Believe - tutorial and free design...

It's been a quiet week so far here in the Elefantz home - mostly due to a surge of new designs I've drawn up and fine-tuned, as well as the need to finish stitching the designs I'd already begun.

I wonder if the looming cyclone has put my creative mind into overdrive?

You see, we're on cyclone watch at the moment. 

Do you see where it is says Townsville on the map below? That's where I live.

Mr E is busy clearing the yard of fallen palm fronds that have been scattered by the already windy weather - our home is surrounded by large palm trees and the fronds make quite a 'thump' when they come crashing to the ground. 

So, as the cyclone watch  continues, I thought today would be a great time to share with you an older design of mine - "believe". It originally appeared in the very first issue of my magazine back in June of 2011. As it was such a popular and lovely project, it seemed a shame not to dust it off and share it on the blog.

It can be made from scraps of fabric, lace, beads, an old brooch, a tassel, and a piece of leftover quilt wadding or pellon.

Don't think this is hard, because its really not. Let's go step by step, ok?

What you'll need:

• One, 4½ x 12 inch strip of a solid beige fabric (linen is good if you have some)
• Two, 1½ x 12 inch strips of a blue background floral print
• Two, 3 x 12 inch strips of a cream background floral print
• 3 x 9 inch strip red background floral fabric
• A 12 inch length of 1 inch wide scalloped cream nylon lace
• A 14 inch length of ¼ inch wide cream braid
• An 8 inch length of 1 to 1 ¼ inch wide cream cotton lace
• A 7 inch length of cream organza ribbon (at least ¾ inch wide)
• A 1 inch diameter button, brooch, or decorative earring
• A 2 inch long tassel (I tea dyed mine for an aged look)
• One 6mm pearl bead
• Four, 4mm pearl beads
• A packet of small pearl seed beads
• DMC Embroidery threads, 1 skein each of Ecru and 347
• 6 tea bags
• 12 inch square thin fusible Pellon
• 12 inch square backing fabric
• Piece of Vliesofix or bonding paper for applique

Let's begin!

Trace the reverse wording onto the smooth side of your Vliesofix.

Fuse the rough side of the Vliesofix to the back of your 3 x 9 inch strip red background floral fabric

Cut out all the letters along the traced lines

Place the 4½ x 12 inch strip of a solid beige fabric in front of you and make a pencil mark along the bottom raw edge, 2 inches in from each end.

Peel the Vliesofix off each letter, and fuse the word ‘believe’ along the middle of the beige fabric, in the 8” space between the two pencil marks. 

Using 3 strands of the red (347) thread, chainstitch through each of the letters.

  

Trim the block to 4 x 12 inches.

Sew a 1½ x 12” strip of blue background floral print to the top and bottom of the appliquéd block.

Sew a 3 x 12 inch strip of cream background floral print to the top and bottom. 

Fuse the Pellon or quilt wadding to the back of the block.

Place the scalloped cream nylon lace above the top blue fabric section, leaving ¼ inch between the bottom of the lace and the blue fabric. Machine stitch in place.

 

Cut out the heart shape from the pattern sheet. Lay it across the block, remembering you want the wording to be on a slight angle.

Do not cut out the heart yet! Draw a pencil line around the heart only.

Cut the braid into two sections – a 6” and an 8” length. Stitch the braid in place along the top of the scalloped cream lace, and ¼ inch under the ditch between the bottom blue and cream floral sections.

Sew the cotton lace ¼ inch under the braid at the bottom of the block.

Using the Ecru thread and your pearl beads, backstitch them across the ditch between the blue floral strip and the beige wording panel. 

Lay the organza ribbon across the top right of the heart shape you’ve traced on the block, and sew down at each end, just inside the traced pencil line.

 

 

Make a gather in the middle of the ribbon by tying a thread around it and pulling through to the back before tying off.

From just under the gathered section of the ribbon bring a double thread of Ecru through to the front and thread on 8 seed beads, a 4mm pearl bead, and 2 more seed beads. Pull the thread through to the back of the block and secure.

Repeat this beading process, but this time with 14 seed beads, a 4mm pearl bead, and 2 more seed beads.

Sew a decorative button over the gather in the ribbon, or add a brooch or vintage earring as I have done.

Backstitch seed beads across the scallop of the cream nylon lace.

 Make little bouquets of lazy daisies in the ditch between the worded block and the blue floral strip.

Use your heart template to cut out the backing heart.

 

Place the tea-dyed tassel on the heart block in this manner. You need the tassel to be in line with the middle of the rounded heart peaks at the top of the block. Stitch in place with a scant 1/8^th inch seam.

Lay the backing heart face down on the block, keeping it in line with the traced heart pencil line, and pin. (you could remove the brooch or earring at this point and put it back on after the heart is completed)

 Sew the block and the backing together with a ¼ inch seam, leaving a 3 inch opening for turning out later. Cut around the completed heart shape, and clip the corners. 

 Turn right side out, and use a rounded tool such as a large knitting needle to gently push out the edges.

 Ladder stitch the opening closed.

 I made two of these 'Believe' hearts...

 I hope you make one - maybe organise a sewing afternoon with friends and make some together?

The pdf file to download the heart outline and the 'believe' letters to use for your applique is free, HERE in my shop.

Back to the cyclone watch, and preparing to hunker down through it.

If I'm quiet for a while, you'll know why.

hugs

 jenny