Christmas is coming!!

 I know its still a little bit away, but I'm sure some of you are already thinking about Christmas! Do you feel the need for a Christmas quilt to snuggle up under watching classic films and waiting for Santa to arrive? We might just have the answer for you!

Sara over at Sew Sweetness is coordinating a great sampler quilt along starting at the end of this month, and I am really excited to be one of the 12 bloggers contributing a block to this project!  Each block in the quiltalong will be Christmas-themed and the tutorials for each block will be available on each designers' blog, over a 6-week period, giving you plenty of time to complete and giving you a lovely sampler quilt top at the end!

Sara's estimate is that the quilt top will require 12 fat quarters, or 1 layer cake. You could also pull from your stash or your solids - I know I have some nice big Christmas scraps & FQs right at the back of my stash shelf from last year that I'll be using, with some complimentary solids! In addition to that, you will need approximately 1-1/2 yard of solid fabric for the sashing.

Here is the schedule for when each of the 12 block tutorials will appear on the relevant blog. As you can see, I'm taking a little rest after the ATS QAL before jumping in with my tutorial toward the end of November!

Oct 25 - Julianna @ Projektownia Jednoiglec
Oct 27 - Sara @ Sew Sweetness
Nov 1 - Kaelin @ The Plaid Scottie
Nov 3 - Jennie @ Clover and Violet
Nov 8 - Elizabeth @ Don't Call Me Betsy
Nov 10 - Riel @ The Q and the U
Nov 15 - Jennifer @ Ellison Lane Quilts
Nov 17 - Lindsay @ Lindsay Sews
Nov 22 - Jessica @ SewCraftyJess
Nov 23 - Sarah @ Fairy Face Designs
Nov 29 - Heather & Megan @ Quilt Story
Dec 1 - Kim @ My Go Go Life

There is also a '12 Days of Christmas' Sampler Quilt Along Flickr Group for you to join, where you can share fabric choice, block progress and completed projects. So I hope you'll join in with us!

Fabric Covered Button Tutorial

I'm really thrilled to welcome Fiona to my blog today! Fi is a fellow Irish blogger, blogging over at Patchwork Delights and hers is one of the first blogs I started to follow last year. Better still, we have been lucky enough to actually meet up in real life, after discovering that she lives only 5 minutes from my mother!! We have a lot in common, sharing a love of patchwork, modern quilting, fabric....and both of us holding down busy jobs as well as looking after our family. So, I hope you enjoy her great tute... Fi kindly sent me some of her lovely buttons earlier this year and they are totally gorgeous.

Fabric Covered Button – A Tutorial by PatchworkDelights

First things first, I would like to thank Sarah for arranging this tutorial swap! Thanks Sarah x! You will find Sarah’s tutorial running concurrently on my blog here on making your own bunting, so why not go and check it out?

Fabric covered buttons are very straightforward to make and very little is required to make them. You can make small to very large buttons with plain backs or with wire backs (for sewing onto garments). You can make push pins, fridge magnets, bookmarks, the imagination is the limit!

Let’s get down to business shall we?

Getting started
Button covering kit. – you can get them in your local habedashery shop or online.
Fabric, scraps are perfect for this project.



What’s Next?

Well now you can start making buttons!

Get your scrap of fabric (now at this point when you buy a kit they include a measuring template type of thing, you can cut this out and perhaps put it on cardboard and use this to measure out your circle of fabric). I made my own for my larger buttons.

Get your fabric and cut out a circle.


Get the white part of your kit and place the circular piece of fabric (right side facing down) on top of the white thingy.

Then place the button top face down on top of the fabric. You will notice I trimmed mine slightly I was judging with my eye.


Push the button down into the fabric with your finger and of course this will push down into the white part of the tool kit.

This is the tiny bit fiddly part but nonetheless straightforward part. Tuck the fabric into the well of the button until it is all neatly tucked in.


Place the button back on top of this.


Get the blue little cap and place it on the button back and press firmly.


Now ideally you don’t want to pack in loads of fabric into this well but if you find the fabric is slightly on the thicker side then I sometimes use a hammer and with one tap get the button back in firmly and flatly, but this is only the odd time.

Now simply pop out your gorgeous button!


Finished!


My 8 yr old has made loads of my buttons so if he can do it..it’s so simple it’s child’s play and what’s more great fun!


