Tutorial: Fabric envelopes

I've made these fabric interoffice-style envelopes with one goal in mind: FLATness. All the methods I've employed were to make them flat flat flat like a real envelope. Feel free to adapt it to your own needs and do what works for you! (a post about my inspiration is here)

In addition to your standard sewing supplies you need:

• A mailing envelope opened up to use as your pattern
• A pen or pencil
• a fat quarter of fabric for the outside of the envelope
• a scrap of fabric about 4 x 10 inches for the inside flap
• A fat-quarter sized piece of stiff fusible stabilizer. I had some Pellon decor bond so I used that.
• Steam a Seam 2, 1/4" wide, or other skinny fusible web
• Fabric glue
• A bit of string or ribbon about 13" long
• 2 buttons

Trace around your envelope onto the non-fusible side of your stabilizer. Cut out. Don't worry about wrinkles or folds.

Iron the stabilizer to the wrong side of your main fabric, making sure there aren't any little threads between them that might show through. Trim off the excess fabric.

Now find the middle of the top flap and make a mark there on the stabilizer. Glue one inch of your string here.

Now you'll be gluing down your contrast fabric for the inside flap. I put glue all around the flap edge and along the bottom of the scrap of fabric. After this picture I smeared the glue thin with my finger using a light touch so the glue wouldn't soak through.

I pressed it to make sure it was as flat as possible. Then I added a little glue along the sides where they weren't already glued down.

Flip it over so you can cut off the excess lining fabric without chopping off your string. Use a close zigzag to finish the edges.

Then start folding. I would suggest pressing down the top flap first so you get it nice and flat without having to iron it over the other stuff. I figured this out after I'd already missed my chance to do it this way.

Use the Steam a Seam to join the center seam and then the bottom flap.

Sew your buttons by hand, one to the top flap, one just below. It's easier to keep your stitches neat on the reverse if you use two-hole buttons.

I'd say it took me about an hour to make one. Well, one hour and one week because I didn't like any of my buttons at home and had to make a special trip to the sewing store.

I am trying to think of something awesome to give to someone awesome in one of these awesome envelopes now. If you make one I hope that you feel like a rock star when you use it!

Free Motion Quilting: Basics

I personally never watch videos on blogs because the only time I am online is while watching TV or while on the bus. Nevertheless, it occurred to me that you might want to see a video of the basics of free motion quilting. So my handsome husband lovingly held my iPhone after the baby was abed, and I did a down and dirty video of all the things I'm about to talk about below. Bonus: this is also my 100th blog post. I think that's some sort of good omen. So, here you go! If you're like me and don't want to watch this, I think I did a pretty good job explaining it below.



These are the steps I take when free motion quilting. You may do things differently, and if you're inclined to experiment with other approaches, go right ahead!

Pulling up the bobbin thread

Get your practice pad under your needle, wherever you plan to start stitching. Lower the foot. Using the handwheel, take a stitch into the fabric and bring the needle back up. Slide the pad out a bit and pull on the thread to "pop" the bobbin thread up where you can grab it. Pull out the thread until the free end comes through. Now line up the pad so that the needle is directly above where you took the first stitch.

Hold the threads gently behind the foot as you start stitching, to prevent them from turning into a snarled mess on the back of your quilt.

Locking your stitches
 We want your stitching to hold for the coming decades of use and washing. You need to do something to keep the loose ends of the threads from unraveling where you start and stop your stitching. Some people take a few stitches in place. I slowly take a few stitches away and then back again over the same stitches to really lock them down. This leaves a somewhat more noticeable area in the stitching, but I think it's worth it for what I think is a stronger "lock". I expect my quilts will be washed a lot.

You can do whatever you'd like to lock your stitches. You can even do the fancy quilt show maneuver where you tie the threads together and then bury them in the quilt using a needle. I detest extra steps so I have never tried this.

