Some stitching tutorials...

I've had quite a lot of requests on both my Elefantz Facebook page and on Instagram lately for stitching tutorials.

These are things I have shared in the past so here's a recap for those lovely gals who need some hints and tips for sewing tiny backstitch as well as a few other stitches.

Read THIS blog post from two years ago which covers backstitch and lazy daisy stitches as well as offering you a free practice pattern...

Another detailed embroidery tutorial was shared HERE in October 2014 as part of a 5-day series of blog posts taking readers step by step through the process of making a Holiday Hostess table runner. I did a few videos for this...

Perhaps you want to make the table topper as well?

Follow the links below the photo.

Day 1 - here

Day 2 - here

Day 3 - here

Day 4 - here

Day 5 - here

Another question that keeps popping up is what supplies I use when I stitch. This is also a question which has been answered in a blog post.

You can read it HERE.

Hope you enjoy trying the patterns and stitches!

If you have other questions write them in the comments section below and if I can answer them I will.

Bless you heaps,

Day 5 - Holiday Hostess Table Topper tutorial!

 Before we get into Day 5 of the tutorial I have Block 11 of the Shabby Roses Churn Dash Stitchalong to show you!
*smile*

If you haven't followed along with this 12-week project just go HERE and scroll through each block!
Only one more block to go and we're finished. I'll also have the free quilt assembly pattern to share with you next Friday when the final block is revealed.

 The pattern for *smile* is HERE in the shop today as a $2 instant pdf download.

 Are you ready to finish your "Holiday Hostess" project today?

Here's my completed duo...

Just a few more steps and you'll have a sweet table topper to decorate your Christmas table, or a pretty wall hanging to display!

The length of binding you will need to make is dependent on how large the project is that you need it for. The table topper as I have made it requires 80" of binding, and the easiest way to calculate this is to use the free online binding calculator shared HERE at Quilters Paradise.

Simply enter the width and length of the project you've made and how wide you need to cut the binding fabric. For mine I have cut the fabric 2½” wide...

If you're using yardage to make the binding for this project (to the size I have made it)  cut two, 2½” x 43 (width of fabric) lengths.

If you're using a fat quarter or different lengths of scrap fabric, just be sure that all your lengths join together after the next few steps to measure 80".

Lay one piece vertically on your cutting board, right side facing up.

Lay a second piece across the end of the first on a 90 degree angle (right angle)  but this time with the wrong side facing up. 

The selvedge on both strips will be removed in the next steps...

Use your quilting ruler to accurately line up your fabrics on the 90 degree line...

The bottom fabric edge should be ¼” inside the point of the ruler...

Use your rotary cutter to remove the corner of the fabrics, then pin the two ends together...

Machine the two pieces together with a ¼” seam...

Press the seams (or seams) open...

...and then fold the binding in half along its length and press flat.

You've made your binding!

Now we'll attach the binding to the table topper (or wall hanging).

For part of this next stage I actually forgot to take photos, but I have previously shared a binding tutorial and you can find it HERE...

Sew the binding around the outside of the quilt, mitring the corners as you go (here) ...

Join the two ends together when you have completed the four sides (here)...

 Cut away the excess wadding/batting and backing fabric...

Press the binding away from the top of your quilt...

HANGING SLEEVE:

For those who decided to make a wall hanging this is how to make a hanging sleeve which will house the wooden hanging rod.

Measure the width across the back of your wall hanging...

It's lovely if you can match the hanging sleeve with your backing fabric, but it's okay if you can't.

Cut a piece of fabric 4" x 2" narrower than the width of your wall hanging. 

This meant that my fabric measured 4" x 10½”.

Fold a ¾” hem down both ends and press them with your iron. Fold the hanging sleeve in half across the length and press again...

Pin it across the top centre of the back of your wall hanging...

Now turn the wall hanging right side facing up and with your machine's walking foot attached, sew the quilt and the hanging sleeve together along the same seam line that was made when you attached the binding...

The final step!

For both projects, fold the binding to the back of the quilt and pin in place. 

There are special little clips you can purchase to hold the binding down (or use children's hair clips), but I only pin the very first few inches along my binding then continue without them...

Using a thread the same colour as your binding fabric, slip stitch the binding to the quilt back. Catching the stitch in the seam line is a great guide!

Some people sew 'away' from themselves, but I like to sew 'towards' myself. Do what feels most comfortable for you...

