Category Archives: tutorials

button joy!

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Quilter's Home June-July 2011Seen the new June/July 2011 Quilters Home magazine? I just love that cover quilt, Drunkard’s Flower Path, don’t you? Looks like a perfect summer quilting project.

If quick quilty crafts are more your thing during the lazy days of summer, check out the article, Hot Buttons for the latest on whimsical buttons you can buy and fun button crafts you can make. And the instructions for all three projects can be found in the web-exclusive feature, Button Joy (click here to download or view pdf). Learn to make my embroidered button hair jewelry (below), Virginia Robertson’s one-of-a-kind stacked button pins and a decorative button jar.

What’s your summer sewing project?

Share your comments or summer sewing projects!

More Button Projects:
Cover Button Blossoms!
Bloomin’ Button Brooches
Fabric Ribbon Rosettes
Pocket Full of Posies (scroll down for Kurumi button tutorial)
Find Creativity in Everyday Life

cover button blossoms!

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Here’s a fun spring project: Cover Button Blossoms.  Use them with push pins as shown above to brighten a bulletin board, or try a magnet, jewelry pin back or bobby pin finding, or even scrapbooking brads.

Join me Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 6 pm PT ( 7:00pm MT; 8:00pm CT;  9:00pm ET) at Wednesday Night Live in C&T Publishing’s Digital Lounge for a tutorial and more creative fun. Lynn Koolish will also be showing her fabulous fabric clocks. Hope to see you there! :)

easy-peazy pet beds

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Got scraps? If you quilt or sew the answer is probably yes. Some of them you might save, and others may be too small for you to use … or can you use them?

I have just the project for you, an easy-peazy pet bed. You know you can’t resist those eyes!

After all, your faithful animal companion is right there, helping you through your every quilt-making journey. When you finish your next quilt, why not pick up all the fabric scraps off the floor and use them to fill a cozy pet bed or two?

Don’t have any pets? No problem.

Pet beds make a great community service project. In fact, at your next community service quilting day, you can save everybody’s scraps and make pet beds as well. Since I don’t have any pets (yet) these two pet beds are on their way to the local animal shelter.

(This is the part that Eleanor Burns never told you about: what to do with all those pieces of fabric that you so enthusiastically flung over your shoulder in your quest to make a quilt in a day.)

Here’s a pile of fabric and batting scraps that I’ve collected from the past month or so of quilt-making. This was enough to make two beds: one for a dog and one for a cat. A tip from my friend Jessica: If you’re making a cat bed, use soft fabric on the outside because kitties like soft. :)

Easy-Peasy Pet Bed

1.Decide what size you want your pet bed to be and add 1″ all around for seam allowance.

2. Cut two pieces of fabric for the outside of the bed (or use a single piece folded in half).

3. Sew the outer pieces right sides together all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Leave a space large enough to fit your hand through.

4. Turn the pet bed right side out and stuff loosely with scraps.

5. Fold the open part of the seam allowance under and machine stitch near the edge to close the opening.

(If you make the pet bed cover ahead of time you can keep it by your cutting table or sewing machine and drop the scraps in as you go, keeping your sewing area nice and neat all the time. Although I have to agree with Eleanor, it is really fun to toss the scraps over your shoulder.)

Voilà! Now didn’t I tell you that was easy? Sweet dreams, furry friends.

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fun reusable fabric coffee cup sleeves

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Just in time for Earth Day you can make your own reusable fabric coffee cup sleeves (See video tutorial below). It’s not always easy to carry your own mug with you everywhere you go, but you can easily slip a fabric coffee cup sleeve into your purse or onto your wrist.

Did you know that a coffee drinker can save up to 10 pounds of paper a year just by using a reusable sleeve? That makes your fabric coffee cup sleeve stylish and green!

I like this project because it’s great for using up leftover fabric scraps and stray jewelry charms. It’s also quick and easy because you use fast2fuse fusible interfacing (available from C&T Publishing).

Warning: Once you make one, you might not want to stop. Look for fun coffee-themed charms. Try a coffee-themed print or other special fabric. The green one second from the right is French Roast, made from one of my favorite Souleiado prints.

