Verity Vintage Studio

Spring Quilty Projects with Hollyhock Lane

It's my day on the Hollyhock Lane fabric tour! This lovely new spring collection by Poppie Cotton has so many pretty florals and pastels.

 

I debated for a while what I wanted to make, but I knew it had to use the cute panel (would be so adorable for fussy cutting on a quilt block!) Finally from time constraints I opted for a couple of smaller projects.

 

First up – a reversible tote bag! I didn't use a pattern for this, but it was super fun and easy.

 

For one side...I cut two sections of panel, making the repeat come out even. For the other side, I did two pieced panels the same size and quilted each to a piece of cotton batting.

 

I sewed each pair of tote sides together with a 2” strip of fabric for the bottom and sides. You have to clip the corners of the connecting strip, but otherwise very simple.

 

Then I just had to place them inside each other with wrong sides together and bind the top like I would any other quilty project. Instant reversible, with the inside just as cute no matter which side is out.

 

To make the handles also reversible, as well as add decoration, I used purchased round handles from my stash and sewed them down with a folded small doily. The doily halves make the perfect reversible handle holders, plus add pretty details.

 

I think my sister made these for me a while ago, and this was the perfect use for them!

 

When the tote was finished, I wanted to play more with the panel possibilities, so I used a section of the panel and stitched it to a section of pieced strips to make a placemat. This didn't make quite a large enough placemat size, so I thought about adding a pieced border on the top and bottom, but then had the idea for ruffles.

 

It was a very happy thought and I'm so pleased with how they turned out!

 

The ruffles add the required extra height, as well as some really fun little details. Plus they go so well with the fabric style.

 

They look so pretty on my table now that it's springtime, and my children love to look at the pictures while they are eating. The ones with ducks are an especial favorite.

 

Technically these could be reversible too if you want (I just used a piece of print fabric to back them), if you take care to sew the ruffle neatly so there is no obvious wrong side.

 

We use placemats constantly to help keep the tablecloth clean, so these will get a lot of real use! It's such a pleasure to make things that are both practical and pretty, especially with such lovely fabric. Thank you Poppie Cotton!

 

Check out the other beautiful things made with this new line from the other makers on this blog tour

Monday, April 3

Instagram: @emmas_crafternoons

Wednesday, April 5

[email protected]

Friday, April 7

[email protected]_vanessaward

Monday, April 10

http://neverlandstitches.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, April 12

http://www.linenbouquet.com

Friday, April 14

 theredfeedsack.blogspot.com

Monday, April 17

https://verityvintagestudio.typepad.com/my-blog/

Wednesday, April 19

https://www.nannygoatquilts.com/

Friday, April 21

https://goodvibesquiltshop.blogspot.com/

Monday, April 24

Website: http://blueribbondesigns.com

 

Quick & Easy Rag Quilt Tutorial with Poppie Cotton

While rag quilts are indeed an honest-to-goodness type of quilt, they are so far simplified that they are super easy to make, even for those who are not into quilting. Also they are extremely fast – you could make a baby sized one from start to finish in a day if you wanted.

 

When I got the chance to sew with some of this adorable new fabric from Poppie Cotton, I wanted something quick and simple that would allow the sweet prints and colors to have center stage. A rag quilt was the perfect solution!

 

You can make it with pretty much any size of squares, or even some other basic shapes. Squares are the most common. Lots of folks use 5” squares so that they can use precut charm squares. I decided to cut mine 6” because that's the size of my favorite ruler, and cut 48 of them to make a baby size quilt.

 

For this style of quilt you also cut your backing at the same time. You can use an old sheet, flannel blanket, or of course quilting fabric. Just keep in mind that the backing fabric will show through to the front at least a little bit. I decided to make a random patchwork back out of the ivory colors in this fabric line. (It's called Poppie's Patchwork Club, if you want to track some down.)

 

Next cut your batting squares. They need to be 1” less than your fabric squares. Since my fabric squares were 6”, I cut my batting squares 5”. This is a very handy way to use up smaller pieces of batting!

 

Here is a handy visual.

 

Now you make your sandwiches. Place a backing square and a top square wrong sides together, with a batting square centered in the middle.