You can choose animal prints, different toning colours, different sizes of buttons, you can embroider them or you can bead them!
I hope you try them, they are great fun and very simple to make!

Any questions don’t hesitate to contact me at patchworkdelights@gmail.com

Thanks again Sarah for arranging this tutorial swap!

Summer Sewing Plans - add yours!!

So here we are, the 1st of May and the first day of summer. Here in Ireland, where we rarely see anything but a rainy summer, we seem to have been bathed in summer sunshine for the last month. So it seems a little funny to be talking about the start of summer, but that's what it is. Even if the sky is threatening rain for the first time in weeks here in Cork.

I love the summer months, the long, bright evenings and the cheery light of summer mornings, even if it is raining! I always feel more positive and really motivated. I've been thinking for the last week or so about what I want to achieve this summer, sewing wise, taking into account the great light and increased energy I always have. And I thought it would be interesting to see what other people plan to do too. So, I've listed my plans for the summer here and I have set up a linky below for anyone who is interested in doing the same on their blogs and linking up. Please do! I'd love a sneak peek of what I might expect to see on your blogs this summer :-) And its a great way to discover new blogs. If you link up, please go and comment on other people's links. Let's have some fun!

1. Finish my Walk in the Woods/It's a Hoot quilt for my goddaughter's First Communion. That's coming up pretty fast now, I need to get it done in the next 10 days.

 

2. Make a quilt for my daughter, the most demanding customer in the world ever. I'm making this from half a layer cake I won in a giveaway of Sherbet Pips and I'm trying Pinwheels for the first time. It'll be a Pinwheel Pips quilt!! I have all my HST sewn up and waiting to be pressed and pieced. Every morning she wants to know is it done yet so I'll be sewing up a storm on this one. I did a trial block last night (top pic!) and love the movement in it :-)

3. Another version of my "Sophie's Dreams" quilt for a Christening gift for a baby girl which I'll be starting to cut this week.

4. Quilt for my son D. He's now feeling a little left out of the action and asked me this morning could he have a train quilt. I have lots of lovely boy's fabrics and I think I'm going to do a simple strip quilt for him.

 

5. My Central Park Skittles quilt. This is for ME! I love these fabrics, I love this pattern, it won't fit with any decor in any room in my house and I don't care, its just for me!!!

 

6. Finish making my bedroom curtains - they've been sitting half made in my basket for almost a year now and they need to be done!

7. Baby quilt - I have a pattern idea for a baby quilt that I want to try to make up and if it works, write up the pattern for.

8. Bottled Rainbows QAL placemats. One done, bar the binding, 3 more to go!

9. Crazy Scrappy QAL - I'm going to see how many blocks I do with this and then decide how I'll use them. I might do a quilt, I might use them for pillows - I'm not sure yet.

10. Quilt for my new niece/nephew when he or she arrives in August (please God, all going well). 

11. Simple Sewing tutorials - I know that in addition to a lot of super experienced followers I have who I go to for advice, I also have a lot of readers who are not very experienced at sewing or quilting and get email questions about sewing questions, how and where I buy my fabric etc. So I thought that it might be of interest to do some tutorials on how to sew simple items - e.g. pincushions, bunting, simple baby blankets etc. I'm also going to do a tute on how to find and buy fabric on Etsy for those people who are interested - particularly people based in Ireland who can't get access to the lovely fabrics available overseas. If you are interested, please leave a comment saying so, or drop me an email to fairyfacedesigns@gmail.com with ideas you would be interested in me covering in tutorials.

So, I'll be busy this summer. How about you? Please link up your summer sewing plans below. I'll run a little mid-summer catch up at the end of June, and a final "review" of how we got on at the end of August and will do a little giveaway for people who participate over the summer.

PictureBox Quilt pattern/tutorial

This isn't a tutorial in the strict sense of the word, but, finally, here is the pattern for my PictureBox quilt. I hope you enjoy making it! If you do, please link up to my new Flickr group for projects made from my tutorials/patterns. I'd love to see them!!!


A couple of small things:
- Please link up to follow me on the sidebar if you make a quilt from this pattern :-) I'd be so thrilled if you did.
- Also, as with most tutes and patterns, it's intended for your own personal use or for gifts but is not for commercial use. Please do not sell quilts made from this pattern.


