Sometimes you just want to draw a line from here to there on the surface of fabric. That’s where the Stem or Outline Stitch comes to the rescue. Think of the Stem Stitch or Outline Stitch as a line drawn with needle and thread.
Here’s how to make Stem or Outline Stitches: Bring the needle and thread up at point A. Insert the needle tip at point B about 1/4″ from point A. Bring the needle tip up about half way back to A at point C. Draw the needle and thread through the fabric.
Repeat the steps above with what was point C now becoming point A. To make the Stem Stitch, consistently keep the working thread below the stitch line as you work left to right. To make the Outline Stitch, keep the working thread above the stitch line as you work from left to right.
The Stem Stitch is a handy stitch for outlining shapes but can also be used to draw flower stems or fences. Place adjacent rows of the Stem Stitch together to, build solid shapes like the tree trunk in this example.
To delineate one shape from another on your quilt top, run the Stem or Outline Stitch just next to the fabric shape. Chose a thread color that is contrasting in color or value to really make the shape pop like this Size 12 Oranges thread around the bird’s body.