 

Next you quilt each sandwich. The most common method is to do an X shape from corner to corner, but you could try other shapes as well. Or if you feel fancy, free-motion a swirl or something in the center of each one. In any case, it's super fast and easy and cuts out the tedious basting step entirely.

 

I decided to do triple straight lines on mine. I used my regular foot with the pressure reduced a bit, and chain pieced all of them one line at a time. As you can see, the sandwich is reversible at this point.

 

No pressing or anything necessary! This method has so many short cuts, which is why it's so easy.

 

Now they are ready for the layout. You can go completely random and scrappy...

 

Or if you have enough of one color, alternate one color with the other colors for more of a gingham look.

 

I had the right amount to do a random diagonal layout, so that's what I went with. I also alternated the direction of the quilting lines for fun – and also so that it looks better if they don't line up.

 

It is always difficult to remember after many years of sewing that THIS time you have to sew WRONG sides together! The backing squares need to be on the inside, and when you open the seam, the seam has to be on the right side. Feels totally backwards! I always get mixed up and need a seam ripper at least once. :-)

 

For these you need to sew a half inch seam allowance instead of the standard quilting quarter inch. If you catch a bit of batting in the seam, that's ok.

 

Once the rows are sewn, sew them together the same way – wrong sides together and the raw seam exposed on right side. You can nest the seams or sew them open – it doesn't matter.

 

To finish the outside edge, you can bind it like a regular quilt if you wish. But the easiest method, which is what I use here, is to finish it the same as the rest of the seams. Sew 1/2” around the outside of the quilt.

 

All done and ready for that finishing step!

 

Now with a pair of sharp scissors, make cuts all along each seam, at abut 1/2” apart. Make sure you do not slash through the stitching line!

 

This can be tedious, so I like to listen to or watch something, prop up my feet, and work on it. If my hand cramps from the scissors, I lay it aside to work on later. A large quilt will take a while, but a baby quilt isn't so bad.

When you are done, you will have each raw edge full of clips like this.

 

It's almost finished...but the final step is to throw it in the washing machine! This crinkles it a little and frays all those little cuts, which makes the perfect little fuzzy border around each square.

 

This type of quilt is extremely forgiving. If you have imperfect quilting or didn't match a square properly, or have uneven edges, no one will be able to tell. Plus it's extra sturdy and soft, which makes it perfect for babies and toddlers, when a regular patchwork quilt might not stand up to constant hard use and washing.

 

Plus it's basically reversible.

 

My finished size is 30 x 40” - I used a layout of 6 x 8 squares cut at 6” but sewn with 1” seam allowance to subtract, so finish at 5”. It's a great size for a small child to drag around in the car or stroller. I'm sure it will get lots of use...and I love seeing this adorable fabric around the house!

 

 

Tinsel Tree Christmas Ornament: Free Cross Stitch Pattern

Happy 10th Day of Christmas! We are still enjoying the last of the Christmas season over here this week.

As usual, I got the cross stitching bug during the holidays. One of the things I made, inspired by my own little silver tinsel tree that I keep full of vintage ornaments, was this little retro hoop picture. 

 

I decided to share the pattern with everyone for free. After all, it is Christmas! (Scroll to the bottom of this post for the download link.)

The silver metallic thread is exactly the same color as my tinsel tree.

 

The pattern didn't have the same brand I used, since it's a new kind, so what is listed will work, but is not what I used for the sample. I used Cosmo Nishikiito Metallic Embroidery Floss in 33 silver, and found it quite soft and easy to stitch with (especially for metallic thread, which is notoriously difficult). If you use this kind, do not separate the threads but use the entire strand. I highly recommend!

 

The pattern also requires 18-20 small buttons. When stitching is complete, sew the buttons randomly with your silver floss, following cover photo for placement.

 

Don't like French knots? Skip them and use white or pearl seed beads instead. It's a simple pattern; if you omit the knots it's easily beginner friendly.

 

I used Touch of Pink Aida cloth for the sample. In 14 count fabric it finishes a bit too large for an ornament, but works very well on a shelf or a wall. If you want it sized down a little for an actual hanging ornament, choose 16 count Aida instead.

