Joining inner outlines to outer outlines using rectangles?

[ezar5959]

I want to connect the outer outlines to the inner outlines using rectangle bridges.  Image that I'm using is attached.  This is for a cookie cutter and this particular image will serve as the base of a two image composite where the other image is the actual cutting feature and does not need to have the bridges that I'm referring to.  I am new to Illustrator and have figured out how to get this far to create the outlines using the offset path function, but want to make the cutter so that the inner outlines connect to the outer outlines with rectangles that join them.  Using a wider offset path defeats the purpose of making the cutter, so is there another way to add rectangle objects and join them to the outlines some how?

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

You could just draw the rectangles and then subtract them from the shapes (using the pathfinder panel).