Sew It Up Sunday - Storage Box
{Do you know of another method for making these boxes? Please share in the comments section. When I was making these originally for Valentines day card boxes - I had a hard time finding a quick and easy method that worked for me. I came up with a method that is just like the tote bags I make. Hope it works for you. I make no promises. :>) Sew at your own risk. Check back SEW soon for details on our next sewing class - Mother's Day aprons! And also Teacher gifts in May...hope you'll join us!}
sew it up sunday {love on a limb}
Sew it up Sunday (formerly known as Make It Monday - a little name change to make the google searching easier for my projects) kits are available HERE.
Each month, I feature a different tutorial and invite you to sew along with me and make something new. Our February feature - a bit early - is inspired by Valentines Day.
For February, I made a table topper for our dining room table. You can adapt this to make a doll quilt or a table runner by adjusting the size. You can also do this in all kinds of bright colors for a spring /Easter table top.
Materials besides the usual sewing machine and other doo-dads:
Doll blanket : 6 qty of 6.5" squares of varying fabric, 1/4 yard of flannel, 1/4 yard of backing fabric, scraps for applique. (assemble square to lay 2 x 3). You can increase the size as needed.
Table Runner: 15 qty of 6.5" squares of varying fabric, 1/2 of yard of flannel, 1/2 yard of backing fabric, scraps for applique. (assemble squares to lay 3 x 5) You can increase the size as needed.
Table Topper: 36 qty of 6.5" squares of varying fabric, 1 yard of flannel, 1 yard of backing fabric, scraps for applique (assemble squares to lay 6 x 6) You can increase the size as needed.
If you are quilter, forgive me for what you are about to read. I fudge all the way through this project. I'm a mother of 3, a baby who is on the go and my sewing time is limited. I make no promises with this tutorial...give it your best shot. I'm just sharing how I do it to get the look without all the work. Sew at your own risk.
The directions are the same essentially for each item - the doll blanket, table runner or table topper. You can expect the table topper to take roughly two nap times to complete. What? You need that in real time you say? Sorry...about 4 hours or less. You can expect the other two to take substantially less time than that.
- Cut your squares. {my sample shown here has used mostly Moda's french general fabrics with a few others thrown in - I think they are perfect for this "season of love" we are in}
- Lay out all your squares until you get them in the design order you like. If you've never "quilted" before...we are going to sew these in rows.
- With right sides together sew the square from your top row, far left to the neighboring square with 1/4" seams. Press your seams open.
- With right sides together using 1/4" seams, sew the next square on and continue until your entire top row has been sewn together with all of your seams pressed open.
- Repeat for the rest of your rows.
6. Take your top row of squares and with right sides together, pin your second row to the top row. You see where we are going with this?
7. Sew each row to the next and so on until your top is completely assembled.
{applying your applique}
Once your top is complete, you are going to sew on your applique picture of the birds with their heart on a limb. Click here to download a pdf of the applique pattern pieces Love on a Limb
For the doll blanket, you will cut out 2 birds, 2 beaks, 2 wings, one limb, and 3 hearts of varying sizes. You can place the scene in the center of your blanket.
For the table runner, cut out 4 birds, 4 beaks, 4 wings, 2 limbs, and 6 hearts - 2 large, 2 medium, 2 small. You can place them at either end of the runner.
For the table topper, cut out 8 birds, 8 beaks, 4 limbs, and 12 hearts - 4 large, 4 medium, 4 small.
I didn't really give you the heart pattern - remember from elementary school how you fold your paper (fabric) in half, draw your half a heart and cut? You can figure out that part, right?
You will also need to cut some ribbon. One that will loop over your limb and one to tie into a bow.
I use a little stitch witchery to "glue" my applique pieces all down so they don't move while I'm stitching. Place your bird beaks a little under your bird to hold them on better. Place your wing on your bird, birds on their limb and your hearts all together.
Take your one piece of ribbon and BEFORE you "glue" or stitch your limb down, run your ribbon behind the limb. Stitch all your applique pieces on. I used both a straight stitch and a zig zag stitch and leave all my edges raw for that vintage look. I looped my ribbon over the limb, sewed it down and then put a few stitches through the center of the ribbon bow to hold it together.
That's it. Be patient. I found that applying all of these appliques to the table topper took as much time as piecing the top. If you have any questions - zip me a note! But, be creative. This is just the basic idea.
8. Next, lay your completed top on top of your flannel. Typically, in quilting, you use quilt batting. Since I was using this on my table I didn't actually want all the loft that quilting creates. I wanted to have some heft to it and lay flat on my table and so I choose to use flannel. 
9. You want to make sure you have both layers pulled taut and everything smooth. Pin your layers together and cut your flannel the same size as your top.
10. Quilters - close your eyes. You won't like this a bit. I didn't quilt the top at all. Instead, being lazy and needing to finish quickly, I simply did some decorative random stitching around the top to hold the layers of flannel and the top together. You will see my random stitches in some of the photos.
11. Next, the backing. Being cheap and thrifty - I had a new bed sheet that I bought on clearance for pennies. I used that for my backing. This isn't a blanket (well, for the table top / runner at least) where you will see both sides because it's flat on your table so if you can use some inexpensive plain fabric - that works great for your budget!) Lay your top onto your backing fabric and cut to size.
12. Pin all 3 layers right sides together and sew around all sides using a 1/2" seam allowance. Leave an opening about 8" long for turning. I know, I know...this is not how to quilt. We are cheating - remember?! Who has time for a binding? The baby is waking up soon!
13. Turn your table top right side out. Press and make your edges all nice and crisp.
14. Now, our "binding" is really just a top stitched border. I go around twice. It'll do. Be sure you have your opening securely closed.
