Tuesday, June 30, 2015

TUTORIAL - the simplest needle-book....


Recently my lovely friend Yoko from Lecien Fabrics sent me a parcel of 10" origami squares (layer cakes) to play with and I instantly fell in love with the new "Quilter's Basics Smoothie Color Set".
Many of the 'smoothie' fabrics are perfect for embroidery backgrounds with their pretty pastel spots and tonal designs...

As I was looking over the prints in the layer cake an idea popped into my head - now you know I love adventuring, so naturally I followed it along Idea Avenue and ended up with a very simple but oh so cute needle-book!

This would be perfect for Christmas gifts, birthdays, swaps, or to pop inside a thank you card.

Shall we start sewing?!

You will need one 10" square of fabric. I chose a light aqua herringbone print.
Fold it into quarters and finger press the folds so that you can easily see the four separate squares when you open it out.
In the bottom right square trace a stitchery design. 
Mine is closer to the centre than the bottom corner because we shall have a 1/4" seam in place later, plus a button and some hand quilting...

Fuse a 4 1/2" square of fabric stabiliser (I use Whisperweft)  behind the traced corner...


...and stitch your embroidery.


Cut a  9 1/2" x 4 3/4" piece of medium weight Pellon, or a scrap of quilt wadding, and fuse in place behind the bottom half of your 10" square, covering the back of the stitchery...

 Make sure you butt it up along the middle fold line before fusing with your iron.

If you have not done this before: cover the Pellon with a scrap piece of fabric before ironing it in place.  Do not iron directly onto the Pellon.

Fold your square in half along the middle line, right sides facing...

...and pin around the three open sides. With a 1/4" seam, sew down both narrow sides, then across the long bottom edge, BUT leave a 4" opening for turning out.

Turn the needle-book right side out, pressing in the open seams...

Slip stitch or ladder stitch the opening closed.
Choose a button and sew a buttonhole to fit your button on the right side edge of the stitchery...


Sew the button in place on the inside right of the needle-book. I used a 4-hole button to give the reverse side a pretty little cross stitch by sewing with two strands of embroidery floss diagonally across two button holes and finishing with a tie - then repeating with the other two holes.

Cut a piece of wool or felt 3 1/2" x 7 1/2" with pinking shears and attach it inside the needle-book with one machine sewn line down the centre.
(I use woolen Doctor's Flannel for needle-books)

Top stitch around the outside edge of the entire needle-book with two strands of complimentary thread. Mine was the same green I'd used in the "Spooled" embroidery...

Add a few cross stitches along the bottom and it's all done!

About the "Spooled" bird stitchery pattern:
This is one of 8 (yes, eight this month!) patterns all Club members will receive on July 17th. 
There's still time to join - details and photos are HERE.

Today I'm finishing three of the eight July Club patterns as a framed display...
 ...then off to the library for a quiet browse among the recipe book aisles.
I think a new audio book should be borrowed as well. Listening to a good book during my afternoon hand stitching is rather nice, don't you agree?

May your day be peacefully perfect and overflowing with blessing!


25 comments:

grammajudyb said...

Thanks for the great tutorial. I am enamored with needle books lately. Can't get enough. Yours is really really pretty.

Martha Roberts said...

I can't wait for July's patterns. Best value for the money ever! I think I see a needlebook in my future. Thanks for the detailed tutorial. You are a joy, Miss Jenny. Your talents are plainly God-given blessings.

Snoodles said...

I was just planning to turn my "Make do and Mend" stitchery by your lovely pattern into a needle book. I was trying to think how big, etc. And here you are, with a wonderful tutorial! Thank you!

Baa. xxx said...

Awesome Jenny - that is so sweet!

Larissa said...

A lovely tutorial - and gorgeous stitchery addition!!!

Allie-oops Designs said...

That is too, too sweet!!!!

Createology said...

Jenny Dear you really have such a gift from God to keep coming up with sew many amazing patterns and tutorials. This is precious and such a wonderful giftie. Thank you sew very much!

Noela said...

Thanks Jenny, gorgeous bird stitchery. Hugs.......

Plum Cox said...

What a lovely little needle case! Great method of making it too - thanks for sharing!

Christine B said...

What a cute little needle case. Thank you for sharing the tutorial! :) x

Christine B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tammy said...

What a wonderful needle book. Love the spool bird design...

Elvira said...

Muchas gracias por el tutorial, y por la idea, que es genial para regalar
Besos

Jacqueline said...

Thanks for the tut. Yours is darling. And I too listen to books while I do my handwork.

Have a great day, I am off to exercise class.

Christine M said...

What a lovely needle case. Thanks for the tutorial, Jenny. xxx

kathyinozarks said...

I love this thank you for sharing the tutorial

Brenda said...

Jenny, this is a wonderful tutorial! In all my years of hand embroidery and quilting, I have never made a needle book. LOL at myself. Not only do you make it seam so easy, you make it have personality and charm. Thanks for sharing a project that you can make for yourself or for a wonderful friend! Have a great day!

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

Thank you of the fabulous tutorial!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous! I think I can do that, too. I really like this all-in-one design. Even without a stitchery, a pretty fabric would make a lovely needlebook, but with the stitchery it goes over the top. I like that line of fabrics and hope someone here gets it. Thanks so much!

Melody said...

Another wonderful tutorial, thank you so much. I'm really looking forward to the nest stitcher you club too

Melody said...

Don't know what happened but it is the next stitchery club I'm looking forward to

janice said...

Tudo que você faz é muito lindo! Parabéns!

Anonymous said...

Thankyou very much. can't wait for stitchery to start.

SUSSEXMOUSE said...

This is so sweet Jenny

e said...

That needlebook is absolutely adorable :)

xx