler markings to quilt ½" and 1" spacing with no complicated measuring
• Learn how she breaks the quilt into sections to simplify the entire design process
• Watch how she chooses motifs based on fabric prints to avoid competing with the piecing
• Pick up tips for thread handling, hand placement, gentle pressure, and working in your sweet spot
• Discover how to use the Sway 5 hook end for fast, accurate marking
• Enjoy a calm, real-time quilting experience with close-up detail throughout

PNQ Academy members enjoy unlimited access to this video and over 150 additional quilting tutorials—with new videos added every month.

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