Ok, so here goes. Please read pattern fully before starting! If you have any questions on any aspects of it, or it doesn't make sense, feel free to ask me any questions via the comments or by email fairyfacedesigns@gmail.com I will answer any questions on the pattern in the comments section rather than back to you via email so that everyone can see the answers.This is the first quilt pattern I've written so please bear with me! And my apologies that I don't have better photos of various stages, I hadn't anticipated doing it as a pattern when I started making it. I also want to say a huge thanks to my friend Fi over at Patchwork Delights who did a sense check on it for me and had some great advice!


The finished quilt measures approx 60" long x 53" wide, slightly wider than cot bed size but not full twin bed size. It is a perfect size for using on a baby's cot bed and then layering over other covers when he/she moves to a twin bed.


Fabric Requirements:

• 3 Fat Quarters of large scale prints for the feature panels
• Fabric scraps for outside "frames" - variety of colours, shades & prints.
• Assortment of fat quarters & large scraps for the small squares - you will need approx 5 FQs or equivalent.
• 1 FQ small scale print/solid colour for framing feature panel
• Approx 1 yd white cotton for sashing ( I used Kona Ivory)
• 1/2 yard solid colour fabric for binding (I used a soft mid-blue shade)
• Backing fabric
• Cotton Batting - I used Warm & White cut off the roll, it was 60" x 64"
• Cotton thread for piecing and quilting. I used Gutterman cotton thread, colour 5709 (white)
• Rotary cutter, cutting mat and quilting ruler

Cutting List:

• From each of the feature fabrics cut a large panel measuring 16" x 10.5". (UPDATED MEASUREMENT) Decide on where best on the FQ to cut to get the best focus for your panel.

• From the FQ of small scale print/solid for framing cut 6 1.5" x 18" strips and 6 1.5" x 10.5" strips.

• From the smaller scraps cut the following, varying fabrics, shades, colours and prints:

          18 pieces - 4.5" x 3.5" (A)
          18 pieces - 3.5" x 3.5" (B)
          12 pieces - 2.5" x 3.5" (C)
            6 pieces - 5.5" x 3.5" (D)
            6 pieces - 6" x 3.5" (E)

• From the FQs/large scraps cut 36 5.5" squares (F) and 12 3.5" x 5.5" rectangles (G).
  
• For the sashing, cut 8 strips 2" x 27.5" (H) , 6 strips 2.5" x 18.5" (I) and 12 strips 2" x 18.5" (J)

Layout and Piecing Instructions:

Use 1/4 inch seams throughout.

1."Frame" the 3 large feature panels as follows:
Attach the small print strips to each side of the large panels by placing right sides together and sewing with a quarter inch seam. Press seams open (or to one side if you prefer). Now take top and bottom strips and sew to the panel & side border piece and press seams open.


2. Decide on the layout of the large panels from top to bottom. Once you have decided how to order them start arranging your small scrap pieces to form the 2nd layer of border frame for each panel.


Each side border should consist of following pieces: [1 x A, 2 x B, 1 x C] and each top/bottom border should consist of following pieces: [2 x A, 1 x B, 1 x C, 1 x D, 1 x E].


How you lay out the scraps for the borders is up to you; I suggest that you move around the composition on each line so that each line does not have exactly the same layout, otherwise it may lack in movement. Consider light and dark shades, colours, pattern etc. and how the bottom and top borders interact with the border on the panel above/below them.

3. Layout the side columns using pieces F & G alongside the large framed panels, leaving gaps where your white sashing will be. Each panel should have 2 pieced columns on either side. Each pieced colum consists of 3 x F and 1x G. I alternated the order/layout in each one, the top and bottom piece in each column should be a square, but I alternated the layout of the 2 middle pieces in each column.

4. Move the fabric around and tweak the layout until you're happy! I find it very useful to take some pics of the layout on my phone/camera and look at them during the process, it gives me a good "big picture" perspective of how pieces interact with each other. I don't follow any particular "rules" (I don't even know if there are any!), I tend to trust my eye in relation to colour and layout.


5. Assemble the pieces ready for sewing in an order that makes sense to you and that you will find it easy to sew with. I ususally pin groups of fabrics for each strip from either top to bottom or left to right and stick a post-it on top of each "pile" numbering them. Taking a picture before starting this process may help you later if any parts get mixed up.


