Featured Products Woven Hearts | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Misty Mountains | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Harvest Star | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Latest from the blog Decorative Stitches for QuiltingGetting bored of quilting straight lines? Want to quilt something else, but also don’t want it to be too complicated or difficult? Well, let me introduce you to decorative stitches! In this post I’ll cover three different decorative stitches I use on my Janome machine that add such a fun quilted touch! I’ll show you the stitch length I use so that you can replicate the results. If you don’t have a Janome, check your sewing machine manual for a comparable stitch. Scroll down to the end of the post to watch the video demo of these stitches in action! Tips for all three stitches: Make a practice sandwich to practice the stitches and see what your machine can doGo slowly, set a speed regulator on your machine if you have one and find yourself trying to go too fastDon’t try to force the machine, let it do the work and gently guide the quilt straight throughIf creating guide lines for your stitching, use those for the edge of your foot, don’t try to follow them with your needle. Plan accordingly as your lines will need to be 1/4″ to 1/2″ away from where you want your actual stitching to be (depending on the width of your walking foot)Use a walking foot! The Three Step Zig-Zag Stitch: Stitch: 011Stitch Width: 7.0Stitch Length: 2.5 Vary the stitch length if you prefer a wider zig-zag stitch. This will produce angular texture to your quilt and amazing quilt crinkles when washed. Quilts pictured below: Woven HeartsZippy The Serpentine Stitch: Stitch: 096Stitch Width: 9.0Stitch Length: 3.0 Produces a nice wavy line of quilting. Vary the stitch width if you prefer a wider serpentine or narrower one. Great for overall texture, can also mimic gentle ocean waves. Quilt pictured below: Summer Glow (free pattern!)Sailor Girl (free pattern!) The Scallop Stitch: Stitch: 111Stitch Width: 9.0Stitch Length: 2.5 Produces a scalloped effect. You can create the scallops right side up, which look like waves or lace, or upside-down to mimic clouds. Quilt pictured below: Etoile Watch the Demo! I hope you enjoy trying these fun decorative stitches on your own quilt! They are a great way of mixing it up! You might also like: WALK Quilting Book | Product Review... Read more...Woven Hearts Cover QuiltSay hello to Woven Hearts! This fun, modern heart pattern boasts big blocks and strip piecing for a faster finish! Buy Woven Hearts: Woven Hearts | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Woven Hearts | Set of 5 $30.00 Add to cart Woven Hearts | PAPER Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Quilt Kit | Baby Misty Mountains NO BACKGROUND $42.00 Add to cart Quilt Kit | Baby Misty Mountains $50.00 Add to cart Misty Mountains | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Woven Hearts is an intermediate pattern and is great if you’ve made some quilts already. For my cover quilt, I used Moda Bella solids and was going for a candy conversation hearts color palette. You know, the terrible tasting ones with words like “U R Cute” printed on them. Colors are: PeachOchreButtercupSaffronLilacVioletAmelia OrangeClementineSummer SkyBright SkyTranquil AquaBright TurquoiseAquaJadeBerryliciousPeonyGreen AppleDill Background was Ivory, and binding was in Peony. Because I know that Moda Bella solids can be harder to find than Kona cottons, I went ahead and found comparable colors in Kona for you. There’s a few shops that stock all Kona colors (FabricBubb and Hancock’s of Paducah spring to mind) so it should be doable to find all of these! CarrotGoldfishCorn YellowBananaPeachMangoAruba OR PondBluegrassLagoonBreezeMalibuPrairie SkyThistleGumdropValentineCandy PinkJungleSpring I quilted this quilt with a multi-stitch zig zag stitch on my Janome machine. I’m working on a tutorial for you guys about different decorative stitches you can use for quilting! This is a really fun way to quilt because if you’re a little crooked it doesn’t show like straight lines would and it makes quilting super fast! Plus, it gives the best quilt crinkles once you pop it into the wash. I bound this quilt using my favorite method – big stitch binding! If your goal this year is to learn big stitch binding, you’re in luck. I have a blog AND video tutorial on how to do it! Plus, the video covers three different ways you can finish the corners on your binding! Woven Hearts comes in FOUR quilt sizes: PillowBabyLapThrow And TWO color options, scrappy, as this cover quilt is, or two-color. I’m currently working on the two-color one! Buy the pattern: Woven Hearts | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Woven