A Fabric Basket Tutorial

Happy Thursday everyone!

Today i'm going to share a tutorial on the fabric basket i made last month.

These little basket are so easy and fun to make. 

You can make them in any sizes or colors for storage, room decorations or as gifts!

you will love having them around. or at least i did.. ^^

1) Sew your first piece of exterior main print fabric to one side of the contrast fabric, right side together as shown.

2) Sew your second piece of exterior main print fabric to the other side of the contrast fabric, right side together as shown.

3) Press seams.

4) Sew the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior print fabric.

This part is optional : For me, i have quilt 2 straight lines as design and at the same time, it also helps to secure my interface to the exterior print fabric.

If you are using fusible interfacing, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior print fabric as per the manufacturer's instruction on the packaging.

5) Fold it in half, right sides together and sew both side of the edges using 1/4" seam allowance. (Sew on the dotted line as shown)

6) This is the side seams.

7) Box the corners by aligning and pressing each corner together.

8) The folded crease should be aligned with the side seams.

Use a ruler and water soluble marker, mark and draw a line as shown.

The total width of the box corner will be 5".

(Length from crease line to edge will 2.5" on each side)

9) Sew along the drawn line. Backstitch at the beginning and end.

(if the fabric basket is intend for storing heavy stuff, i would suggest sewing at least 2-3 times along the drawn line) 

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, trim the corner away.

Repeat step 6 to 9 for the other corner.

10) Turn the basket right side out. 

Gently push out the corners.

(If the exterior fabric of your basket looks crumpled like mine, don't worry.

we will do the ironing much later. let's continue.. ^^)

11) This part is optional. 

You may choose to add Ric Rac, Pom Pom Trims, Lace Trims etc.. or none at all. 

Is entirely up to you. = )

For adding Ric Rac :

Using a water soluble marker and ruler, measure 1/8" (0.125") from the top edge of the basket, make a mark. Continue to mark along the top edge of the basket leaving a 2" space in between. Connect all the marks to form a line.

Next, position the ric rac around the basket on the drawn line as shown and pin in place.

(Note : distance from the upper "peak" of the ric rac to the drawn line is 1/8" (0.125"))  

Sew the ric rac along the top edge of the basket using 1/8" (0.125") seam allowance.

Now your exterior fabric basket is completed.

12) Fold the lining fabric in half, right sides together and sew both side of the edges using 1/4" seam allowance. (Sew on the dotted line as shown)

On the right side, from the top sew 2" down as per the dotted line, backstitch. Leave a 4" opening for turning later on. Continue sewing as per dotted line.  

13) Repeat Step 6 to 8

14) Repeat step 9

Repeat step 13 to 14 for the other corner.

Now your lining fabric basket is completed.

15) Placed your exterior fabric basket in your lining fabric basket right sides together.

Align the top edges and pin them in place.

16) Sew the top edges of your exterior fabric basket and lining fabric basket together using 1/4" seam allowance.

17) Turn the fabric basket right side out through the lining fabric opening.

Gently push out the corners.

18) You may choose to hand stitch the opening closed if you like. 

Usually i will, if is meant to be a gift as i feel it looks nicer if the stitches are not visible.

But for today, we will just stitched the opening close using a small seam allowance.

19) Placed the lining fabric into the basket and press well.

Ta- daaaa!! Is all done!

You can have two style options!

Style 1 : With the top edge not folded.

Style 2 : With the top edge folded.

Hope you have a fun time making the fabric basket as much as i did! 

Have a great weekend ahead!

xox, Jean

a fruitful weekend

Yo! I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend!

I had a really great one!

Went polka dot shopping, adding more polka dot fabrics to my growing stash.. ^^

Finish sewing all 88 triangles! 

(earlier post on the Hopscotch pattern quilt can be found here)

Lay and assembly them on the floor. Asking my complaining helpful hubby to lie down beside it, so i can measure and make sure is long enough to cover him (he is about 1.85 metres tall, his current blankets are too short). Luckily i did that, because i realise i need to make another 8 more triangles! This triangles are so fun to sew! I can't wait to get started again! ^^

A few weeks ago, i came across a cool fabric basket on display in Ikea. It look something like this but is made of fabric instead. I guess it is not for sale, as i couldn't find a price tag. I thought it will be quite useful to have one, so i decided to make one myself. 

I used my yellow and white polka dot fabric and the cute piggy fabric i bought in Taiwan and some ric racs!

It turns out, now i can have one fabric basket with two different styles. hehe..

Style 1 : with the top edge folded 

Style 2 : with the top edge not folded

What do you think?

Which style do you like better? 

I would love to hear from you.. ^^

Have a great week ahead everyone!

xox, Jean

Looking Out Pincushion Tutorial

Happy Wednesday!

Today, i would like to share a cute Pincushion Tutorial.

I call it "Looking Out"...

Skylar says is a cheesy name and makes no sense.. >_<"

Anyway, i find it rather cute! and just in case, i shall briefly explain.. 

It shows a window frame and looking out, it is actually raining. 

So does "Looking Out" make sense to you? ^^

I still have some leftover fabric from my Cherry Christmas.

I'm going to make another "Looking Out" and this time it will be a snowing one! 

This is sooo addictive! hee!

Materials Required for a 4" x 4" Pin Cushion :

Note : Using 1/4" seam allowance throughout

Step 1) From your 1.75" square print fabric and 0.8" x 1.75" white fabric, sew them together to form a row as shown below. 

Press seams to either one side or open. Make two.

