Block #31 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning,

I've been spending the last few days at my studio making more "pages" of techniques from my book "Fabric Embellishing, the Basics & Beyond" I've been teaching it and needed to make samples of some of the techniques that my co-authors wrote and sampled up. It's been a lot of fun. None of the techniques are new to me, but I like adding the new fabric pages to my ever expanding Embellishment Book.

Here is today's new stitch-out; Cobblestones

This is a great design to use in landscape quilts for walkways or building facades. It can also be used as a background filler in contemporary quilts too. Because of it's lines and angles, it's good for mens quilts also.
I like it because it actually looks better if the lines are somewhat crooked. So, rather than worrying about straight lines, I can relax and just stitch.

This stitch out looks best with heavy lines so either use a 30 wt. thread or plan on doubling over the stitch lines at least a second time. You will be doubling over some lines to get to empty spaces in which you need to quilt, but I double over all of the lines since I have almost no 30 wt thread (it's too heavy for the dense quilting I usually do). Even though this design seems pretty straight forward, I suggest doodling it out before you begin quilting.

Cobblestone walkways generally have a natural, un-planned looking layout. A piece of stone is set where it fits. I've seen the workmen drop a large stone so that it breaks then use the pieces where ever they best 'puzzle' in. So, don't do a whole lot of repeat in pattern, simply make squares and rectangles that all intersect with each other, building up the space in between (the concrete) by stitching over previously stitched lines.

Begin by making a rectangle then attach a second rectangle to it that is laid in a different direction keep stitching rectangles and squares that are attached to each other until the entire surface is covered. Try to make the lines that make up the shapes slightly irregular and don't worry about perfection - with this stitch-out, it will take care of itself!

Enjoy,
Till tomorrow,
Heather