 

To finish it, I pressed lightweight fusible interfacing on the back to keep all the thread ends tidy, and then centered the design in the hoop. Trim the fabric to about 3/4" all the way around, and wrap the raw edge around the back of the hoop, gluing it down with a hot glue gun to the inside hoop. All done!

It's a super quick make, and also a fun way to use up some random tiny buttons! I love how retro it looks - just like my real tree.

Find the pattern at the link below. Merry Christmas, and happy stitching!

Download Tinsel Tree Ornament Chart

Easy Infant Cheater Puff Quilt Tutorial with Poppie Cotton

When I saw the adorable panels by Poppie Cotton for their new Hopscotch & Freckles fabric line, I knew immediately I wanted to make a cheater version of a puff quilt.

 

I chose my favorite color way of the cute pictorial panel, as well as some backing and binding. To make this size quilt, you will need around 1 1/4 yards of each fabric for front and back, and just over 1/4 yard for binding. 

 

Start by pressing the front and back fabric. Then lay out your front fabric. (You can of course use a non-panel fabric, but then you will have to mark your own grids. This panel has a grid of 3 x 4". A larger grid could work, but I don't recommend going smaller.)

Since I am working within the limits of the fabric print, I didn't get an exact yard cut, since I wanted to have complete pictures. So I just measured the closest to 36" in each direction, and trimmed the fabric about an inch farther out.

 

You will be stitching your final row on these two lines, and trim off the excess later. 

 

Now get your backing. This quilt will be reversible, so you can use a basic like I did, or mix it up with another fun print. Keep in mind that you won't be able to keep it straight though, so a striped fabric, for instance, will probably end up looking crooked.

 

Lay them out wrong sides together and put a few pins in to keep them in place for now. The backing should be a little larger than the top fabric to allow for shifting. 

 

Now we are going to stitch the first row of lines. It's so handy to have the lines to follow on the fabric! We will stitch the horizontal lines first, starting in the middle, and stitching each one across the fabric. 

 

When you get to the last row on the grid, go ahead and stitch it. The rest of it will be trimmed later.

 

Here is my fabric with all the horizontal stitched lines. You won't need any more pins, as this quite secures the two fabric layers together. 

 

Now it's time to start making and stuffing the pockets! We again start in the middle, and stitch the first vertical line.

 

Now that a 3 sided pocket has been made, it's time to stuff it and stitch it closed, which also makes the next pocket. This is the PERFECT use for leftover quilt batting that has been trimmed from your quilts but isn't wide enough to reuse easily. 

You will need to experiment with how much to use. Start with less, as it's easier to add more than to take some back out. Stick it in the first channel and tamp it down with a ruler or some such object. (Even this small of a quilt, the first rows are a bit harder to do, so if you cut your fabric larger for a bigger quilt, be prepared for the center rows to be challenging.)

 

Once you're satisfied with the fullness, hold it down with your hand and stitch about 2/3rds of the way across it.

 

Stop with the needle DOWN, and stuff the next one.

 

Continue all along the first row. Here is my first row. You can see that it will draw up the fabric so it's no longer flat and straight. The good news is that if you stitch a crooked row or something, it won't be noticeable at all. 

 

Continue working from the center out, stuffing each pocket and stitching it closed. Here is my first half done.

 

Now rotate the quilt and work from the center out in the opposite direction. It will get pretty bulky but this size is still small enough to handle fairly well. 

All done!

 

Now trim with a scissors about 1/2" from the edge of the outer stitched line.

 

You can see it is ruffled, and thus if you do a regular quilt binding, it will ruffle too. I have a tip for that, so hang on.

 

Cut and press your binding strip just like for a regular quilt. I cut mine 2 1/4" wide, joined them end to end, and pressed in half. Since I wanted to machine stitch this binding, I'm sewing it to the wrong side of the quilt.

As you sew the binding, take a pinch out of each pocket section, and pleat or fold it over. This will use up the extra fabric and keep the edge from ruffling.

 

All finished! Look at the fun plush texture.

 

While it can be used as a crib blanket or comforter, my main goal was to make a floor quilt that has more padding, so that when an infant has tummy time, the little head is more protected from the hard floor. Of course I had to try it out with my own baby girl.

 

Got a few smiles too!

 

Look at the adorable pictures and the fun puffs.

 

Mine shrank down to about 31-32", but that's still a good size for an infant.