Hearts | Set of 5 $30.00 Add to cart Woven Hearts | PAPER Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Quilt Kit | Baby Misty Mountains NO BACKGROUND $42.00 Add to cart Quilt Kit | Baby Misty Mountains $50.00 Add to cart Misty Mountains | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart You might also like: Misty Mountains Baby Quilt | Finished Project Concrete Jungle | Nautical Edition Etoile Quilt | Baby Version Quilt Sweater | Woven Hearts... Read more...Orange Peel Hand QuiltingWhen I finished my scrappy Bear Path quilt top, I knew I wanted to hand quilt it to give it a more “vintage, worn in” look. I toyed with the idea of straight lines, or echo quilting, like I did for my Wildwood Bear Path and my Cover Bear Path quilts. And yet, they didn’t feel right, even though they also felt like I’d be pushing the easy button. I decided instead to bust out of my creative comfort zone and do orange peel hand quilting! My creative process went a little like this:1. Google “orange peel hand quilting”2. Get annoyed that all I was finding were results for applique orange peels. (certainly I’m not the first person to want to hand quilt orange peels??)3. Decide to forgo the internet search and figure out a process that worked for me. Let’s do this! This tutorial will show you how to create orange peels of any size, since we’ll be making our own template! Also, a note before we begin. Orange peel hand quilting is extremely time intensive. The results are incredible, though, and totally worth it. But just be prepared to make this a longer term project! Shop Related Products: Woven Hearts | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Woven Hearts | Set of 5 $30.00 Add to cart Woven Hearts | PAPER Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart Quilt Kit | Baby Misty Mountains NO BACKGROUND $42.00 Add to cart Quilt Kit | Baby Misty Mountains $50.00 Add to cart Misty Mountains | PDF Sale Product on sale $12.00 $9.60 Add to cart New to Hand Quilting? Hand Quilting 101 videoHand Quilting Tips & Tricks 3 Hand Quilting Myths Debunked!All About Hand Quilting NeedlesHand Quilting ClamshellsHand Quilting Baptist Fans Prefer video? Scroll to the end of this post for the video version! Supplies: Click here to shop my tried & true hand quilting supply favorites A basted quilt! I used my Bear Path quilt pattern, whose angles were a great contrast to the curvy quilting. I thread basted this quilt, and I recommend thread or spray basting for this type of quilting.Marking tools: hera marker & chalkFlexible plastic chopping mats for creating a template (you may also use cardboard)Scissors for cutting templateThread: Aurifil 12 weight preferredHand quilting supplies: needle, thimble, scissors The first step was deciding how big to make my orange peels and creating a template. Bear Path is a big-block quilt so I knew that I could get away with bigger orange peels. I also knew that I didn’t want my orange peels to be the exact same size as the log cabin pieces, because if they didn’t quite line up and were slightly off, it would annoy me to no end. I ended up pulling out a variety of Pyrex lids and placing them on the quilt top to see which size I like best. Very professional, I know. I ended up going with a circle that was 5″ diameter. Next step was creating the template. I traced my pyrex lid onto cutting board plastic. I buy this at Dollar Tree for, well, a dollar. I love this plastic for making templates for hand quilting and EPP, because you can see through it a bit if you’re fussy cutting, it is rigid enough not to break, but easy to cut with scissors (just don’t pick up your sewing scissors by mistake! Ahem, Eliane). I cut out my circle, being careful to keep the circle intact. (cut a slit in the center of the circle, then cut towards your traced edge, and then cut gently around the entire curve). I also deliberately made my template about 1/2″ away from the edge of the plastic, and kept it larger than I needed to. I didn’t want to fiddle with trying to keep my fingers out of the way while tracing circles. I also traced my pyrex lid on a scrap piece of paper and cut that out. I folded it into fourths, unfolded it, matched it up to the plastic template, and drew four lines with sharpie on my template. These reference points are helpful later, you’ll see. Okay, now our template is made, it is time to prep our quilt top! Since my circle is 5″ in diameter, I drew a grid with my hera marker on my quilt top as follows: 5″ vertical lines2.5″ horizontal lines If your circle is a different size, your lines will be as follows: Vertical Lines = diameter of your circleHorizontal Lines = half the diameter of your circle I used the quilt top as my guide to make sure my lines stayed straight as I traced. I also made sure to start