The Machine Quilting Challenge - Block # 57

Good Morning,

Here is today's new stitch-out. It looks a bit out of focus here in its smaller size. Click on the photo to see it larger and in focus.

Today's stitch-out is two similar but different border designs. Both use small leaves and one has flowers and the other has berries and flourishes.

Begin by cutting fabric that is 7 1/2" x 14 1/2" (trim down to 7" x14" after quilting) and batting that is the same size. Divide the fabric up the middle using a Hera marker.

Begin stitching at the bottom, center of one half of the rectangle, pulling the block toward you as you stitch.

For the flower design, begin by stitching up to one side and ending in a small leaf that is about 1/2" long by 1/4" wide. Add a short center vein to the leaf then back back down the vine about half way and stitch out another stem with a leaf. Make a third stem and leaf then double back into the vine. Stitch over in the opposite direction and form a small circle at the end of a stem. Surround the circle with 6, small, 3/4 circle petals. Keep alternating side to side with groups of leaves and flowers trying to fill all of the space equally.

For the berry design use the same method as above only instead of making flowers make groups of three berries that are just smaller than a dime in size. Make sure that they touch each other and try to get them as circular as possible. Use fewer stems and leaves but add little tendrils by stitching away from the vine or stem in a curly q fashion then doubling back to thicken the line. Again, try to keep the designs evenly spaced.

Hope you enjoy these border designs,
Till tomorrow,
Heather

The Machine Quilting Challenge - Block #56

Good Afternoon and Happy Monday,

I had a really nice weekend, hope you did too. Tom and I went on a day trip up through the mountains to Salida to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. It was hot, but lovely. It's so nice to get out of town - even if it's just for a day.

Here is today's new stitch-out. I really like the movement and energy of this design and it's pretty easy to do. It is grid based so you may want to draw at least horizontal lines. Feel free to draw vertical lines too to make squares. I drew horizontal lines that were 2" apart.

The design is similar to "Combs" or E's, which we did about 40 blocks ago. Only instead of straight lines and curves we have arcs and points. To make it more interesting I also changed the direction that the curves were facing too.

Begin at the bottom left hand corner and stitch up a gentle curve to the first marked line, form a point as you stitch back down with a second gentle curve that nestles about 1/4" away from the first. Continue making arcs until you have filled in about a 2" space. In the next two inch section make the same arcs but move them horizontally. In the next two inch sections make vertical arcs again, but curve them in the opposite direction as the arcs in the first section. Keep making two inch sections of curved arcs, alternating from vertical to horizontal and left facing, top facing, bottom facing and right facing curves. Do the same in the next rows, alternating directions as shown in my stitched block.

Hope you have fun with this one. Tomorrow it's on to more border designs,
Heather

Block #55 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Afternoon,
I'm working at my studio today and have just finished getting it set up for today's 1st Friday art walk. It's so nice to be able to open to the public a couple of times each month - nice to get my work out there and have folks other than quilters see it!
A shout out to Christa Irell, thanks for all the positive comments that you send me. It's great knowing that you're out there appreciating my blog. Thank you!
Today's new stitch-out looks simple, but when stitched large like this it can be a little difficult. It will provide you with more great help on getting straight, straight lines.
It may be helpful to draw rows on your block using a hera marker so that you get even distribution. My rows are 2" wide. This stitch is much easier to make small, but you'll learn a lot more making 2" than you would making it 3/4". It's simply big, close together zig-zags that are positioned in groups of 3-4 and move in opposite directions. You have to pretend that you're working inside a square and keep the design inside those parameters.
Begin in the lower left hand corner and stitch up at an angle till you reach the row line then angle back down making the bottom width of the triangle about 1/2" wide. Next stitch back up again and make another triangle. Make 1 or 2 more depending on how much space you have left in your imagined square. Make sure that you finish stitching with the needle down along the bottom of the block. Stitch over about 2" at an upward angle and form the first horizontal triangle. Keep making horizontal triangles until you've reached the row line. Stitch the next section vertically then the next one horizontally and so on. Aim to keep each line as straight as possible and all of the tips of your triangles as pointy as can be.

This design has great energy and movement. It can add a lot of power to a drab composition.
Hope you enjoy it,
Till tomorrow,
Heather

Block #54 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning,

Here is today's new stitch-out. It's a big departure from the past five days of flowers!. I call it Making Tracks. Though it looks very simple, it's one of the harder designs to perfect. Remember to doodle it out before taking your first stitch.

Begin by dividing your quilting space into 10 equally spaced rows. Each row of stitching will occupy two of the marked rows. The design is basically a connected series of arrow heads that when joined together look like tire tracks.