 

It's the new favorite play blanket of my older children as well. And I made it from start to finish, even with taking photos, in a few hours. I hope if you try one you let me know how it turns out!

 

Check out the other creations on this fabric tour:

Monday, February 21	http://prettybyhand.com/
Wednesday, February 23	https://charismascorner.com/
Friday, February 25	theredfeedsack.blogspot.com
Monday, February 28	https://bretquiltdesigns.com/
Wednesday, March 2	http://www.abrightcorner.com/
Friday, March 4	http://www.linenbouquet.com
Monday, March 7	http://neverlandstitches.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 9	https://verityvintagestudio.typepad.com/my-blog/
Friday, March 11	http://happylittlecottage.blogspot.com/

 

Anne of Green Gables Bookmark - Tutorial

 

I am a huge fan of the Anne of Green Gables books. I don't remember how early I read them...I've always grown up with them. I consider the last book, Rilla of Ingleside, to be a quite unique and special must read - it can be read as a standalone book if desired, and certainly taught me more about WWI than all my school books put together. I re-read the series about every year, and often re-read portions or books that I've been thinking about. A trip to PEI is on my dream bucket list. 

 

All of that to say...I'm a fan. So when I saw that Riley Blake Designs had a new Anne of Green Gables fabric line, I had to find a use for some of it!

My favorite is the scenic print with scenes from the book. The people were the perfect height to do some fussy cutting, so I made some bookmarks. Here is how. 

 

First I made my template. From a piece of cardboard, I cut a rectangle, and trimmed the top corners. Mine ended up about 3 x 5".

 

Then I cut a window in the middle. It doesn't have to be pretty, just big enough for you to see the center design. If you wish, you can mark seam allowance too. 

 

See how different it can look depending on which design you center?

 

I chose 3 of the pictures and cut them out carefully with my rotary cutter. Alternatively, you could draw around the template with a pen and cut it out with scissors. 

 

Next use the template to cut out backings for each. These don't have to be fussy cut, so you can do all at once if you wish. 

 

My pieces all laid out and ready.

 

Next I used some fusible interfacing scraps to stiffen one side of each bookmark. (Here you see I interfaced the back - I wasn't paying attention, because you should interface the front.)

 

Trim the interfacing.

 

One more step before we sew - decide what to use for a tassel. It will need to be placed on the right side with the strings as shown. 

 

Now place the back to front, right sides together, and sew around it, leaving the bottom edge open.

 

At the top, be careful to catch all layers plus the tassels!

 

Now trim corners if desired, turn and press.

 

Turn up the raw bottom edges to the inside and press them too.

 

Next take it back to the machine and top stitch very close to the edge all the way around. This will close the bottom gap as well as keep it lying flat and give it a more polished look.

 

All finished! Repeat for the other two bookmarks. 

 

As you can see, it's easy to switch up the look. 

 

These are all ready for reading adventures! The interfacing keeps them stiff enough that they hold their shape, but they are still flexible. Such a fun quick gift idea for a book loving friend!

 

Then just for fun, I made a zipper bag to go with it. 

 

The larger picture from the scenic fabric was a perfect appliqué for the front (incidentally I love how true to the book these illustration are!) I stitched it on with a tight zigzag stitch to keep from fraying, then covered the edges with the sweetest vintage dainty lace.

 

It's the perfect size for lots of things like sewing notions...

 

...or the new bookmarks of course. 

 

But I purposefully made it the right size to hold a book. I like to take books along when traveling, and it's easy to mess them up in the car. This little quilted bag will keep the book safe and protected between perusals. 

 

I still have some Anne fabric left, so maybe I will come up with more projects. But for now, I'm so happy with these sweet small projects - a nice quick break from dressmaking!

 

And of course they delight my kindred-spirit-to-Anne heart. 

Tutorial - Easy EPP Hexie Potholders 2 Way

This charming flower shape made with hexagons is a common and favorite motif for quilters. Called "Grandmother's Flower Garden", it's one of the easiest and most recognizable shapes to make with hexagons (usually using the English paper piecing method), and there are so many varieties possible depending on fabric choice and placement. 

 

Did you know that you can do Grandmother's garden flowers 2 ways? 

