Free Motion Quilting Echo Crosses – Design #228
I’ve have an idea for a new free motion quilting design using crosses. Flipping back through my sketch books of designs, I’ve noticed many shapes and symbols I’ve used a lot during the project. Hearts, tear drops, triangles, circles, stars, and spirals have all been used to create several designs.
But one shape I haven’t played with is a cross or + sign shape. At least until now!
As soon as I can hop off the computer today I’m heading into the studio to work some more on my new quilted jacket. I’ve finally managed to create a sun pattern that I really like and now the hardest part will just be picking designs to quilt in the background.
But I’d rather have too many designs to choose from than too few! Let’s get back to Echo Crosses and add another design to the project:
Difficulty Level – Intermediate. This design is really not that hard. First concentrate on creating your cross shape, then focus on echoing it with straight lines and sharp angles.
Design Family – Echoing. Echo Crosses is created by first stitching the starting shape, then travel stitching and echoing the shape multiple times. The scale of the design is completely determined by the size of your echoes so if you want this to take up lots of space, keep your echoes big and wide.
Directional Texture – All Directions. What’s really interesting about this design is the texture. It has a nice, multi-directional movement, but it’s also created with straight lines and sharp angles, which tends to go flat on a quilt. This is definitely a texture worth playing with!
Suggestions for Use – I think Echo Crosses would look terrific on a wholecloth quilt, stitched along flowing floral shapes. I really like contrasting shapes and textures and this graphic design will look really good stitched next to curving, fluid shapes.
Let’s go quilt,
Leah Day
I am going to try this design soon. Thanks so much for the idea! You make it look so easy!
I like the last two designs, especially Tangled Snakes. I seemed to like the wiggly, pebbling and pivoting designs the best. You had mentioned zentangles in a past blog. I have made several and they are very enjoyable, relaxing and addictive. I use your filler designs and it is a great way to practice them and have something permanent to keep instead of using scrap paper. I am looking forward to seeing your finished quilted winter jacket. I have made quilted wearables in the past and I like the idea of a quilted jacket. We get much colder weather where I live (New Jersey), so I would need to make it a little heavier or add a seperate lining. Are you using the same pattern as the last jacket you made? Thank you for all you have done for quilters. You are a never ending inspiration to us all.