Thursday, March 18, 2010
Block #7
Here is today's new stitch-out. It features three small flowers and echo quilting. Echo quilting is another way to increase your skill with machine quilting long lines. It takes practice to make them smooth and patience to get the stitch lines evenly spaced.
As a free style quilter - meaning that I'm not into perfection and I don't do much, if any marking - I strive for an overall neat, tidy, artsy look. Notice how my lines are not perfectly spaced, but that the block looks good anyway. Striving for perfection can often keep us from trying. Striving for really good on the other hand is more attainable!
To begin this stitch out. Stitch some sort of large motif or motifs in the center of your block. I used three smallish flowers. Then, simply trace around the design(s) as you stitch. Continue adding new echos of the design keeping each row of stitching somewhat evenly spaced. Choose 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2" spacing. Notice how I handled the bottom left corner area. Once I can no longer get around a section because to do so would be to run off the edge, I continue stitching in a spiral then knot off and move to another area. This adds lots of visual interest because it breaks up the line.
I hope you enjoy this new block,
Till tomorrow,
Heather
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1 comment:
Hi Heather, I took your year long color & design class about 5 years ago & just decided to check out your blog. I'm all excited to try your machine quilting block stitch outs for the next 21! days in a row (hope I can stick with the program). Thanks for doing this for us.
Judy
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