Sunday, October 25, 2015

Tutorial - How to Reverse Applique



For all those that have joined us on the #YULETIDESAL it has been lovely to see all of your progress with your own Tree Skirts.  There are lots of lovely pics to date from creators all over the world.  You can check out the #yuletidesal hash tag over on Instagram.

This week we are working on the Reverse Appliqué for the Stars and this can be a little tricky so below I am demonstrating the how to with some photos along with instructions to help you out.

Step 1 - Trace out the stars pattern from the templates onto your Vliesofix (Heat n Bond).  Iron (according to the manufacturers instructions) onto the back side of your tree skirt above the trees or houses.


Step 2 - Carefully cut out the Stars through both layers of Vliesofix and fabric.


Step 3 - Peel back the Vliesofix and place your matching fabric cut out with the right side of the fabric showing through to the front of your Tree skirt.  Press in place.  Make sure your fabric covers the Vliesofix completely or you will have a big mess on your iron.



Step 4 - Sew around the outside of your stars with your chosen method of stitching.  I chose to simply sew around the stars with straight stitch on my machine using a cream Gutermann Sulky Thread.


Hope that helps show just how easy Reverse Appliqué is to do.  It is effective and gives your project just something a little extra special.

The Yule Tide Tree Skirt Pattern is available for PDF download here at my Store or Wholesale through Creative Abundance if you are a store looking to carry this pattern.

Happy sewing
Jemima x

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Shadow Stars - Quilt/Play Mat Tutorial



Earlier this year I was thrilled to be asked to join the Penny Rose Design Team.  Being able to design and create projects with upcoming and current ranges is great fun and hopefully inspires you along the way.

I absolutely adore making children's quilts - and with the beautiful range "Toy Chest" to create with, these prints reminiscent of the best things in life as a child - who would not love sweet chicks, cute birds, sailing boats, mice with their cheese and so many other fun prints.  Here is my Tutorial to make this Shadow Stars Quilt for yourself.




Shadow Stars Quilt
32in x 40in
1/4in seam allowance included
Fabrics based on 42in Width of Fabric (WOF)

Fabric Requirements
20 Fat 1/8ths Toy Chest fabrics
1.25yds White spot fabric
3/8 yd of Binding fabric
40in x 48in batting
40in x 48in backing fabric

Cutting Instructions
From each of 10 Toy Chest Fabrics for the Main Stars cut 
1 - 4.5in x 4.5in square
8 - 2.5 x 2.5in squares

From each of the remaining 10 Toy Chest fabrics for the Shadow Stars cut
4 - 2.5in x 2.5in squares
4 - 2.5in x 4.5in rectangles

From the White spot fabric cut
10 - 4.5in x 4.5in squares
120 - 2.5in x 2.5in squares
40 - 2.5in x 4.5in rectangles

From the binding cut
4 strips at 2.5in x WOF

Assembly Instructions

1. To make 1 Main Star take a 2.5in x 2.5in Toy Chest Square and draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.  Lay the square right sides together on a white spot 4.5in x 2.5in rectangle.  Pin in place and machine sew in place.


2. Trim away 1/4in after the sewn line.  Press the Triangle out.


3.  Repeat step 1 and 2 for the other side.  


4. This is now a Flying Geese unit and you will need to make 4 per fabric for each of the 10 Main Stars.


5. To each side of 2 Flying Geese units, pin and sew a 2.5in x 2.5in White Spot fabric.  Press towards the main print.  Take the other 2 remaining Flying Geese and pin and sew to either side of the 4.5in x 4.5in Main Fabric square.  Press towards the Flying Geese units.


6.  Sew the unit together as shown above.  Repeat to make 10 Main Star fabric blocks in total.



7. To make 1 Shadow Star you will need 1- 4.5in x 4.5in White spot fabric square, 8 - 2.5in x 2.5in White spot fabric squares, 4 Toy Chest 2.5in x 2.5in squares and 4 Toy Chest 2.5in x 4.5in rectangles.  

8. To make the Shadow Stars repeat steps 1-6 as above to make 10 Shadow Star Blocks.

9.  You will now have 10 Main Star blocks and 10 Shadow Star blocks.  Arrange these in a 4 x 5 formation until you are happy with the placement of the fabrics and colours.

10. Pin and Sew the first row together making sure to match up all the points so that your seams sit nicely. Press seams towards the "darker" or Toy Chest fabrics.  Sew each of the rows together and then sew all the rows together. 


11.  Sandwich your quilt.

12.  Machine Quilt or Hand Quilt as desired.  I machine quilted mine using a loopy Free-Motion design on my sewing machine all over the quilt.

13. Bind your quilt - take the binding strips and join them end to end.  Press them in one direction.  Then press the entire strip in half length ways with wrong sides facing.  Start about half way along one of the sides of the quilt, metering the corners as you go.  Stop about 6 inches from where you started.  Join the ends and cut off the excess.  Continue sewing the binding to the quilt top.  Trim the backing and wadding, fold over the binding and slip stitch into place along the back seam line.





Happy Sewing
PS - isn't my niece a cutie!

Jemima x 

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Smitten Quilt - My English Paper Piecing Adventure - Part 4


Time to prep some more hexes for my Smitten.


When I first started this Smitten way back in March - Fussy cutting wasn't really a thought for how I wanted to create my Hexies.  I purchased Fat 1/16ths for this quilt and of course this meant that the pieces were not big enough for fussy cutting.


However as I continued on I knew that I had to add some Fussy Cutting in somewhere in my quilt.  I raided my stash and found some fabrics that would just be perfect for fussy cutting with pattern repeats and large enough pieces to cut out large holes into the fabric to make these hexies.


With some careful cutting and stitching I am stoked with how these fussy cut hexes turned out and can't wait to add them in.


Heading towards the home stretch for the piecing for this Quilt - these Small Hexagons took a little time to cut and piece with the size of the smaller diamonds and triangles that make these up.



These hexes came together really quickly with only three diamonds per hexagon.


With all the small hexagons complete it was time to hand stitch them together to make them into Large Hexagons.  After some sorting, arranging and cutting of certain prints and fabrics to make each hexagon the right colour way I have made great progress on these Large Hexagons.



Each one I make becomes my new favourite.  So close to having these all pieced.

Happy Sewing
Jemima x
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