For these appliques I used fusible leave-in templates by Hugs 'n' Kisses, but the traditional card method would work too. I first chose some prints from the lovely Blue Stitch line by Riley Blake Designs, then fused 1" hexagon papers to the back. I fused 7 for one flower, and 6 for another.

 

Next I cut them out with an approximate 1/4" allowance.

 

Then folded the edges over and glued them down. If you use craft glue like I did, make sure it is water soluble.

 

Once all the hexagons are glued, they can be assembled. You can either do it by hand or machine. I did mine by machine because that was fastest, but the stitches aren't as neat - I do prefer to assemble by hand. 

Assemble the 7 in a flower shape, and the 6 in a ring, leaving the center open.

 

The open ring method not only saves time, but allows for some fun customization. You can see here that it makes a good chance to do some variety in placement if you simply appliqué on a floral piece of fabric, which would be a super quick way to finish.

 

I decided instead to appliqué on a plain white piece, and freehand embroider the center instead, drawing inspiration from one of the prints in this fabric line.

 

I placed each appliqué on a center of a square of fabric and a square of cotton batting, appliquéing through both of those layers. You want to use the blind hem stitch on your machine, with the straight stitches right beside the EPP, and EPP caught with the swing over of the needle.

 

The solid flower can be just appliquéd around the edges and you're done. The ring flower needs to appliquéd in the center as well. It makes such a cute frame!

 

Next they can be trimmed to size - I did mine 7" square - and then placed against a piece of backing cut the same size and bound, just like any other quilt project. 

 

It's ok to not quilt through the backing since it's such a small project, but if you prefer to add more quilting that's up to you! It would look great with some big stitch quilting outlining the flower shape.

It's so fun how they coordinate perfectly yet are different. 

 

As you can tell, it would be a great scrap project to use up small pieces. And how sweet for a housewarming gift? 

 

I like the one with embroidery - it seemed fitting to use blue stitches to decorate a line called Blue Stitch. :-) You get the same overall look as the solid flower, but with less time and effort, plus a little more versatility for decoration. 

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial of how to make one of the favorite beginner EPP shapes two different ways! Of course you can use the appliqués on anything...quilt patches, bags, pillows, etc. The limits are endless.

Free Pattern: Quilty Retro Ornament Potholder

It's been a long time since I've done a free pattern during the holidays! This year I have been so busy that my Christmas celebrating was started late, but I was eager to do at least one Christmas craft once I had the chance - so I stitched up this design idea just in time for the holidays.

 

I love vintage ornaments, fabric, and English Paper Piecing appliqué - so I combined all of those with this fun fast potholder that is so easy to adapt and customize. 

 

I'll walk you through the steps for how I made mine. 

I started with a rough 10" square of fabric for the top, fabric for the backing, and 2 slightly larger pieces of cotton quilt batting (I didn't think one was thick enough). It's a great way to use up quilt batting leftovers, by the way. 

 

Layer the pieces of fabric on each side of the quilt batting to make a sandwich.

 

Now it needs quilted. I think it would look fun in diamonds, or you could go super basic and do straight lines. But I decided to do snowflakes on a string, since it's a holiday design.

You could do this with a free motion foot, but if that's not your thing, you can do it with a walking foot too. You can totally measure it and mark where you want each line and each snowflake. I decided to just eyeball it, since I was fine with some differences and irregularities. Not being a perfectionist. 

 

Starting off the edge, stitch a straight line an inch or so into the fabric, then stop. 

 

Turn the fabric a few degrees and reverse your walking foot. Stitch a few stitches (you can count them if you want perfectly uniform snowflakes, or just go with different sizes - kind of like real snowflakes).

Stitch forward over those few stitches and several more on the other side, to make the first arm of an X. 

 

Stitch back into the center so your needle is back on the original line; turn again to make the second arm of the X and repeat the forward and back stitches. 

 

Now turn your fabric and stitch at right angles to the original line, ending in the center.

 

Rotate the fabric back to the original position and stitch the string again. You can make these snowflakes as far apart or as close as you wish.

 

When you start the next line, stagger the snowflakes so the ones on this line alternate between the ones of the previous line. I made my lines about 1 inch apart.

Repeat until the fabric is all quilted. 