I’m thinking of drafting a new bracelet cuff pattern similar to the fabric coffee cup sleeves except just for my wrist . . .

Find more green crafts at the Craft Critique: Earth Day Blog Carnival!

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fabric ribbon rosettes

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rosettes14Today I demonstrated fabric painting and fabric ribbon rosettes at the CHA Winter Trade Show. For those of you who couldn’t make it, here’s an online tutorial for fabric ribbon rosettes just for you. (Click here for my CHA fabric painting tutorial)

rosette13 To make a really special rosette, add a beaded fabric cover-button (button-beading techniques can be found in my book, Fast, Fun & Easy Fabric Cover-Button Jewelry, by C&T Publishing.)

  1. Choose two contrasting fabrics and a coordinating button.
  2. Cut the fabric 18″ wide by as long as you wish. You can use one painted fabric piece and one paint-free, or two paint-free pieces. I don’t recommend using two painted fabrics back-to-back unless you plan to use glue to secure the rosette. It’s a little tough getting the needle through two layers of painted fabric. (I bent a very hefty needle trying.)
  3. Fuse a sheet of Wonder Under to the reverse side of one of your chosen fabrics. (Wonder Under is 17″ wide so it will fit nicely on a piece of fabric 18″ wide.) Trim off the excess fabric with a rotary cutter and ruler.rosette01
  4. Peel off the paper backing and fuse the reverse side of the other fabric to the first piece of fabric. Trim off the excess fabric. You now have a double-sided piece of fabric.rosette02
  5. Use a decorative blade rotary cutter to cut fabric ribbon strips 1/2″ – 5/8″ wide x 17″ long.rosette03
  6. Sew two lines of contrasting thread down the center of the fabric ribbon if desired. Use a different color in the bobbin for the fabric on the reverse side. (This stitching is more decorative than functional. The Wonder Under and fabric paint do a really good job of discouraging fraying.)rosette04
  7. Thread a large needle with strong thread and make a big knot near the end. (Big needles make big holes and you don’t want the knot pulling completely through.)
  8. Find the center of the ribbon’s length and pinch to mark the center.rosette05
  9. Make a loop at one end to form the first petal. With a 17″ long fabric ribbon you can make six 1-1/4″ petals.rosette06
  10. This is the view from underneath your petal. Fold the ribbon at an angle to start the second petal and show the contrasting fabric.rosette07
  11. This is the view from the top again. Fold the ribbon back to the top to make the second petal.rosette08
  12. Fold the fabric ribbon on top to start the third petal and bring the ribbon to the back again to complete the third petal. Look for the center crease you made in step #6. If the crease is part of the third petal then your first three petals are too large for the length of your fabric ribbon. You won’t have enough ribbon left for three more petals. If the crease is at or beyond the fold of the third petal, then you will have enough fabric ribbon for three more petals.rosette09
  13. Continue folding the fabric ribbon from front to back and back to front until you’ve completed all six petals.rosette10
  14. Pick up the needle and thread and make several hand stitches through the center to secure all the petals. Make sure the stitches are close enough to the center to be hidden by the button. If you have a large button you can spread your stitches out further where there are fewer layers of fabric.rosette11
  15. Finally stitch the button on the side you want to call front.rosette12

Voila! Now all that’s left is to decide what to do with your fabric ribbon rosette. Sew a pin back on, glue to a round magnet, or embellish a quilt or purse.

More CHA  fun to come!

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muse monday: inspired by boring fabric

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Got boring fabric? Try some fabric painting fun to jazz it up a bit and turn it into something you actually WANT to use! Here’s the technique I’m giving a demo on at the Craft & Hobby Association’s 2010 Winter Trade Show today:

  1. Start with some boring fabric. If you’re going to use it to make my fabric-painted rosettes, then cut it to be 18″ long. The piece below is about 9″ or 10″ by 18″. The enamel tray is great for containing the mess. Otherwise, you could cover your surface with freezer paper or plastic. (Tape it down taut for a smooth finish.)

