i love barn quilts, and i have wanted to make an embroidered version (or as it turns out, two versions) for such a long time.

i had satin stitch in mind when i made this one, and i really like the smooth, strong texture that it creates.

BUT if you're not a satin fan, don't fret -- you can use so many other stitches to color those blocks!

here are just a few ideas:

• brick stitch is one of my favorites (just make rows of offset back stitches)
• you could fill the block with seed stitches, tiny or bigger, spaced loosely or super dense
• rows of chain stitches would work
• if you're up for it, you could use colonial or french knots to fill the triangles.

there really are SO many options, and embroidery designs can be interpreted in many ways.

i encourage you to think about using stitches creatively. think about using basic stitches in a new way.

simply altering the direction of your stitching, spacing the stitches closer or farther apart, or making multiple rows or layers can change the entire feel of your embroidered work.