Step 2) From your two rows in Step 1 and 3.3" x 0.8" white fabric, sew them together as  shown below. Press seams to either one side or open. Now you have a block!

Step 3) Sew a 1.1" x 3.3" white fabric to each side (left and right) of the block as shown below. Press seams to either one side or open.

Step 4) Sew a 4.5" x 1.1" white fabric to each side (top and bottom) of the block as shown below. Press seams to either one side or open.

Step 5) Placed the 4.5" x 4.5" backing fabric and the completed block right sides together.

Pin it in placed. Sew all around the edge using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Leave about a 1" space opening on the top for turning later on.

Step 6) Turn the pincushion right side out through the 1" space opening.

Gently push out the corners.

Now, Fill it with a pincushion filling of your choice and hand stitch the opening closed!

Enjoy your cute Pincushion and make it in all four season as a gift for everyone you know. ^^

I hope you have enjoy this quick and easy tutorial.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

xox Jean

A Placemat Tutorial

Today is my birthday!! ^^

So i want to share a fun and easy Placemat tutorial before going out for dinner with Skylar!

Here we go :

Materials for making one tablemat :

* cut (24) 2" x 2" print squares

* cut (24) 2" x 2" white squares

* cut (1) 11.5" x 12.5" white fabric

* cut 70" x 2.5" strip for binding

* cut 16" x 12.5" fabric for backing fabric

* cut 16" x 12.5" of cotton batting

* using 1/4" seam allowance throughout

* This tutorial will be great to use up all the scraps! 

we will begin by making Half square triangles (oh i love them!)

1) Draw a line from one corner to the opposite corner on all 24 white squares.

2) Placed your print squares and your white squares right side together.

Using 1/4" seam allowance, sew along each side of the drawn line.

I like to sew continuously without stopping, refer to the above photo.

I find it saves time. But i will backstitch a little on the beginning and end of each squares.

This is just my personal preference. = ) 

Quick wasn't it?! ^^

3) Cut on the line, so you have two Half Square Triangle.

There should be a total of 48 Half Square Triangle.

4) Press all your Half Square Triangles seams open and trim them to 1.5" square.

5) Lay out all 48 Half Square triangles as shown above and piece them together. Let's go into step by step on how to piece them together!

6) Arrange your Half Square Triangles as shown above, piece them together and press seams open.

Make 12 sets each. 

7) After you have finished sewing the 24 sets, arrange the two different set as shown above.

Piece them together and press seams open.

Now there should be 12 sets of these.

8) Arrange them as above, 6 sets in a row.

Piece together and press seams open.

9) Arrange the 11.5" x 12.5" white fabric together with the finished two rows of Half square triangles as shown above.

Piece them together, press seams open.

(note to self : remember to press all fabrics before taking photos. >_<")

10) Lay your finished top layer right side facing down, then the layer of batting, then the backing fabric right side up. (or vice versa)

(please press the backing fabric, i took the photo before pressing again.. >_<")

11) Pin your top, make sure your pins go through all three layers and just a few inches apart.

12) Quilt the tablemat as you desired.

I have quilted straight lines. = )

Next, we move on to the bindings.

13) To make a continuous 70" x 2.5" binding, lay the end of one strip perpendicular to the end of another strip, right side together as shown above and pin them.

14) Sew from one corner to another, trim off the excess using 1/4" allowance, as shown above.

15) Press the seams open. Now you have one long strip.

16) Fold the strip in half, wrong sides together. Press them.

So now you have a 1.25" (width) binding instead of 2.5"! = )

17) Leave at least 10" of extra binding before you start to sew. 

Place the raw edge of the binding to the raw edge of the front of the tablemat and pin them in place.

18) Start sewing your binding using a 1/4" seam allowance

19) When you reach a corner, stop sewing and backstitch.

Lift up your binding strip as shown above and placed it back down, so that the raw edge of the binding is in line with the raw edge of the tablemat.

20) Pin them in place.

Start sewing again using 1/4" seam allowance from the top edge of this folded down corner. Repeat the same method for all four corners.

21) After you have completed your last corner, continue to sew and stop (and backstitch) about 10" from your starting point. 

Smooth out the binding, fold the start and end piece of the binding, making sure they meet in the centre. Press them to form a crease line.

Unfold both ends of the binding piece, right side together and pin them in placed

22) Matching the crease line, sew along it.

Trim off the excess binding leaving 1/4" and press open.

Refold the binding down, press and finish sewing from the stop point to the start point.

Remember to backstitch in the beginning and end.

23) Flip the binding to the back of the tablemat, such that it covers the stitch lines.

Pin them in placed.

p/s note : Pinning is not neccessary, but personally i feel it helps to keep the binding down while i'm stitching, which makes it easier for me. = )

24) When you reached a corner, fold the edges in, until you get a neat mitered corner. Pin them in placed.

p/s add to the above note : personally, i feel one of the cons of using pins to pin for hand binding, is you get prick more easily during binding, especially with large quilt. It will be more comfortable to use clips or anything less pricky, so you can hand bind and watch television series (eg. The Big Bang Theory!) at the same time in comfort.. hee!

This is just from my personal experience. = )

25) With a needle and thread, make a knot at the end of the thread.

Start the first stitch underneath the binding to hide the knot.

Blind stitch along the edges.

When you reach the end of your thread, end the knot underneath the binding again to hide it. Start a new thread and continue to sew away.

now there, your 16" x 12.5" Placemat is complete!

Make a set for all occasions for all your friends! ^^

xoxo Jean