Well, there you have it. A doll blanket, table runner or table topper with some sweet little applique. Pretty and nobody will know you totally fudged the whole quilting process - well, except for quilters who are cursing my name I imagine after reading this (tee! hee!)
Next month's {sew it up sunday} project will be some softies. They are so much fun - I've been collecting some great beaded necklaces to adorn mine....you'll love this little project!
Hope you enjoyed this one - please share and link back to me. Leave me a comment and let me know so I can come visit you too! Don't forget, I do have a few kits available in my etsy shop for this project.
AND when you've finished your project - go click over there =>>> in the sidebar on my Flickr page. I have a group for Sew It Up Sunday projects. I'd love to see what you come up with!
And check out all the other goodies at Get Your Craft on on Today's Creative Blog
xoxo,
Trish
make it monday {patchwork wristlet}
Make it Monday - Trish Preston - Two Peas in a Pod Homegrown Designs
The Patchwork Wristlet - January 2010
Are you ready? Here we go...
New for 2010, I will be hosting "make it monday" "sew it up sunday" (I'll explain the change later!) at the top of every month. Make it Monday Sew it Up Sunday is your opportunity to make something with me. I'll have the complete instructions for you here on my blog.
In addition, if you're feeling pressed for time and want to sew along with us but don't have the time to put it all together, I'll have a limited number of kits prepared for you. HERE in my etsy shop, you will find a handful of these projects all cut and ready to be sewn for you under the make it monday sew it sunday category. Neatly packaged and ready to ship but only available for a very limited time.
Let's sew!
To start off the new year, a patchwork wristlet. You can adorn the front with a brooch, a buckle, a button, a yo-yo - be creative! Read through all of the instructions first before beginning.
Here's what you'll need fabric wise besides all the typical sewing do-dads:
- 5 strips of fabric cut 2" x 6.5"
- a piece of fabric cut roughly 8.25" x 6.5" for the rear exterior. I usually wait to cut this - using my top panel as my pattern.
- 2 pieces of heavy fusible fleece interfacing cut 7.5" x 5.25" give or take. You just want this to be about 1/2" smaller than the piece you are fusing it to.
- a strap cut 2" x 14" in length
- a piece of ribbon for the front of the wristlet
- prequilted cotton, corduroy or heavy home dec fabric for the interior OR you can choose a quilting cotton. Cut 2 approximately 8.25" x 6.5" (I usually do not cut my interior until I get my top pieced - then I use that top as my pattern to cut the exterior back and the interior pieces. If you use a heavy fabric, you don't need to interface it. If you choose to use a quilting cotton, you will want to interface it.
- your embellishment for the front
- 7" or 9" zipper
- Using 1/4" seams, sew your 5 strips of fabric together to construct the front.
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3. Use the top you have just assembled as your pattern. Lay it on the fabric you chose for the rear exterior and cut out the rear panel. Then cut out your interior pieces as well.
4. Fuse the interfacing to the front and rear exterior panels following manufacturers instructions.
5. Press your strap. Press the fabric in half. Open up. Then press each half in half to the center. Press in half again. Stitch down both side of strap.
6. Topstitch the front panel 1/8" from the edge of each seam / patch. You can skip this if you want but it looks nice to topstitch.
7. Stitch on your ribbon to the front panel.
8. Make a loop with your strip and lay your wrist strap about an inch or so down from the top along the side - matching up raw edges and stitch.
9. Sewing on your zipper. I used a 7" zipper however, it is exactly the same size and can be a bit tricky to work with. If you want a little wiggle room, use a 9" zipper.
10. With right side up, lay your front panel down on your table. Take your zipper and lay it right side down. 
Take one of your lining pieces and line it up with the front panel and zipper and pin all 3 layers together - making sure everything is even. Refer to the photo here for this step.
11. Now flip these out so that your wrong sides are facing together and give it a little press. Topstitch.
12. Repeat for the rear panel. If you're not sure if you have it correct - pin in place and then flip around while pinned so you can check before you sew. Oh, you knew that!
13. Don't forget to topstitch again! When you are all done attaching your zipper it will look like...
14. NOW...put your right sides together for the exterior panels, pin, and sew all 3 sides using a 1/2" seam allowance. You'll need to fidget with it a bit, line up your seams along the zipper, push the zipper up a bit...you'll get it. You want it to come together all nice and neat.
15. Once you've sewn around those 3 edges, open up your zipper almost all the way. Now pin the lining panels together, right sides together. Stitch around all 3 sides and leave an opening in the bottom. Clip the corners.
16. Turn your bag. You'll be pulling it all through the lining opening. Sew the lining closed and tuck it inside the bag.
You're done. How's it look? I added a little ribbon to my zipper for a pull.
Everytime I do something new - it never turns out that great the first go 'round so practice and in a time or two of making these - you'll be a pro!
Do you have any suggestions? Did you like it? Did I screw anything up? (I wouldn't be surprised :>) ) I'd love to hear from you so please - leave me a comment and let me hear from you.
Of course, post your make it monday projects on my Flickr page so we can all take a look at the gems you are creating.
Next months Make it Monday Sew it up Sunday project is full of Valentine sweetness - a doll blanket OR table topper. I'll be posting the kits for this project in about a week give or take a few days so you can have them shipped in time for the project post when it comes up (I'm actually posting the Make it Monday Sew it up Sunday February project on January 25th) and you can whip it out straight away for the holiday.
{and just an extra note...I hope you enjoy the ideas and photos on my blog but please note that the content here including photos and text are the property of Trish Preston and may not be used, copied or transmitted without the express consent of Trish Preston. For any inquiries, please email me at twopeasinapoddesigns@gmail.com. Thanks!}
xoxo,
Trish