When you get to the corner, make a little mitre and keep stitching...

Slip stitch the bottom of the hanging sleeve on the wall hanging, leaving a little 'pocket' of space for inserting the hanging rod later...

Congratulations! 

I hope you've enjoyed this 5-day marathon tutorial, and hopefully learned a few new things if you're just starting out with your sewing/stitching/quilting journey.

Remember, the techniques I have shared are *my* way of doing things, and not at all the only way. If something I have shared isn't working well for you, google (or pinterest!) for more ideas.

The most important thing to remember is that this is YOUR  craft experience and making it fun is what it's really all about.

TOMORROW... something new.
Be sure to drop by the blog to find out what it is, or you can keep up with Elefantz news by signing up to my free Friday newsletter HERE, and/or liking the Elefantz Facebook page HERE.

have a brilliant day,

Day 4 - the "Holiday Hostess Table Topper" tutorial!

So far this week we have -

* prepared our block : Day 1 tutorial (here)

* hand embroidered our block : Day 2 tutorial (here)

* fussy cut our fabric, made snowball blocks, pieced our table topper : Day 3 tutorial (here)

Today we're going to look at both machine quilting, and hand quilting!

Whether you have kept to the four snowball blocks we made yesterday, or added more blocks to lengthen the table topper, the quilting of it will follow the same instructions.

Cut a piece of cotton quilt wadding (batting) a few inches larger than your table topper flimsy.

(a flimsy is a quilt top that has been pieced but not yet sandwiched and quilted) 

NOTE: you may prefer to use fusible Pellon, which is a polyester wadding and is ironed on to the back of the flimsy. If you use this method you will not need to follow the basting spray section below until the addition of the backing fabric.

I *love* basting spray, especially for small projects. You only need to spray a very light film behind your flimsy before laying it down onto the wadding. Press the flimsy to the wadding with a warm, dry iron to 'seal' the two together...

Cut a piece of backing fabric, about the same size as your wadding. The backing fabric should be spray basted behind the wadding...

Attach your walking foot to the sewing machine. It helps feed the sandwiched table topper through the machine without 'puckering' the backing fabric. My walking foot looks like this...

 NOTE: If you do not have a walking foot please read your sewing machine manual for the correct settings to quilt an item. They will be different to sewing thin fabrics together.

I chose to outline quilt around all the seams of my table topper...

To accurately achieve the lovely point inside the triangles simply lift the sewing foot whilst keeping your needle in the fabric and pivot your fabric around. Use the seam line as your turning guide...

Here's my table topper when I completed the quilting. As you can see I have machine quilted down the length of the double snowball blocks on both sides, but not across the top and bottom...

That's the end of our machine quilting!

Now let's look at how I have hand quilted the Holiday Hostess wall hanging, my alternate project using the same embroidery feature...

After bordering the block with double rows of 2½" squares, then sandwiching with wadding and backing (the same way I did with the table topper)  I prepared to hand quilt a diagonal cross-hatch design across all the border blocks.

I chose one of the variegated threads featured in the embroidery for the quilting, using just a single strand and my regular size 9 embroidery needle...

I personally do not like to mark the fabric when I hand quilt, so for this project I have simply used some masking tape, laying it along the line I want to quilt...

Masking tape is paper that has fine adhesive behind it, but does not 'stick' permanently to the fabric, nor does it leave a residue. You can re-use the same strip of tape over and over as you hand quilt your rows!

(mine is the hardware store version but you can purchase a roll of quilter's adhesive tape here from Fee, or ask at your local quilt store) 

 Sew lines of running stitch alongside the tape...

When the row is finished, peel off the tape and move it to the next line you want to quilt. Isn't it a lovely effect?!

Make sure you are stitching through all three layers of the wall hanging. 

Here is a look at the back of mine...

Before I put this aside to prepare the binding I decided to add a little quilting around my tree, under the garlands of ribbon, and inside the trunk...

You might like to add a bit of hand quilting around the tree in the machine quilted table topper as well. Do what you think will bring *your* project to life!

Tomorrow:  we'll finish the Holiday Hostess projects by making quilt binding, then sewing it around the table topper and the wall hanging before finally stitching it down at the back.

We're also add a hanging sleeve to the wall hanging.

And then?

 Your project will be complete and you can give yourself a jolly good pat on the back (and even a little chocky treat if you like!)...

See you then,