AnnTheBlogger : rotary cutter

Ruffled Crib Quilt from Down Under

AnnTheGran — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:12:00 GMT

Every grandmother counts it a blessing when another child comes into her life. Each set of tiny hands and feet hold a special place in her heart forever. When the newest addition made his appearance to the Jenkins family it was just what Leanne needed to inspire her to expand her embroidery talents. It’s such a sweet quilt and certain to be his favorite with all those teddy bears to love.

Leanne is from Australia, and she calls this a "cot quilt", but I remember from being in Australia that what is called a cot there is what we in the North America call a crib, so I've changed it in the post title but not in Leanne's text below. For a bigger picture, click here.

Leanne's Description

I recently decided to shout myself (with a lot of help from my partner) an Embroidery Machine for my birthday in October last year. This cot quilt was my first real attempt at something other than tea towels and oven-mitts. Our newest addition to the Grandchildren was born in February this year and I decided to make the quilt for him. All the teddy bear designs were downloaded from Ann The Gran free designs archive and I would like to say that they sew out beautifully as you can see even when they are converted to ‘jef' Format.

Step-by-step description

Quilt Materials List (finished size approximately 1m x 1m (cot size)

Quilt Front Sashes, Ruffle and Backing Fabric 1.7m x 90cm
Contrasting Fabric for Embroidery
Batting 1m x 90cm
Cut six strips for inside vertical sashing to join three embroidery panels per row
Cut two longer strips for inside horizontal sashing to join all nine embroidery panels together
Cut four strips for outside border
Cut nine 9 x 9inch squares for blocks
Embroider nine panels and trim to 8inch squares
Join embroidered blocks x 3 using two of the six inside vertical sashing strips per row, then join each row of 3 embroidered panels together using the two longer strips of horizontal sashing
Finally, using the four remaining strips as a border attach to the outside of completed front cot panel
Make Ruffle (width can be varied to personal choice) using 11/2 x the diameter of the quilt, join strips together and over-lock and turn under one long edge, then gather the other long edge to make ruffle, I used my over-locker to gather the edge as well
Spray wrong side of the front panel with quilters spray adhesive and gently spread the front panel over the batting.
Using a walking foot attachment I then stitched around each embroidered panel using "stitch in ditch" technique
Attach ruffle to the front panel right sides together with the outer edge of ruffle towards the centre of the panel (I find it easier to attach ruffle first then attach the backing fabric last
Attach the backing fabric to the quilt right sides together leaving enough of an opening to turn the quilt right side out then slip stitch to close the opening to complete.

What makes this project special

I always try to make something for any new additions to the Grandchildren when they arrive, as I enjoy doing it and no matter what it is, it is always appreciated and commented on as it is used. I would rather make something myself than buy it because I think it makes the gift special and I love and enjoy my sewing and the time I spend doing so.

Skill level

In my opinion anyone could make this project with any skill level

Products

Cutting Board

Rotary Cutter

Quilters adhesive spray

Sewing Machine / Overlocker

Walking foot attachment

Embroidery Machine / Embroidery Designs

Time Investment

As I still work full-time I find it hard to give an estimate, but the teddy designs I have used in this project take between 30 minutes to 60 minutes so I guess about 10 hours max.

Why I love this project

One reason would be the fact that I have made this for my newest grandson and another would be that this is my first project that I have tackled that is a little more involved than the simpler projects I have done since I got my embroidery machine.

Send Us Your Creations

Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation.

What Would You Do?

What is your favorite theme to sew as a set or grouping of designs in the same project? Click on the Comments link to share your story.

Embroidered Sheepdog Wallhanging Using Photos

AnnTheGran — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:44:00 GMT

Like many of us, Barbara Schleter has more than one passion. Here she has combined her long time love of Shetland Sheepdogs with her more recent passion for embroidery. Barbara has done a great job of sharing her thoughts on creating personalized gifts for those who are special to her. Heartfelt expressions such as this are sure to be cherished by those who recieve the gifts.

Barbara's Description
I am very new to machine embroidery ... in fact I have only been doing it a couple of months. However, I made the attached wallhanging for a very dear lady who has helped me enormously with my other passion ... Shetland Sheepdogs.

It is approximately 20 inches wide by 30 inches long. Please click here to view a larger image of the wallhanging.

Step-by-step
First I printed out photos of three of her Shelties onto TShirt transfer paper on my ink jet printer. I then ironed them onto cream homespun, The photos are about 5 inches wide and 6 inches deep.

