Candy Stripes – A Free Motion Quilt Tutorial

November 26, 2013
Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes
The Candy Stripe

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy StripesGood morning, Quilters!  Here we are working away in Santa’s workshop and we’d like to pause for a little quilt tutorial. (Something you can do in less than 15 minutes!)

Today, we have the very festive Candy Stripes Tutorial–a North Pole favorite!  This pattern is a variation on The Twisted Rope pattern we worked on in September.  We are going to add a few squiggles between our rope layers to achieve this Christmas motif.

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Begin by drawing two “rails”–drawn lines that will serve as guidelines to keep our stitching tidy.  In the samples below, the lines are 1-1/4 inch apart.  We will be stitching up–we will start at the bottom and stitch up to complete a full candy stripe.  (You can stitch this up or down or from right to left when you are quilting–but for the purposes of today’s photos–we are stitching from the bottom toward the top.)

Begin stitching on the left rail.  Sew on the rail a few stitches, then curve up and toward the right rail. Stitch on the right rail several stitches, then stop.

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Stitch down and toward the left rail.  Before you get to the left rail, curve down.

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Next, stitch a squiggly line up and down until you are near the right rail. ( You may be able to complete three or four “squiggles” in this space-depending on the size of your “rope”.)

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Now echo stitch next to your first line of stitching, and stitch up and directly on your left “rail”.

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Echo stitch to the right rail.  Reverse direction and echo stitch back to the left rail. (These two steps add a little extra striping between the squiggles.)

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Now you are ready to begin the entire stitch again.

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

There is a great rhythm to this pattern once you get going.  It makes a fabulous border on any Christmas quilt, and it looks “sweet” on any children’s quilt.

Doodle this for several minutes – then grab some red fabric and give it a try.

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial, Christmas Candy Stripes

Come back tomorrow for Work in Progress Wednesday.  I used the Candy Stripes in a little stocking stuffer my Mother.

Speaking of stocking stuffers…I will be posting my annual Stocking Stuffers for Quilters and Seamstresses post early next week.  I have several new ideas for 2013!

May your stitches be sweet (and pepperminty),

Lori Kennedy, SEFC

(Santa’s Elf, First Class)

 

 

 

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