 

Then trim it down to size. I trimmed mine to 7 1/2 inches.

 

Now figure out what EPP shapes you want to use for your ornaments, and how to place them. I originally planned to use all round ones, but I realized some of my other papers would also work for ornaments, so I ended up using 2 1" circles, 1 2" orange peel, and 1 1" square. And picked some of my favorite fabrics from my favorite new Christmas line by Riley Blake, Santa Claus Lane.

 

You can use the traditional card method, if you're familiar with English Paper Piecing. I like to use fusible leave-in papers from Hugs 'n' Kisses (also very beginner friendly), so that's what I'm using here.

To use these, you fuse them to the wrong side of the fabric. I did some careful placement to make sure I had a tree and the Santa centered. 

 

Cut out the shapes, leaving about a 1/4" edge. 

 

Then turn the edge under and glue them. I used just a regular craft washable glue stick. 

 

To do the circles, you want to do a small portion of the edge at a time, and press the edges straight in to avoid puckering.

 

Once all the shapes are glued, they are ready to appliqué. Arrange them how you want the finished product to be, and secure with a few drops of fabric glue.

 

You can appliqué by hand or machine. I did mine with the blind hem foot on my machine. You want to make your stitches small, and use thread that matches your background fabric - not the appliqué. 

 

You also want to make sure to catch all the corners and tips with a left swing of the needle. 

 

After all the shapes are appliquéd, embroider the strings. I wanted to use gold metallic embroidery floss and didn't have any, so I ended up using some vintage rayon embroidery floss that had some sheen to it. 

 

I only embroidered through the top layer so the back looks tidier. I also added a few lazy daisy stitches at the top of each ornament - this could easily be omitted if preferred. 

 

Now you can finish the edge with your preferred method. I chose to use regular double fold binding out of my sewing stash. If you choose to do this, unfold it completely and align the raw edges, then stitch in the crease line. 

 

Instead of hand stitching the binding down invisibly, I used green embroidery floss to do big stitch quilting to secure the binding and help tie in the colors. 

 

You could call it done now - I wanted to use mine for display rather than a pot holder, so I added a bow and loop at the top for a decorative hanger. 

 

All finished! A quick Christmas craft that would be a perfect addition to your kitchen, or a gift. It's fun to make, too.

 

I love the pops of pink and aqua that gives the fabric a more retro feel. 

 

The striped orange peel ornament is hands down my favorite!

 

(Incidentally let us take a moment to appreciate some of my favorite vintage glass ornaments which inspired this craft!)

 

The appliqué ornaments would also be fun to decorate before stitching in place - maybe put a strand of tiny rickrack across one of the round ones, or embroider something. 

I hope if you try making one you enjoy it, and share the finished project. It's so fun to see all the creative different varieties people come up with!

 

Now I'm off to hang it in my retro kitchen and cross another Christmas cookie off my baking list!

New Sewing Horizons

No fashion post today...I'm too close to my due date to make any more maternity clothes, and the few clothes I've made for afterwards of course can't be photographed yet! I am happy to report that most of my non-maternity maternity makes this year still fit and have been getting a lot of wear.

That doesn't mean I haven't been busy making things, however. I'm between crochet deadlines right now, so while I'm waiting for the materials to arrive for my next designs, I have been doing some little stitchery things. It's been years since I've done any ribbon embroidery or cross stitch, but I really enjoyed both again. Definitely a good idea to do something different once in a while!

 

But my sewing has been far from standing still just because I have no garments to show you at the moment. A little while ago, I wanted to order some fabric from mybluprint.com (formerly Craftsy) and because I could get a better deal by taking out a subscription for a month, I did that. I didn't really expect to do much class watching, but thought since I could do it for the next month I might as well see if anything caught my eye.

The first thing that did was Susan Stewart's heirloom sewing technique classes, which I ended up watching at least part of several times. They are so well done, and just amazing! I never thought I would be interested in heirloom sewing - and I guess I still am not in the sense of making those intricate little girl's dresses so popular in the '90s - but I sure can see multiple ways to incorporate some of those same techniques in my own sewing and vintage style! It looks so very difficult, but really, most of it is super easy when broken down into steps, and can be done on the machine. I highly recommend those classes. As a result, I promptly looked for some twin needles and a slant shank pin tuck foot for my machine, so I can sew pin tucks and tiny piping. Also I bought some water soluble stabilizer for the first time, which is a fun little thing to work with. 