Begin at the lower left corner and stitch at an angle up toward the right to the first marked line then stitch in the opposite angle over and up to the left to the second marked line, forming a side ways "V". Now that you are on the second line, stitch over about 1/2" on that line then form the next "V" keeping it about 1/2" away from the first. Keep stitching sideways "V"'s all the way across the block. Once you have reached the far end of the block, stitch up along the right hand edge until you are in position to stitch the first "V" in the second row. These are sewn in the opposite direction of the "V"'s in the first row. Keep stitching row after row of sideways "V"'s each row moving in the opposite direction from the row below it until you have completed the block.

This stitch-out is great practice for improving your straight lines and managing spacing between designs.

Hope you enjoy it,

Till tomorrow,

Heather

Block #53 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning,

Hope you are all enjoying a beautiful Memorial Day. Always a great time for picnics, hiking, and BBQ. I spent a few moments this morning thinking about all of the people in my life who have moved on to another plane and sending thanks out to them, where ever they are for the gifts they each imparted to me. It's nice to take time to remember the gifts of friendship and love.

Today's stitch-out is the last in the flower series (don't worry, we'll do more flowers later on). I almost didn't use this block because the flowers don't show up very well against the background quilting. But then I decided it's a great way to show you "what not to do"! In the machine quilting design classes that I teach I always warn my students that too much of a good thing is simply that... too much! Here in this block, the curvy, wavy flowers are almost lost in the curly, wavy background stitching. It is always a good idea to switch up the positive and negative spaces. If the positive space features curvilinear designs then the background space should have straighter lines and vice versa.

The flowers are still great though. Click on the photo for a larger view. Remember to doodle these babies out before you begin stitching. There are four varieties of the same flower shown here. The top left shows the basic flower with "stones" center and wavy edged petals. The top left is the same with one long wavy vein in each petal. The bottom left has three short veins in each petal and the bottom right has additional petals added between and behind the original petals.

To stitch the basic flower, start where you want the center to be and make a tiny circle (about 1/8" across) surround this center circle with two to three rows of similar sized circles until you have formed a circle of circles that is about the size of a nickle. Now begin making petals. My flowers have six petals, you can shoot for that number or any number you like, just make it consistent. The petals are wide at the base, have wavy sides and end in a point.

Add interest to the basic flower by adding veins in the petals (two varieties are shown) or by doubling over the existing petals and adding another petal in between.

I hope you've enjoyed these floral stitch-outs,

Till tomorrow,

Heather

Block #52 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning,

Here is today's new stitch-out (sorry if it seems a little out of focus - click on it to see it larger and in focus). It features two different floral border designs, one simple and one more ornate. Both feature the simple flower from blocks #49 and #50 as well as small simple leaves and a vine.

The difference between the two is that with the more ornate (lower) design, the flowers have a spiral center and veins in the petals and there are more leaves and an addition of tendrils.

When stitching vines or continuous designs of any sort, I find it easiest to start with the bulk of the block or quilt behind the machine and pull it towards me as I stitch. This gives me a better view of where I've been and where I'm going.

Instead of cutting a block, cut a large rectangle - mine is 7" x 14" (we will stitch out lots of borders designs using this size). Divide in half down the long middle using your Hera marker so that you have two narrow border sections to work in.

Begin on one of the short ends and start with the needle in the middle of the border section. Stitch a stem up to one side about 1" then make a sprig of leaves. Stitch back to the stem then stitch over to the opposite side and stitch a small flower; about 1 1/2" wide. Stitch back to the stem then stitch over to the opposite side until you have room to make another flower. Stitch the flower then stitch back to the vine. Keep stitching from side to side and stitching either a flower or a sprig of leaves so that they alternate with each other from side to side as shown.

To make the more elaborate design, simply doll up the flowers with a fancier center and veins or doubled up petals and add more leaves between all of the designs and add tendrils by stitching curling lines away from the vine then doubling back on them back to the vine.

I use this stitch out a lot in medium sized borders - 2 1/2" - 5" in width. It's a little 'girly' but there isn't anything wrong with that!

Enjoy,

Till tomorrow,

Heather

Block #51 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning All,

Here is today's stitch-out; Daises. This flower features an asterisk like center and 8-9 petals. Use the same 'doughnut' style circle set up to doodle it in as you did with block #49.

To begin a Daisy, start in the center and make a short line that is about 1/2" long then double back to where you started. Next stitch another 1/2" long line angled out from the center that is just a bit away from the first line. Continue making 1/2" long lines that shoot away from the center, forming a circular shape that looks like a full asterisk. I usually go around a second time adding more lines to make a very full center.

Once the center is complete begin forming the petals. Each petal is narrow (but NOT pointed) at the base and gets wider as it gets to the rounded tip. Make 8-9 petals around the center. To add more interest the the basic flower (upper left hand corner) you can add a center vein in each of the petals (upper right hand corner) of you can add 1-2 more smaller petals inside each of the larger petals (lower right hand corner) or you can make the petals pointed and add veins (lower left hand corner).

I used an angled/straight stipple rather than a curved stipple in the background. The angular form of this background stitch really allows the curvy flowers to stand out.

Hope you enjoy today's flower,

Till tomorrow,

Heather