What to do with your hands
Some people grab their quilts. Some people grab with one hand and lay the other flat. I lay both my hands flat so they make a "U" shape. While stitching I press down on the quilt sandwich and slightly outwards, to eliminate any wrinkles in the area I am stitching. I stitch whatever I can in this"U" shaped area, then I stop and reposition my hands without letting the quilt shift. If your machine has a needle down feature, that is very helpful, the needle holds the quilt in place while you move your hands. My machines don't have this feature, and invariably, the needle stops up. So I either take one hand off and use the handwheel to lower the needle, or I move my hands one at a time. The quilt stays in place, lined up for me to stitch again. When you reposition your hands, remove any pins that are in the "U" shape where you will be quilting.

Stitching
I aim for 8-10 stitches an inch. When I first started, I took about 40 stitches an inch. Or 2. I broke at least one needle. If that's how you start out, don't worry. I was taught to err on the faster side with stitching speed and I do find that when I stitch faster my lines are smoother and my stitch length is more consistent.

Ok, so now that we've covered HOW you get started, tomorrow we'll work on WHAT to stitch - hope you have your practice pads ready!

Patchwork kitchen towel tutorial

So, as promised, here is a little tutorial on gussying up a kitchen towel with patchwork. I have made towels like this before, but I did those by turning the raw edge of the patchwork under. This involved a lot of time ironing, and an occasional burned finger. This time around I couldn't be bothered to get out the iron, so I used twill tape to cover the raw edges of the patchwork. Are you lazy like me? If so, read on.

Supplies needed:

• A kitchen towel of some sort. I used these "barmop" towels not because I like them (I don't) but because they were the only plain towels available at the store when I went. In my mind's eye I picture these patchwork strips sewn on a sweet linen towel but alas, they are harder to come by than one would imagine.
• A patchwork strip the width of your towel plus 2"
• Twill tape, twice the width of your towel plus 4"
• Basic sewing and cutting supplies.

Lay your patchwork strip across one end of the towel, evenly spaced from the bottom. My strip is shown about 2" from the bottom. Pin in place.

Get the starting edge ready (don't worry about the far end). Turn the raw edge of your patchwork under 1/2" so it is flush with the side edge of the towel. Pin in place. Align the twill tape over one edge of the patchwork so that the raw edge of the patchwork lies underneath the middle of the twill tape. Turn the twill tape under 1/2", so that the folded edge is flush with the edge of the towel and the patchwork.

Stitch along one side of the twill tape, as close to the edge as you can. Backstitch at the beginning. This thing is going to get washed a LOT.

Keep the twill tape aligned over the raw edge of the patchwork as you go. These crazy barmop towels stretched out as I sewed, which is why I recommend leaving yourself a little wiggle room with slightly longer lengths of patchwork and twill tape than you think you will need.

As you approach the other edge of the towel, fold under the raw edge of the patchwork so it is flush with the side edge of the towel. Estimate the length of twill tape required to reach the side edge of the towel plus 1/2" and cut the twill tape.

Fold the end of the twill tape under so it is flush with the side edge of the towel and patchwork.

When you reach the edge, pivot, stitch across the short edge of the twill tape.

Pivot again to return down the other side of the twill tape, again stitching as close to the edge as you can. When you reach the other edge, pivot to stitch up the remaining short side of the twill tape. (This step is not pictured!). Stop stitching, oriented to continue down the starting edge of the patchwork strip. Do not stitch yet though.

Set up the other raw edge the way you did the first, by folding under the edge of the remaining piece of twill tape, and centering it over the raw edge of the patchwork.

Now stitch down the side edge of the patchwork and over to the other twill tape. When you get to the tape, stop and pivot, stitch down the inner side of the twill tape (the side that overlaps the patchwork) close to the edge.