    2. fabricpainting01

  2. Using a 1″ paintbrush and Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic Paint (the ones in the plastic jars) make random diagonal brushstrokes across the fabric. I used Brilliant Purple here. Dip the paint brush in a little water if you wish, but don’t use too much water at this point because you want to have some opaque areas that block the pattern and some translucent ones that let the pattern peek through. See the lighter sections of purple in the brushstrokes below? That’s where the paint is not watered down. This will dry opaque and cover the pattern. The darker parts of the brushstrokes with the pattern showing through have less paint and more water.
  3. fabricpainting02Now add more water to the paint to make a thinner consistency and cover the entire piece of fabric with a thin coat of paint. You can leave a few scattered sections of fabric unpainted if you wish.
  4. fabricpainting03Add in some more thicker areas of paint.
  5. fabricpainting04Use a stencil to add some bling. I used Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic in Iridescent Rich Gold. I’m stenciling right on the already wet/damp fabric. This will make the pattern slightly less distinct, but more interesting. The water also holds the stencil in place so it makes things easier in that respect: you don’t have to worry about the stencil shifting. Place it straight down, dab the paint into the holes, and lift it straight up again. Repeat as desired.fabricpainting05

    6. fabricpainting06

  6. Next comes stamping. Use a paint brush to apply paint to foam stamps. Use less paint for a distressed look or completely cover the stamp for a complete image. If you start out with more paint you can stamp multiple times before reloading with paint and get ghost images. Just don’t put so much paint on the stamp that it oozes over the edges of the stamp. Stamp some images while the paint is still wet and then wait till it dries (or use a hair dryer like I do to speed up the process) and stamp some more to get distinct edges. Notice how the some of the purple checks are fuzzy. They were stamped onto wet fabric. The distinct checks were stamped after the fabric was dry.fabricpainting07fabricpainting08fabricpainting09fabricpainting10
  7. Finally use a small paintbrush on dry fabric to add details. Outline bits and pieces of the design showing through as well as some of the images you stamped, or just doodle. fabricpainting11

Voila! Now you have a fun piece of fabric to use for quilting, embellishing, and more! It would make a fabulous background for ATCs (artist trading cards) or fabric postcards. It would be great for an art quilt, but not so much for a quilt you’d want to snuggle with. Depending on how thickly you apply the paint, the fabric can come out a bit stiff. On the positive side, the painted fabric has more body and resists raveling. Tune in tomorrow to find out what I made with this piece of painted fabric (and get a tutorial too!)

Want more fabric painting fun? Check out Judi Hurwitt’s Rescuing Ugly Fabric post at the Approachable Art blog.

tip tuesday: cookie cutter applique

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cookie-cutterWhen you’re not baking in the kitchen, cookie cutters make great gadgets for the quilting room. Just trace around the outside of the cookie cutter onto the paper side of your favorite paper-backed fusible web and voila, easy-peasy fusible applique shapes. Use beads and glitter like candy sprinkles to make them look like sugar cookie appliques or simply use fabric that goes with the shapes.

I’ve got cookie cutters in traditional applique shapes like hearts and the Whig Rose, as well as whimsical animal shapes such as elephants and unicorns.

strawberriesIf you want your cookie cutter applique to be a two-part design like my strawberries at left, just trace around each part of the cookie cutter separately and fill in the gap after you remove the cookie cutter. See image above where I first traced the strawberry part only, then drew a line across the top to make a closed shape. Then I repeated the two steps with the leaf part of the strawberry design. Next get your iron out, fuse the two parts to fabric, cut them out, then arrange the pieces as desired and fuse them together.

Some people also like to use cookie cutters as quilting design templates. That would be a fun way to quilt a holiday quilt.

For more cookie cutter quilting fun, see my post, “Two for Valentine’s Day” where I made an edible Valentine’s Day cookie quilt.

pocket full of posies

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100-blocks_300w390hHappy dance! I’m featured in Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers. Want a peek at some of the fabulous quilt blocks inside? Follow the 100 Blocks Blog Tour daily Nov. 9-13 at quiltmaker.com/quiltypleasures for inspiration, ideas and giveaways galore!