 

I experimented with these new tools by practicing several of Susan's techniques on a 1940s blouse (shown in progress below), which I can't wait to wear and show you after I'm normally sized again. And I have to say I'm hooked. I'm so excited to have the know-how for various types of lace insertion, pin tucks, mini piping, and other fun stuff I normally would never have attempted. Plus it's actually pretty easy.

 

Then I also watched a class on pattern drafting from an existing garment. The teacher actually used a New Look era jacket style blouse as an example. I don't know how much I will do this, but I'm glad to have a basic idea of how to, if I need to. A perfect way to copy a vintage garment into a less fragile fabric, or another color, for example. As a result of that class, I ordered some dressmaking rulers in case I ever need them, and some quilting rulers too since they are so versatile.

 

I watched a class on neckline and seam finishes, and ended up trying out fusible interfacing for the first time. That may seam like a no-brainer to most of you, but you have to remember that I learned sewing from my mother, who only used very basic tools. She did not enjoy sewing, though she is quite good at it and can make multiple looks from one base pattern - something I don't even want to attempt! I only started using any sort of interfacing more recently, and since I knew nothing about the confusing bolts in the store with so many options, weights, and names, I stuck with using muslin for interfacings. Well, now that I've discovered I can interface collars and things without it sliding around - I'm never looking back!

 

But the real revolution happened with another type of sewing altogether.

Lauren of Wearing History, whom I follow on Instagram, posted about how much she has enjoyed the slow process and precise work of English Paper Piecing since being recently introduced to it. I had heard of EPP before, but knew nothing about it. What she wrote interested me enough that I looked it up, and while I was intrigued, there was a level of tedium in all the card cutting and basting and removing basting thread and cards that I thought I probably wouldn't enjoy. But I went ahead and watched a class on EPP, since I could.

Well, the class was taught by Helen Stubbings, an Australian designer who had invented an alternative to the traditional paper cards, by using fusible paper templates that were half water-soluble and half stabilizer, so they didn't need to be removed after the project. That sounded like a perfect happy medium for me! The templates are fused on, keep the little shapes precise (something I could never do on my own because I am not a perfectionist), yet you can just glue the fabric around them, sew the little shapes together, and move right on to your appliqué or quilting. The perfect blend of slow work and quick work for me, though I can definitely see how the traditional method would appeal to some. While I don't think I would tackle a whole quilt (mostly because I really dislike the finish work of binding and quilting), I could think of a lot of ways to play with appliqués made from these shapes. You will likely see some in the very near future - though don't expect this to turn into a quilting blog!

 

Of course I jumped in, ordered some of her paper templates, and as soon as the first ones arrived I made a little project to wet my feet. It was super fun! The hexagons are actually not my favorite shape out there, and I'm picky about what patterns I like since I'm not a fan of the really scrappy look, but I am super excited for the rest of the shapes to arrive so I can play with them. I have quite a few ideas already. I certainly shouldn't have to buy fabric except for special projects, so the templates will be my only expense. Only now I can't even throw away the smaller scraps when I'm cutting out a dress, so I really will be inundated with leftovers!

 

This potholder I made with her 1" hexagon templates assembled by hand, appliquéd by machine using the blind-hem stitch (super easy and quick), and then the background fabric cut out in a circle. I fused interfacing to the back (see how I like to play with my new tools!) and edged it with rickrack before putting the back on. It took maybe a couple of hours to make, and is so cute and cheery! 

 

So as you can see, my horizons have really expanded this month to include all sorts of new techniques. It was definitely worth the $8 I paid for a month's access, especially since I also got a major discount for signing up, and their membership price discounts through the month of July to get fabric with. Now I have to decide if there are enough other classes that interest me enough to pay for another month or not, but as it is, I should have plenty to keep me busy going forward!

Tutorial: How to Make 1950s Style Beaded Earrings

Anyone who likes to browse antique shops will recognize the popular bead cluster earrings from the 1950s. Often part of a matching set, they have a quintessential mid-century look. Because of their size and bulk, many of them are clip-ons and too heavy to work well converted to pierced. But no fear! Now you can make your own, in your preferred colors!

