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Sunday 19 July 2015

Giveaway!

As promised, here's my little giveaway to celebrate the end of this week on the New Bloggers!  As I said earlier, I discovered I had duplicates of these magazines, so thought why not!

The first giveaway is for these two magazines!  Both Love Patchwork and Quilting, issues 12 and 22.  Both free gifts are included, everything is in good condition.

 Here are some of the things in these magazines I particularly like:

 I'm making this soon!
 Love this rabbit, have made it a couple of times!


 The second giveaway is for issue 12 of Love Patchwork and Quilting and for this book:
 The first book by the Quilt Room featuring pre-cuts, there's loads of good patterns in this.
 This is the jelly roll pattern I've been working at recently.

I made this a few years ago and loved it!

So there we go.  This will be open for a week, finishing next Sunday 26th.  Please comment whether you would like giveaway 1 or 2 (or both, why not!).  If you are following me on blogger or bloglovin, you get another entry, just mention that in your comment.  No need to comment again!  I may be including a little extra surprise too!  Entries are available world-wide.

Sunday Stash

I had the chance to visit Karen at Fiddlesticks Fabrics this week, and picked up these goodies:
Top left for a teddy, other top row for a cushion, and what's over for stash.  Bottom left 3 fabrics for a bag, others to join my PamKitty stash that I've been using for my Farm Girl Vintage.

Linking up with Mollisparkles!

If you visit my blog, the next post is a giveaway for some magazines!

Thursday 16 July 2015

Dresden plate pincushion

This is going to be the last of the patterns I'll be posting this week - unfortunately some things have come up and I won't be able to do the Christmas cushion I promised this week, but soon!

As with previous tutes this week, I'll be talking through how to draft this yourself.

Firstly, draw an approx. 5 1/2" circle on paper.  Cut it out, and fold carefully in half, half again and half again - so into 8.  Cut out one of these segments, and trim off the curved end:
 and a bit off the other end (I actually trimmed a bit more of this).

 Cut out 8 from your fabrics - I have 8 different fabrics, but just two or four would be really cute too!
 Fold in half along the top edge
 sew and clip off the little corner.
 Fingerpress open
 and turn right sides out.
 Arrange
 and sew together.  Your plate will be approx. 3 1/2" wide.
 Applique onto your background fabric, making sure you'll have enough for a 1/4" seam allowance.
 Look at this lovely ladder stitch!
 Note:  I chose to stuff my plate, which I did near the end.  If you don't want to do this, applique a circle over the middle at this stage.
Draw a circle around your plate - I used a small embroidery hoop approx. 4" wide.

 Cut out, and another circle the same size.

Prepare a length to go around it - circumference is a little more than 3x than the diametre, so we'll say 12 1/2", plus at least 1/2" more.  Press under 1/2" at one end, wrong sides facing.
 Starting with this end, pin all around one of your circles (I used the one with the applique on it)
 Ensure you have at least 1/2" overlap, and trim off excess.
 Sew the other end on.  Stuff firmly:
 and sew up the hole in the side.  (Disclosure, I went back, ripped out the stitches and stuffed more in...  so much stuffing!)
 I chose to stuff my little plate, this is optional.  If you do, be very careful not to pull out stitches.
 Prepare a circle for the centre of the plate.  I used a Perfect Circles template, but you could draw round a spool and use that.  I used starch to control the seam allowance.

 Applique over the centre, and that's it!  All done!

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Tilly bag

Hi, welcome to the second tutorial I'm blogging over this week!  I said earlier that I'm useless at naming things - well, the name for this came into my head and I couldn't shake it!  I think the word 'utility' was going around my head and Tilly just developed from there!  This is a super cool bag - there are two zipped pockets, a pocket for my Kindle and removable straps.  I wanted to make a bag to bring to the Festival of Quilts, and this is it!  There are some great techniques for bag making here.

 Back zipped pocket:
 Pocket for Kindle:
 Hidden zip pocket behind Kindle pocket:
 Other interior pockets:
 And removable straps.  This way I can make and use a longer strap to be worn cross-body when I want.
Now, I'm going to tell you how to draft a pattern for this that suits you.  My Kindle isn't a standard size, so I think it's better to know how to make this in the size you want.  I'll be telling you how I made mine, but many of these steps can be changed - pockets etc.

Use an A4 page of paper (or two if needed).  If you are making this to fit a tablet, make sure you are leaving yourself enough room either side.  I drew around something for the corner, then drew a line up from there to the top.  Fold paper in half to cut off these parts to have a symmetrical template.