Start piecing! Remember to iron all pieces beforehand and press seams open/to the side after sewing each set of seams. I use a quarter inch foot to get an accurate quarter inch seam.


6. Start with the big panel scrap borders and sew your border strips together. Start with the side borders, piecing the scraps together in a line until done following the layout you decided on. Sew to the sides of the feature panel right sides together. Do the same with the top and bottom borders until your large panel blocks are finished. Set aside for the moment.

7. Piece each of the side columns. Set aside.

9. Sew sashing pieces I to either side of each feature panel block.


10. Sew sashing pieces J to each side of each of the outside columns. Then join the "inside" sashing piece to the outer side of the inner column to make a large column block.


11. Now join each of the large column blocks to the feature panel block sashing, matching up the correct sides.


This leaves you with 3 large horizontally laid out blocks running the width of the quilt top.


12. Take the 8 sashing pieces H and divide into pairs. These will form the horizontal sashing. Join each pair along one of the short edges using a half inch seam.


13. Take the first long sashing strip and sew to the top edge of the top horizontal block, placing the seam in the middle of the block. Do same with next 2 horizontal blocks, and sew final sashing strip to lower edge of bottom horizontal block.


14. Sew middle block to top block along top edge of sashing & bottom edge of pieced block. Follow suit with lower & middle blocks.


15. Trim any excess sashing fabric from edges. Your quilt top is now finished! You will need to press all seams very carefully and trim any stray threads from the raw edges on the wrong side so that they don't show through your white sashing fabric when you start to quilt.

Backing & Basting:

Piece your backing fabric, if you desire. Once it is ready, lay out on a clean floor and, using masking tape, tape to the floor around all the edges, pulling fabric taut but not stretching it. Next, lay your batting down over this and smooth out the surface to lie completely flat. Your batting and backing should be at least 2” wider than your quilt top on all sides. Finally, lay your pressed quilt on top of the batting and take great care to ensure that it is smoothed out.  You will need to crawl around the quilt to get this right, but it’s worth taking the time. You will then need to baste the quilt using your preferred method. I used curved safety pins for quilting; they are much easier to work with than regular straight ones. I start at the middle of the quilt and work outward in a circular fashion, smoothing out any last wrinkles etc as I go. I pin approx every 4-6 inches. Once you are done, remove the masking tape carefully and check that the back has remained smooth and wrinkle free. It is now ready to be quilted!

Quilting:

I quilted the PictureBox with wonky straight lines, but I think it would also look great free motion quilted. It would also look good quilted in wider straight lines.

If you want to do the wonky straight lines, I started by marking a line down the centre of the quilt using a quilt marking tool, or you could use masking tape as a guide. Use your walking foot to ensure even feed of fabric (mine is integrated in my Pfaff machine and works with most of my presser feet). I quilted down the centre line and then used the outside of the widest presser foot I had as a guide for the remaining lines, working out from the centre, and working up and down the quilt in alternate lines. I varied the width of the lines, moving the needle position to get maximum width and allowed the presser foot to vary the line and wobble in and out in places to give the wonky effect. If you're doing this, use the straight seams to ensure you're not going totally "off track" and even things up a little; wonky is good, completely crooked and out of line just looks shoddy. If you want to free motion quilt, you will need to attach the correct foot and lower your feed dogs.

When you are finished quilting, use your rotary cutter and quilting ruler to trim the excess backing and batting from your quilt, and check your lines are straight.

Binding:

If you need detailed binding instructions check out these great, detailed tutorials: Oh, Fransson! or Jaybird Quilts

I use straight grain, double fold binding, but use whatever you prefer. This is how I do mine:

Measure around your quilt to get your total binding length needed and add on at least 10 inches for corners and to give you some spare. Cut enough strips from your binding fabrics to give you the total length, making provision for your seam allowances at the joins – 2.5” is a good width for binding, but you might want to go narrower or wider depending on your taste. Attach the strips to each other, right sides together using a quarter inch seam. I usually use a smaller stitch length here to strengthen the seam. Then fold the long strip in half, wrong side together, and iron the fold the whole length of the binding strip to give a nice sharp crease.

Return to your quilt, pin to your quilt top matching raw edges, making provision for mitred corners and join the ends carefully. Machine sew to the quilt using quarter inch seam. Fold over the binding and sew to back of quilt in whichever method you prefer. I love the look of a machine stitched binding but I know most people prefer it handstitched. Trim any stray threads.