the lines 1/2″ from the edge and finish 1/2″ from the edge. Ish. You just don’t want to start your circles right at the edge of your quilt top, since you have the potential to cut your threads when trimming and squaring the quilt top later. I always leave about a 1/2″ of non-quilted space around the perimeter of my quilt top when I hand quilt. You might start thinking that this is a lot of lines we’ve just drawn, and aren’t we going to stitch yet? Not yet, my friend. This is a labor of love we’re doing. Buckle up. 5″ vertical lines 2.5″ horizontal lines With our grid drawn, it is finally time to draw circles! I used a combination of hera marker (light fabrics) and chalk (dark fabrics) to draw my circles. I started by drawing circles that stacked on one another. This is hard for me to explain but I’ve drawn a diagram for you below. Essentially, I decided to do the entire first pass of the quilt, then come back through and do the interlocking circles afterwards. This is primarily personal preference, but I always feel better when my whole quilt has some quilting and I can go and fill in the rest, instead of finishing up one portion while the other half of my quilt top is completely unquilted. To draw the circles, you want to make sure your template is inside a 5″ square in your grid, and trace. Then, repeat for the one next to it. The grid is in place to keep your rows and columns straight. Especially for a quilt like Bear Path, which is very linear, I didn’t want my orange peels to go wonky. Once I drew the circles, which I did about 2-3 rows of circles at a time, I went ahead and quilted them up. Then I drew 2-3 more rows of circles, and quilted those. Rinse, repeat, until your entire first pass is done! Woohoo! But, don’t celebrate quite yet, we’re only halfway done. Don’t worry, all this time and effort makes for the most beautiful quilting. To quilt the rows, I did a snake-like motion, quilting across the entire row, then coming back the other way to complete the circles. Quilt your circles by doing a snake-like motion across the entire row… …then turn around and come back the other way to create circles! Now we’re going to go back in and draw the interlocking circles. Remember those lines we drew on the template? Here’s where they come in. You’ll line up the horizontal lines on the template with the 2.5″ horizontal lines from the grid you drew. The vertical lines line up with the 5″ vertical lines from your grid. This will keep your orange peels looking uniformly quilted and straight. Again, I drew about 2-3 rows worth of circles, quilted them, and then drew some more. You can go ahead and draw out the whole quilt if you prefer, but since I was using chalk, which likes to fade and disappear with too much manhandling, I figured this was a safer course of action. Plus, it kept it interesting, as I would sew a bit, mark a bit, sew some more, and so on. Line up the four lines on your template with the arrows on the diagram above to center your circles. Pretty soon, you get a few rows in and your orange peels start to take shape. What a beauty, huh? Continue until you’ve completed your entire quilt! Then step back and admire that you quilted this! Orange Peel Hand Quilting Video: Bear Path is available in my shop in pdf and paper formats! Want to go scrappy like I did with this one? Read the blog post for fabric requirements and additional photos. You might also be interested in… Baptist Fan Hand Quilting Hand Quilting ClamshellsAll About Hand Quilting NeedlesHand Quilting Tips & Tricks You might also like: Sashiko Zipper Pouch | A Tutorial Hand Quilting 101 Hand Quilting Clamshells Baptist Fans Hand Quilting Video!... Read more...Scrappy Bear Path QuiltBelieve it or not, this quilt has been in the works for a very long time. In fact, it was the second Bear Path I started, way before I had even written the pattern or sent it off to testers. However, I ended up not having the time to finish it before the release, and then it sat, in pieces until I became motivated to finish up some WIPs. I’m so glad I chose to pull this one out and finish it up, because it might just be my very favorite quilt I’ve ever made. Want to go scrappy with your throw size Bear Path quilt? Find fabric requirements at the end of this post. I started with the Bear Path pattern, but instead of only using 4 colors, I chose to go scrappy and use 7 colors. The result is a very vintage feel, helped along by the liberal use of hand quilting! To quilt this scrappy Bear Path quilt, I used Aurifil 12 weight thread in color 2375. I was a bit worried about this thread color, being much darker than the background fabric, that it might overwhelm the quilt, but actually I really love how distinct the quilting pops against the quilt. I can’t wait to throw this one in the