Custom Machine Quilt a Piña Colada Quilt with Natalia Bonner

Join professional machine quilter Natalia Bonner inside the PNQ Academy as she custom machine quilts a vibrant Piña Colada quilt, pieced from the Piña Colada pattern by Vanessa of Lella Boutique.

In this calm, behind-the-shoulder 1 hour 3 minute video, Natalia focuses on marking and quilting scalloped designs across pineapple blocks using the Sway Baby, then builds on that structure by adding quilted flowers with the Sway 3. As the design expands, she moves into the borders—combining the Sway 2 and Sway 3 to create clean, consistent curves that frame the quilt beautifully.

Throughout the video, Natalia shares her full marking and quilting process, demonstrating how to think beyond the seams and bring secondary designs to life. You’ll see how intentional marking, combined with ruler quilting, creates flow across the quilt—turning individual blocks into a cohesive, custom design.

As she quilts, Natalia walks through her decision-making process—explaining how she chooses designs that fit the space, how she balances ruler work with free-motion quilting, and how to approach more detailed quilting in a way that’s both comfortable and sustainable for your body.

She also shares her go-to quilting setup, working in stitch-regulated mode at 13 stitches per inch, and emphasizes the importance of working within your throat space and maintaining a relaxed, controlled approach for smooth, consistent stitching.

You’ll pick up practical longarm quilting tips, including how to mark for accuracy, how to create repeating scalloped designs, and how to use ruler quilting to build layers of texture and movement throughout your quilt.

This video is a beautiful example of how thoughtful marking, ruler work, and creative planning can transform a pieced quilt into a fully custom quilted design.

Materials & Supplies Used

Machine
• Gammill 22" Longarm
• Stitch-regulated mode, 13 stitches per inch (SPI)
• Ruler Foot
• Ruler Base

Rulers & Tools
• Sway Baby
• Sway 2
• Sway 3
• Sway 4
• Mini 4-N-1 Machine Quilting Ruler
• Piece N Quilt PopSocket Ruler Grip
• Long Straight Ruler (The Quilted Pineapple) – for marking
• Blue Mark-B-Gone Marker

Thread
• So Fine! Thread #402 & #443

Bobbin
• Pre-wound SuperBobs

Batting
• Quilter’s Dream Poly Deluxe Batting

Why You’ll Love This Video
• Learn how to mark and quilt scallops using the Sway Baby
• See how to build floral designs with the Sway 3
• Discover how to use Sway rulers together for cohesive border designs
• Understand how to think beyond the seams and create secondary designs
• Gain confidence combining marking, ruler quilting, and free motion
• Learn how to quilt comfortably during longer, detailed quilting sessions

PNQ Academy members enjoy unlimited access to this video and over 200 additional instructional quilting videos, with two new videos added every month.

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