 If you are going to put a zip on the back (or indeed the lining later) work out your zip placement.  I chose 2" from the top.  Mark the usable length (8 1/2" here), ensuring it is in the centre, and mark two little triangles at each end.  Cut the triangles out.
 Cut out 2 of this shape from your bag fabric and 4 from lining (2 if not including this pocket).  Adhere a good interfacing to the back of the bag fabric.  I used Vilene H640 - a thick and spongy interfacing.  This is personal preference so change as to what you want.  I use this because it has some body but isn't too stiff.  Trim 1/4" from the top of one lining and the front section of the bag.  Set these aside until later - this zip will go into the back.

Position your template over the back of the fabric (so on interfacing) and mark out the little triangles, then use these to draw a long rectangle the length of the zip by 1/4".  Pin a lining fabric right sides facing to this, and sew all round the rectangle.  Tip: Don't just stop sewing when you get all the way around.  Continue at least an inch more so there are no weak spots.

Carefully snip down the middle of the stitching, and into the corners:
 Pull lining fabric through so wrong sides are facing and carefully press:
 Prepare the zip by sewing the end:
 Position zip underneath your opening.  You can pin it in place but I prefer to tack it.

Using a zipper foot and matching fabric, carefully stitch down.  Due to the thickness of the interfacing, I couldn't sew much closer than this, but that is perfectly fine.  I chose to sew around twice.
 Place another lining fabric behind this (so facing the lining fabric behind the zip - does that make sense?!) and using a narrow seam, sew all three fabrics together.

Prepare template for flap of bag.  I marked off what I chose for the width of the bag gusset (3 1/2"), then again folded in half and marked a suitable angle.  I then drew around something round (I think a 505 tin!) to round the edges.



 Cut one from bag fabric and one from lining, interface the bag fabric.

Measure approximately the outside of the bag.  It doesn't hurt if it's a bit longer!  Apply interfacing, then pin around the bag.  Sew using 1/4" seam.
 If your gusset is too long, at this stage cut off excess.  Here I measured what was excess - 1/2" - and cut across to make sure that the cut is even.
 Sew the front section to the other side of the gusset, then the bag flap to the back of the bag.

D Rings:
I chose to be able to remove and change my handles.  To do so, I'll attach them around a D ring.  You can always sew onto a D ring, or just sew your handle straight onto the bag.

For my D ring sections, I cut two pieces 1 1/2" x 3", folded in half, sewed around, leaving a hole to turn.  I turned out and stitched the closure shut.  Choose your position - remember the further down, the more it will pull out the sides of your bag.  Mark where you are going to sew it, and then another line 1 inch closer to the top.  Sew down the bottom of the D ring section
 put the D ring in place.  Position the top along the line marked previously and sew.

Lining:
Select the lining that you didn't trim down.  I chose to put a small zip pocket here.  I marked the fabric as above, then positioned a piece of fabric large enough to be folded to make the pocket.  Position this, then sew on zip as above.

 When you have inserted the zip, you can fold up the back and sew all the way around:
To prepare a pocket for Kindle or tablet:
Make a little tab.  I used a scrap of the outer bag fabric, but you could use the lining fabric.  I made my tab 4" x 1 1/2", then top stitched.  This will be trimmed down later.

 Cut two pieces from lining fabric at least as wide as your bag and the height of the tablet.  Sew together along top edge, then press and top stitch for neatness.  Position over the back of the bag, use a tiny stitch to tack to lining back, and then use the lining back to trim tablet pocket to match.

I chose to have this little tab close with a popper.  Follow instructions given with poppers.  Put a popper on the tab and on pocket.  Position tab between the top of the back section and flap lining and sew.  Trim excess of tab (if necessary).

If wanted, prepare slip pockets for the other main section.  These can be done by cutting two pieces 1/2" larger than required, sew around, turn out and stitch closed.  Top stitch down, dividing into sections if required.

(Here's where my camera was running out of battery and photos are more limited...)

Sew the bag lining together as for the outer bag, leaving a hole in the bottom.

Consider your closure.  If using a magnetic catch (or a sew-in magnetic catch as I have used), position and insert now.

Position lining and outer together, right sides facing, and pin carefully.  Sew all around flap and top edge of bag.  Clip curves on flap.

 Turn out through hole in lining.  Press carefully and topstitch around edge.  To control the gusset from pulling out, I nipped it in and used a backstitch on my machine to hold.

To control around the gusset, pinch the seam between back and gusset and topstitch around the bag.  Repeat for seam between gusset and front..  This can be seen in this photo:

Darn in all ends and sew up hole in lining with a ladder stitch.

I prepared a length for my handle - folded in half and then stitched closed.  I used poppers on both ends so it can be removed and replaced with a longer handle.  If you don't want this, you can stitch the handle in place instead.

Enjoy!  I'd love to know if you make this!

This also counts as one of this quarter's finishes!  Yay!