wash, the crinkles are going to be amazing! I’m working on a blog post tutorial for orange peel hand quilting, since it is too good to keep all to myself! Although more time-intensive than machine quilting (or even other hand quilting) the results are just too much to pass up! It has the loveliest drape, too. I unfortunately don’t know a lot of the fabrics I used in this quilt, having dug through the scrap bin. You could achieve a similar look and feel by picking a large scale floral that speaks to you and selecting the rest of your colors off that one print. That’s what I did with the fabric below. The flowers became my inspiration for the rest of the fabrics in this quilt. Scrappy Bear Path Quilt Fabric Requirements: Throw size: Option 1 C1: 1/2 yardC2: 3/4 yard (tight fit)C3: 1/2 yardC4: 3/4 yard (tight fit)C5: 2/3 yardC6: 1/2 yardC7: 1/4 yard Throw size: Option 2 C1: 1/2 yardC2: 3/4 yard (tight fit)C3: 1/2 yardC4: 1 yardC5: 1/2 yardC6: 1/2 yardC7: 1/4 yard Going scrappy is a fun way to clear out the scrap bins and create a unique quilt! Next time you’re making a quilt, consider using two fat quarters when the pattern calls for a half yard, or three scraps of fabric instead of a quarter yard! A good idea is to take fabrics that are similar tones or colors and combine those as a single “color” called for in a quilt. Have fun and experiment! You might also like: Wildwood Bear Path Quilt | A Finished Project Inkling | Posy Fabric Pojagi Inspired Cloth Napkins Whole Cloth Hand Quilted Quilt... Read more...Every Adventure Tote | Inner Zipper PocketWe could all use more storage! Use this tutorial to add an inner zipper pocket to the Every Adventure Tote. The best thing about an inner zipper pocket is that it is easy to access and to keep safe anything you want a little extra storage for. New to the Every Adventure Tote? his FREE tote bag pattern is a “choose your own adventure” bag with multiple options. Mix and match your favorite straps, pockets, and closures to make a bag as unique as you are! Inner Zipper Pocket Supplies: In addition to what you need for the Every Adventure Tote, you’ll need the following for the pocket: (1) 8″ zipperFabric in the following cuts: 10″ W x 2″ H and 10″ W x 14″ HInterfacing 10″ W x 2″ H (I used Pellon SF101) Instructions: Follow the Every Adventure Tote tutorial through step 10. When you get to the lining, follow these instructions instead. 1. Fuse the piece of interfacing to the backside of the 10″ x 2″ piece of fabric. 2. Draw a line in the center of the interfacing, 8″ wide. Draw two more lines on each side of the first line, each 0.25″ away from the center line. Draw triangles on the corners of your drawn box. 3. Place the fabric piece, right sides together, 1.5″ away from the top of one 19″ side of the lining fabric, matching up the center of the lining with the center of the fabric piece. 4. Stitch around the outer rectangle you’ve drawn, then cut the center line, angling to the corners using the previously drawn triangles. 5. Turn the fabric piece right side out and press. 6. Place the zipper into the hole you’ve created. It may be helpful to add some glue to position it securely, then top stitch the zipper in place. 7. Align the top edge of the 10″ x 2″ fabric piece right sides together with one of the 10″ sides of the 10″ x 14″ rectangle and stitch together. You’re forming the pocket. Be careful not to sew the lining fabric along with it. 8. Stitch the second 10″ side of the pocket fabric with the bottom edge of the zipper casing, again being careful not to sew the lining fabric too. 9. Press fabrics towards the bottom of the bag, and stitch down the two remaining sides. Just sew the pocket sides together, not the lining with it. 10. Continue with step 11 in the Every Adventure Tote tutorial to complete the lining and assemble your bag. More Every Adventure Tote Variations: Pockets: Exterior PocketBasic Inner Pocket Closures: Drawstring ClosureRecessed Zipper Closure You might also like: Every Adventure Tote | Recessed Zipper Hack Every Adventure Tote | Triangle Panel Exterior Pocket | Every Adventure Tote Bag Aurifil Slice & Stitch Challenge | Free tutorial!... Read more...Exterior Pocket | Every Adventure Tote BagYou can add an exterior pocket to the Every Adventure Tote with this tutorial! An exterior pocket tote bag is handy for extra storage and quick access of items! The pocket gets secured through the addition of longer bag straps so for this variation of the Every Adventure Tote, be sure to follow the information and instructions below. Supplies: Follow the supplies listed in the Every Adventure Tote tutorial with the following exceptions: FOR THE STRAPS: Instead of what is listed in the original tutorial, cut (2) 5″ x 42″ fabric strips and (2) 1.25″ x 42″ foam strips. Alternatively, you can use 1.25″ cotton webbing instead. You’ll need (2) cuts each 42″ long.FOR THE EXTERIOR POCKET: Exterior fabric 8″ W x 6″ HInterior fabric 8″ W x 6″ HInterfacing (SF101) 8″ W x 6″ HBinding scrap 8″ long (2.5″ x 8″) Instructions: 1. Make the straps. If using webbing, skip to step 3. Press the handles fabric in half, open, and press both halves towards the center. Place foam inside one folded part and fuse in place. Repeat for the second handle. 