The quilt is now done! Throw it in the washing machine, let it dry and enjoy its lovely crinkly texture. 

Scrappy Crochet Hook Roll Tutorial

 

 

I made this quirky crochet hook roll this week from my very favourite fabric - Ann Kelle's Urban Zoologie Owls. I thought that a straightforward tutorial might be of interest to some of you so here goes, my very first tutorial!

Materials Needed:
Large scraps of the following fabrics - 1 feature fabric, one complimentary solid, 1 contrast solid for binding.I used Ann Kelle's Urban Zoologie Owls and Kona Solids - a lime green and a navy.
Large scrap cotton batting
24" of matching ribbon
Small square Bondaweb or similar
Matching threads


Seam allowances are 0.25" unless otherwise stated.

Cutting List:

Front - from main solid - 5.25" x 8.5"; from feature fabric -  2 pieces measuring 3.25" x 8.5".
Front - fussy cut small detail piece from feature fabric - size dependent on pattern but approx 2.5" x 2.5".
Back (main panel)- from feature fabric, 11" x 8.5"
Back ( folded panel) - from feature fabric, 1.5" x 11"; from main solid, 1 piece measuring 2.5" x 11" and 1 piece measuring 7.5" x 11".

Assemble front:

1. Using Bondaweb or similar, seal fussy cut small panel to main solid front panel, centering carefully.

 

2. Using thread to matching contrast binding colour, stitch around edges of applique leaving raw edges. I used a triple straight stitch (topstitch) setting on my machine to emphasise the stitching. Stitches do not need to be perfectly square, slightly wonky lines add to the charm!

 

3. Pin feature fabric front pieces to main solid & stitch carefully.

4. Iron seams to darker fabric side.


Assemble back:

1. Pin feature fabric between solid pieces and sew, iron seams to darker side.

2. Fold in middle to give piece measuring 5" x 11" and iron.

3. Line up folded piece with main back piece and pin in place

4. Decide how far apart you want your lines for your hooks and mark in place.

I marked the edge seams 0.5" in from raw edge, and marked a number of wide lines at 1" each, then smaller spaces for narrower hooks at 0.5" each. I use a Clover Hera marking tool which marks a sharp crease on the fabric. I love this tool, it's one of my best buys ever! You could also use tailor's chalk or a water soluble pen.

5. Stitch lines as marked. Work from middle of fabric down to bottom.

Quilt front:

1. Place front piece on batting scrap leaving excess batting on all sides and pin in place.

2. Starting by stitching in the ditch of one of the seams, quilt using straight lines on the feature fabric out to the edge. I set my stitch length to 4.0mm and, using the side of my presser foot as a guide and moving needle position, spaced the lines differing widths apart for interest. Some are very close, others wider.

When first side is done, do same on other side. The centre panel of solid fabric is not quilted.

3. Trim excess batting using rotary cutter.

Binding:

For this roll I used double fold binding. If you need detailed instructions on binding check out great tutorials on Jaybird Quilts or Oh, Fransson!
Using contrast solid, cut strips for binding. I cut on the straight grain to a width of 2". Cut 2 strips of approx 24" and join using 45 degree seams.  

 

Fold in half, wrong sides together, and iron.

Assemble Roll:

1. Line up back piece on top of front piece, matching raw edges, and trim any excess fabrics.

 

2. Pin binding in place, matching raw edge of binding to raw edges of roll.

3. Fold ribbon in half and pin on one side of roll, between binding and fabric. The folded edge should line up with the raw edges of the binding and fabric.

4. Stitch binding in place all the way around, making provision for mitred corners.

5. Fold binding over to back of roll and pin, ensuring mitred corners are lined up correctly and machine stitch close to the edge of the bindgin. Ensure that your stitching is picking up binding on the opposite side. (Or handstitch if you prefer)

6. Apply Fray Stop or similar to the ends of your ribbon to seal. Alternatively, turn the edges of your ribbons under and stitch to seal the end and prevent fraying.

You're done!

Fill with your crochet hooks, roll up and admire!! Alternatively, you could use this roll for makeup brushes, just adjust the width  of the stitched lines.

 

I hope that this all makes sense, let me know if you have any questions. And I hope you enjoy making it!