 

For this project you will need:

2 large bead caps (I used 25mm size of a generic style easily found in craft stores)

beading needle

beading string (similar to fishing line)

beads

hammer

2 earring posts

metal-bonding glue like E-6000

 

How To

On a surface that you can't scratch, carefully use the hammer to flatten out the bead caps. They won't be perfectly flat, but as you can see, the inner edge is flattened down, and the outer edge is flattened out.

 

The difference:

 

This makes the base for your earring. (I'm sure there are bases out there that are actually made for this, but I found bead caps to work well and be very inexpensive, plus common to access.)

With your beading thread on your needle, tie the other end through the bead cap. Now you are ready to start beading.

 

Start by sewing down beads the whole way around the bead cap. I found the best results by going up and down in the same hole. I used 3mm glass pearl beads because I wanted a daintier earring, but you can certainly use larger beads and not sew one in each hole if necessary. In general, small beads will work best.

 

There will be spaces between them - that's ok. You'll fix it later.

 

Now move to the center and do another circle of beads. They won't all fit in a tidy ring, but start "clustering".

 

At this point, you may wish to add an extra bead here or there in order to make a tight cluster that hides the bead cap. Try to add them evenly and not all on one side, or your earring will grow lopsided.

 

For the center, I used a 6mm glass pearl. Make sure to turn it so the side is facing instead of the end with the hole.

 

Next, go back and tighten any loose beads by adding another stitch through them. Knot your beading thread and weave it through the ends of some of your stitches before cutting it off. You don't want to cut it too close to the knot.

Make the 2nd earring, trying to keep the number of beads the same so they end up the same size.

 

Turn them over and glue an earring post to the back of each one. 

 

That's it! Leave them to dry overnight, and the next day you can put on the earring backs and wear them.

I used all one color, but you can mix colors too! Here is a set I made earlier, with mixed sizes, colors, and textures of beads. There are endless options out there!

 

These could coordinate perfectly with my two-strand pearl necklace, if you need a matching set!

 

My new pearl bead cluster earrings side-by-side with true vintage 1950s bead cluster earrings. It's nice to be able to make a new, authentic-looking pair in a particular color any time I need to!

Flower-Fringed 1940s Hat

The last few weeks have not been very productive, sewing wise. I was on vacation, then had crochet deadlines to meet, and anyway I wasn't really in the sewing mood. I did get a fun small project finished, though!

 

I've already made this hat from VaVoomVintage twice - a simple black version, and last year's Easter hat which I trimmed with a vintage veil and some paper flowers. These hats are so quick and easy to make, and very flattering. The simple base can be decorated a myriad ways. There are so many options, I'll have to make a lot more before I'm able to use all my trimming ideas!

 

This one was made in navy blue wool felt. I bent the top wire to give a little heart shape, just for fun. I think it adds to the 1940s silhouette. I could also wear it farther front on my head like a headband.

 

The trimming for this version was also in felt. I used small circles of the navy felt, and also a lighter shade of blue to make flowers to line the front edge.

 

These flowers were super easy. I started with a circle about 1 1/2 in. across, in the light blue felt, and one slightly smaller out of navy felt.

 

I snipped them around the edges to create fringed petals. I was not particular at all, so they are not even. You can't notice, so there's no need to stress out about getting each cut the same width and depth.

 

Stack them up and pinch them in half! I pinned them around the front edge to figure out how many I would need, then secured each flower with a few stitches in just the center, to allow the petals freedom to go a little wonky if they want.

 

I've seen similar hat trimmings on actual vintage hats from the era, so the overall appearance is very period correct. 

 

Just to show how versatile this hat pattern is, here's another one I made as a birthday gift for my sister. This one was trimmed across the front with a 1 1/2 in. strip of felt that was pleated evenly and sewn down with pearl beads.

 

This style of trimming is very 1950s, and you can see from the silhouette that it looks quite a different era from the blue one.

 

Very fun projects to add a quick accessory to a collection - both hats together took me 1 1/2 hours or less to complete. A refreshing change from elaborate or time-consuming sewing projects! I'll definitely continue to use this pattern.