2. Stitch on both sides of the handle approximately 1/8″ away from the end to secure all the layers. Set aside. 3. Fuse interfacing to the back side of the exterior pocket fabric, then place wrong sides together with the pocket lining fabric. 4. On the top edge of the pocket, sew the binding scrap to secure the pocket lining and exterior pocket fabrics together. Sew the binding on the lining side, then press to the exterior pocket side and topstitch in place. 5. Fuse the exterior main fabric for the tote bag to the top and bottom of the foam. Pay attention to placement of directional fabrics, they should both face OUT. 6. Find the center point on the tote bag on the 19.25″ side. Find the center point on your pocket, and line them up together so that the bottom edge of the pocket lines up with the bottom edge of the tote bag fabric. 7. Baste stitch in place 1/8″ from pocket edge on the right and left sides of the pocket. 8. Using the center point on the tote bag, measure 3″ from the center on each side. Pin the straps in place, lining up the bottom of the straps with the bottom of the tote bag fabric. Mark the strap fabric 1.5″ from the top, and 2.5″ from the top. 9. Stitch down the straps, stopping 1.5″ from the top of the tote bag and forming an X to reinforce that area. By stitching down the straps, you’re now securing the sides of your pocket. 10. Repeat steps 8-9 for the other strap on the other side of the tote bag. 11. Press back 1/2″ on the 19.25″ sides of the exterior base fabric. Find the center, and line it up with the center of the foam and fuse in place. (see steps 2-3 of the Every Adventure Tote tutorial for more details). 12. Topstitch the base fabric to the main exterior fabric with a 1/4″ seam allowance and a 1/8″ seam allowance. Repeat for the other side. Now the bottom edge of your pocket is also secured and enclosed. 13. Continue with the Every Adventure Tote tutorial, starting with step 8. What will you store in your exterior pocket tote bag? More Every Adventure Tote Variations: Pockets: Inner Zipper PocketBasic Inner Pocket Closures: Drawstring ClosureRecessed Zipper Closure You might also like: Every Adventure Tote | Recessed Zipper Hack Every Adventure Tote | Triangle Panel Every Adventure Tote | Inner Zipper Pocket Drawstring Closure | Every Adventure Tote Hack... Read more...Hand Quilting ClamshellsLooking for hand quilting variations? Well look no further! Today we’re going to cover how to hand quilt clamshells. Best of all, if you’ve already covered Baptist Fans, then you’ve got all you need to make some beautiful clamshells. Plus! This tutorial comes in video format, allowing you to see it done in real time! Scroll to the bottom of this post for the video tutorial on how to hand quilt clamshells. Materials: Curious about my favorite hand quilting supplies? Find them all here. Basted QuiltBaptist Fans template (see here for the full how-to for the template)ThreadNeedleThimbleScissorsMarking utensils: Hera marker, chalk pencil, or two mechanical pencils without lead Instructions: Are you new to hand quilting? Check out my Hand Quilting 101 video before you get started! 1. Make the Baptist Fans template (tutorial here). Make sure that the first holes in your template’s two ends are even. 2. Decide on the size of your clamshells, and mark the dot you’re going to use. This is just for reference so that it is easier to trace them instead of counting out dots for every clamshell. I used a small piece of post-it to make my temporary mark. Washi tape or a sticker would work well here. 3. Start marking the first row of clamshells by inserting one of the mechanical pencils or hera markers into the far left dot. This is your anchor point, the one that won’t move. Insert the marking utensil of choice (chalk pencil, hera marker, second mechanical pencil without lead) into the marked dot, and move it in a semi-circle motion to create your first arc. A chalk pencil will create a mark, the hera marker or mechanical pencil will create a crease in the fabric for you to follow. Move the template so that the marked dot aligns with the end of the first arc, and repeat the motion, continuing until you have an entire row of clamshells. 