When you get to the other end, take the opportunity to sew down that loose side edge of the patchwork strip. I stitched down the side edge and then stopped and pivoted to stitch right back up over what I'd just stitched, to the remaining unsewn edge of the twill tape. (this step is not shown) Sew back up the final edge of the twill tape and the tape's final short edge, backstitch and you're done! (this step is not shown)

This is a pretty simple concept. I hope my pictures and attempts to explain haven't made it seem more complicated than it is. I would enjoy seeing anything you've made with inspiration from this tutorial!

Easy appliqué with a dryer sheet

I really caught the tutorial bug from Sew, Mama, Sew! This is a tutorial about how to use a dryer sheet to make appliqué easy, quick, and non-scary. You could also use lightweight interfacing if your family doesn't use dryer sheets or if you are sort of a worrywart about your quilting . Your dryer sheet should be USED, and completely free of its fabric softener and chemicals. Tossing it in a load of wash after it's been used in the dryer should do the trick. Don't iron the dryer sheet, it will melt (ask me how I know). Throughout this tutorial, click the pictures to see them larger with glorious detail.

So, to start, gather a piece of scrap paper, a marker, scissors and the dryer sheet.


Draw your design on the paper, at the size you want your finished appliqué to be. Exception: long skinny things (like the beak, as seen below) should be drawn slightly longer and fatter than you intend them to end up.


Now lay the fabric sheet over the drawing. Trace the drawing onto the dryer sheet with the marker. This is the magic of the dryer sheet. It's kind of like fabric and kind of like tracing paper!


Find a piece of fabric big enough to accommodate your design plus 1/4" around. Lay the fabric right side up then put the dryer sheet over it, right side up. I know it seems wrong. Trust me.


Stitch along the pattern line, around the entire design. I prefer to do this step by machine but you can hand stitch just as well if you take small stitches.


Cut the piece out 1/4" from the stitching.


Clip the fabric away from any points. Snip the fabric along any concave curves (On the bird I clipped the crotch, the back of the neck, and under the beak). Skipping this step will cause heartache and gnashing of teeth! Do it!




Now use a sharp scissors to cut a slice just in the dryer sheet and not the fabric. Turn the piece right side out through this hole. No worries if you rip the slice farther, just try to keep the dryer sheet intact where it meets the fabric. The dryer sheet is going to end up sandwiched between your appliqué and your backing, so don't give it much mind.


See how all the raw edges are behind the fabric sheet? Now they can't shred when you're appliquéing!


Iron the appliqué from the fabric side to make it nice and flat. See how nicely it matches the original drawing!


Now you are ready to attach the appliqué to whatever backing you wish. If you already know how to appliqué, I hope you enjoyed the dryer sheet trick! If you don't know how to appliqué, read on... Put your appliqué where you want it and pin it down.


Thread a sharp needle. Knot the end of the thread. Bring the needle up from the wrong side of the backing, directly next to the appliqué. Reminder : enlarge these pictures by clicking on them if you need more detail.


Now put the point of the needle inside the folded edge of the appliqué, right next to where the thread is coming up from the backing.


Bring the needle back out of the folded edge of the appliqué, making a stitch about 1/4". Pull your thread through.


Now you are going to take a stitch below the backing WITHOUT turning your work over. Put the needle in the backing directly beneath where the thread is coming out of the appliqué.


Bring the needle back up, directly next to the appliqué, making a stitch about 1/4". Pull the needle through.


These are the only two stitches involved in appliqué. A stitch inside the folded edge of the appliqué...


Alternated with a stitch behind the backing... Whenever the thread comes up out of one fabric, it dives directly into the other fabric, so you end up seeing very little of the thread. It is always either traveling behind the folded edge of the appliqué or traveling beneath the backing.


Eventually you will realize that you can take a stitch in the applique, then go right into the stitch behind the backing, without pulling the thread through between stitches.


I like to make sure there is always a stitch right at any corner, to keep the appliqué well secured.


When you get back to where you started, take the needle beneath the backing, turn your work over and tie your thread off. You should see a dashed line of stitches in the outline of your applique.


And you're done. Hope that helped... Now, how about this rocking bird skirt!