Look for 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers in your local quilt shop, or purchase it at quiltmaker.com/100blocks. Besides having 100 fantastic quilt blocks to choose from, there are layouts for quilts in sizes from lap to king, fab free-motion quilting designs, and ideas for neat stuff you can make with just a single 12″ block.

Pocket Full of Posies quilt block

Here’s my block,#41: Pocket Full of Posies. It’s a fun block, combining simple piecing with paper piecing, applique and button embellishment. This block would look great in many different color palettes. Here I’ve used one of my all-time favorite palettes: black & white with brights.

The centers of the flowers are 30 mm Kurumi cover buttons. If you’ve never tried Kurumi buttons, they’re great for making easy perfect dimensional circles. You could also substitute a regular circle of fusible-backed fabric or a yo-yo for the flower centers. Use your imagination and have fun!

kurumi-step-by-stepWondering how to use a Kurumi button? It’s easy!

1. Cut out a circle of fabric a bit larger than your button.

2. Sew a running stitch all the way around the edge as if you’re making a fabric yo-yo.

3. Gather the circle of fabric around the Kurumi button and tie a knot.

Voila! Now just hand applique your covered Kurumi button to your quilt block with matching thread.

Want a chance to win a copy of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from today’s top designers? Just leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite color palette. Have too many favs to choose from? That’s OK, flip a coin, roll a pair of dice, or simply list them all in your comment. You have until the end of Thursday, November 12, 2009. I’ll draw a number and announce the winner on Friday morning, November 13.

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tip tuesday: cut smart! (part one)

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Fusible applique is quick and fun. Here are a few cutting tips to make it easier:

  • Even if you like a bit of fraying, smooth-cut edges are still important. You don’t want it to look as if your new puppy chewed up your appliques, so make sure you have a good, comfortable, sharp pair of scissors, not too large and not too small. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just sharp.
  • Cut slowly and carefully, it’s not a race.
  • Cut smart. Notice the differences between the two appliques above. The red swirl is actually only cut once. The green swirl isn’t cut at all! I traced the outer circle and the inner swirl together onto one piece of fusible, ironed the red fabric down, and cut it apart into the two designs. Cut only one swirl, but get two swirl appliques. Then place a simple circle background beneath each one. Clear as mud? Check the pattern below to see what I traced and the photo at left to see what I cut.
  • Finally, practice, practice, practice! The more you cut, thebetter you’ll get. Try it out for yourself with my Salt Water Taffy pattern below. It has both shallow and sharp curves to hone your cutting skills.

For a pair of candies as pictured at top right, trace the following onto the paper side of fusible web: one swirly circle, two plain circle outlines (just trace the outer circle for these, ignore the inner swirl), and four of the tulip-shaped wrapper ends.

Fuse the red fabric onto the swirly circle, the green fabric onto the two plain circles, and the white fabric onto the four wrapper ends. Cut out the pieces as shown above, being extra careful when cutting the red swirly circle into the two swirls.

Assemble and fuse the candy pieces together as shown at top right onto a teflon pressing sheet or directly onto your quilt block background squares.

Have fun! =(^_^)=

tip tuesday: easy leaf patterns

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It’s fun and easy to make leaf patterns for applique. Just gather a collection of interesting leaves. They don’t even have to be in autumn colors, just find some shapes that you like. When you’re choosing fabric for your leaves, they can be any colors you want.

Lay the leaves down on a computer scanner or photocopy machine and print them out. If they’re not the right size you can enlarge or reduce them. This is a scan of some gingko leaves I collected.

If you’re in a hurry you can use the printout just as it is. Otherwise trace the outlines of the leaves onto a new piece of paper and use that as your pattern. Tape the printout to a sunny window and place a blank sheet of paper on top and it will be easy to see.

You can trace all the details of the leaves just as they are or you can simplify the outlines as I did with my gingko leaf patterns below.

Here’s a fun free project I designed using my gingko leaf patterns, Autumn Gingko Leaves Purse Jewelry. You can download the PDF at CottonSpice.net, September 2007 issue, page 40.