4. With this template, you can choose to mark a double clamshell. To do this, keep your anchor point in place, and after marking the first arc, move the marking tool to another dot and mark that one as well. 5. To mark the second row, align the hole from the other side of the template in between two arcs on row 1. Align the marked dot at the top of the first row of arcs. Set your anchor point in place, and make an arc. Repeat this marking pattern until you’ve marked your whole quilt. 6. To hand quilt clamshells, you’ll stitch them one row at a time. Start on one corner of your quilt, and stitch the entire row of shells. Once you reach the end of the row, travel between the layers until you get to the second row of shells, and repeat the stitch pattern until your quilt is complete. Looking for video? What other hand quilting tutorials would you want to see? Comment below! You might also like: Sashiko Zipper Pouch | A Tutorial Hand Quilting 101 Baptist Fans Hand Quilting Video! 3 Hand Quilting Myths – Debunked!... Read more...Gifts for Fellow Quilters: Make them a project kit!Do you know what is my absolute favorite thing to receive from a fellow quilter? Their scraps! Why? Because there’s treasures in there I would have never dreamed of finding on my own! So put your scrap bin to good use and make a project kit (or three!) for your quilting best friends this Christmas. As quilters, we all know we love to make things. Curate a project kit to make a zipper pouch, potholder, or set of coasters and it becomes the gift that just keeps on giving! I’ve put together 3 different project kits you can make and gift to your friends. Simply cut the required fabrics, add any additional hardware needed, and print the free printable card so the recipient knows where to go for the tutorial. Tie it all up with a pretty bow and voila! Not only will this be a gift any sewist will be delighted to receive, but it also helps clean out your scrap bin just a little bit. Happy gifting! 1. Scrappy Zipper Pouch Kit What you need: (40) 2.5″ squares (1) 9″ zipper(2) 9.5″ x 11.5″ batting pieces(2) 8.5″ x 10.5″ fabric pieces for the lining(1) 2″ square fabric piece (zipper tab)(1) 3″ length of 1″ twill tape (optional)Printable card with instructions Package all the supplies up along with the printed card and gift! Want to make one too? Get the free tutorial here! 2. Folded Star Potholder Kit What you need: (1) 7.25″ circle of fabric cut from muslin or another scrap (used as star foundation and will not be seen)(1) 8″ square backing fabric(4) 4″ squares for center of star(8) 5″ squares for middle of star(8) 5″ squares for outside of star(1) 8″ square of insulbrite (thermal batting)(1) 8″ square of cotton batting1 yard of bias binding (make sure this is 100% cotton bias binding. A lot of the ones on the market now are a poly/cotton blend which will melt with heat! If you don’t want to make your own, look on Etsy for some really cute options from small businesses)Printable card with instructions Package all the supplies up along with the printed card and gift! Want to make one too? Get the free tutorial here! 3. Improv Coasters Kit What you need: At least 15 scrap pieces, each measuring 2″ x 12″ or bigger(4) 5″ squares of batting(4) 5″ squares of fabric for backingsPrintable card with instructions Package all the supplies up along with the printed card and gift! Want to make one too? Get the free tutorial over at Homemade Emily Jane! You might also like: No related posts.... Read more...Folded Star Potholder | A TutorialFolded Star, Origami Star, Amish Star, Somerset Star. There are many names for these fun folded star blocks. One thing we can all agree upon: they’re cute and make great gifts! So, let’s make a Folded Star Potholder together! A note before we begin: There are several ways to construct these folded star blocks. I’m going to show you the way that I learned, which was by finishing the vintage blocks in the photo below. A lady at our guild brought in her mother’s fabric stash after her mom had passed away and encouraged us to take what we wanted. I found unfinished folded star blocks in the pile and loved them immediately. Although this block has been around for a long time, you’ll notice that by updating our fabric choices, it becomes a great kitchen accessory for the modern home. Vintage Folded Star blocks I finished and turned into trivets A modern folded star potholder Prefer video? Watch the tutorial instead! What you need: (1) 7.25″ circle of fabric cut from muslin or another scrap (used as star foundation and will not be seen, see step 1 for cutting out your circle)(1) 8″ square backing fabric(4) 4″ squares for center of star(8) 5″ squares for middle of star(8) 5″ squares for outside of star(1) 8″ square of insulbrite (thermal batting)(1) 8″ square of cotton batting1 yard of bias binding The How To: Find a circular object between 7-7.5″ in diameter to use as your template, and trace out a circle of muslin or scrap fabric. This is our foundation fabric and will not be seen in the final project. Cut out your circle. 2. Fold your circle in half and press. Fold in half again to create quarters and press. These lines will be your foundation when building your folded star. Set aside. 3. Prep all the star points: fold a 4″ square in half away from you and press. Fold up the two corners closest to you towards the center to create a triangle. All of the raw edges of the fabric should all be on the long end of the triangle. Press. Repeat with all remaining 4″ and 5″ squares. 4. Start with the 4″ squares for the center of the star. Using the lines your pressed into your muslin scrap as your guide, line up all four triangles, points towards the center and pin in place. 5. Sew all the way around the triangles with a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. 6. Line up the second layer of your star, first lining up four triangles of color 2 so they are in a direct line above the color 1 triangles. You’re aiming for 0.5-0.75″ away from the center point. Make sure that they are all the same distance from the center. Pin in place, then stitch down 1/4″ away. 7. Add the remaining (4) color 2 triangles, making sure they are the same distance from the center as the others. With these four, the point of the triangle should match up with the seam between two triangles of color 1. Pin in place, and then stitch down. 8. Repeat steps 6-7 for the color 3 triangles. With these, however, I find it easier to stitch them down at the machine with the muslin circle facing up. Aim for 1/8″ seam allowance away from the edge of the muslin. 9. Trim Away the excess fabric that surpasses the edge of the muslin, then zig-zag all the way around with a wide zig zag to secure all the layers together. 10. Time to tack down the points of the star. You can choose to do this with your machine or by hand. If sewing with the machine, layer your insulbrite, batting, and backing and quilt through all of the layers with your walking foot. To tack by hand, start with bringing your needle up to the front center of the star, catch the edge of one of the center triangles, and bring your needle back down through the center to create a tacking stitch. 11. Repeat this for all of the center points, then continue towards the outer star, securing all of the color 2 and color 3 points as well. When completed, the back of your muslin should show a spiral motion of stitches. 12. Sandwich your potholder: start with the backing, right side down. Then add your batting, your insulbrite, and finally, your folded star. This will be a thick quilt sandwich! Stitch all the way around the star, catching all of the layers, with about an 1/8″ seam allowance. Use your walking foot and go slowly. 13. Trim all the way around your folded star, then, with the back of the potholder on top, zig-zag all of the layers together at your machine. This is an optional step, but it makes binding the potholder much easier. 14. Add a tacking stitch to the center of the star to secure all the layers together. I like to do this because without it, the potholder has a tendency to want to bow up. 15. Bind your potholder using the bias binding. You can do this at your machine, but I like to do it by hand, using chunky stitches that go through all of the layers of the potholder. And there you go! A beautiful, functional, modern folded star potholder! These would make lovely housewarming gifts, Christmas gifts, and great home decor! Looking for more tutorials? Check them all out here! You might also like: Modern Reusable Tote Bags Dog Bowtie | A Tutorial Sashiko Zipper Pouch | A Tutorial Tree Garland Table Runner | Free Tutorial... Read more...Baptist Fans Hand Quilting Video!How to hand quilt baptist fans was one of the first tutorials that ever made it up on the blog and it has continued to be a popular one! To build on the original tutorial, I’ve filmed a video version for all of you. Now you can watch and follow along! So grab your favorite thimble and stitch along with me! Prefer a photo tutorial? Check it out here. Baptist Fan Hand Quilting Video: Want More Hand Quilting? Hand Quilt Baptist FansAll About Hand Quilting NeedlesHand Quilting 1013 Hand Quilting Myths Debunked! You might also like: Sashiko Zipper Pouch | A Tutorial Hand Quilting 101 All About Hand Quilting Needles 3 Hand Quilting Myths – Debunked!... Read more... Follow us on Instagram With Woven Hearts officially released, I'm going t There’s four amazing people that helped make Wov I've written a blog post detailing three decorativ Woven Hearts is officially released!!! 🥳 Find t Ahhh, finished binding! That final step! Woven Hea Load More... Follow on Instagram
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