I cut these out and sewed glittery material 'frames' about 1-1/2 inches wide around them. I then used my sewing machine and sewed hearts around to make it stable ... any pattern would do or even just plain straight stitching.

Then I embroidered three blocks that I chose at random onto a cream with a white printed background. About 6 inches.

Then I embroidered the lady's kennel name on a piece of the same fabric about 4 inches by 6 inches (this was to enable it to be cut to fit)... but the person's name would do just as well ... or a well chosen word.

I then ran up four pinwheel blocks with a finished size of 4 inches ... but any patchwork block would be fine ... even a four patch.

To assemble I sewed the kennel name, an embroidered square and a photo together. (centre panel).
Then I sewed the left hand panel together ... the photo, then an embroidered square.
Then I sewed the right hand panel together ... again the photo, then an embroidered square.

It is difficult to give exact sizes because the photos vary.

Then I sewed a strip of bright floral material along the bottom -- 2 inches wide

Then I joined the four pinwheels and put a piece of material that I had used in the pinwheels at either end to make it the correct length and sewed it to the bottom strip.

Using another 2 inch wide strip of the bright floral material I sewed it to the bottom edge of the pinwheels.

Then I cut a strip of a different floral fabric 2 inches wide and sewed around the entire wall hanging.

All through the process I measured and ensured everything was square.

Then I got a piece of cream homespun measuring 20 inches by 30 inches and laid it on a table. I then cut a piece of wadding the same size and lay it on the backing. Lastly I put my wallhanging top on it and pinned it all together.

Then I ditch stitched it.

Then I cut a binding 3 inches wide, folded it in half and sewed around the edge.

Then I cut a piece of homespun 16 inches long and 4 inches wide and doubled it over. I then sewed this (raw edges) into the top of the wall hanging.

Then I sewed the folded over binding around the wallhanging, mitreing the corners.

Then I hand sewed the binding onto the back of the wallhanging.

Then using a darkcolour in my bobbin I machine stitched the other side of the rodpocket to the wallhanging.

I cut a piece of dowel to fit and some cord and attached the cord with drawing pins.

What Makes This Project Special
The idea was to make something that would bring a lot of pleasure to the recipient.

Skill Level
Beginner

Products
Bobbins
Colorfast Printer Fabric
Rotary cutter and ruler
Ultimate Quilt Binding Combo (incl. Stitch in the Ditch)
Embroidery Designs

Time Investment
I made it over a couple of days ... in fact I made two ... one for another friend .... but would estimate about 4 hours if one sat and did nothing else.

Why I Love This Project
I wanted to make a personalised wallhanging for a dear friend and I think I accomplished that.

Send Us Your Creations
Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation.

What Would You Do?
Barbara combined techniques of photo printing and embroidery to create a unique quilted wallhanging. Share a time when you have combined another craft or technique to make your embroidery project unique. Click on the Comments link to share your story.

Brighten Someone's Spirit with a Verse Lap Quilt

atgadmin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Quilts, whether large or small, can brighten the spirit and bring a bit of joy to those who need it in almost any situation. Made with love and detailed with words of comfort, Susan Osborn shows us how a simple but heartfelt project can help make the days a little better for others. Surely a gift such as this is what quilting is all about.

Susan's Description

I call them “Lap Comforts” as they are especially for people who, for one reason or another, have to remain seated for much of their day. The lap comfort keeps one’s knees and lap warm while the verses are a comfort to read--which one is able to do no matter which end is up. Two rows of designs face each end of the cover.

Step By Step

I use the machine embroidery designs from "God’s Gifts for You", found here at AnnTheGran. There are 36 in the set, I chose 12. Other designs with meaningful messages or Asian characters with meanings would do fine. Fussy cuts of printed fabric might also be used.

Materials: 12 blocks embroidered with messages½ yard for sashings and border 1 yard backing

1 yard flannel or other batting

I cut my blocks at 6 ½ inches square; the sashings are cut 6 ½ x 2 inches for eight of them for the vertical, and 21 and a half by 2 inches for three of them for the horizontal. The borders are cut as wide as you like for the size of the finished piece. I cut mine 3 and a half inches wide, 28 and a half long for the sides, 26 and a half long for the top and bottom. Yours may vary. Join rows with the sashings making sure that two rows of designs are right side up from each end. Use quarter inch seams. Sew on borders, sides first and then the top and bottom. I used flannel for the batting and for the backing, right sides facing and sewed all but an opening to turn it right side out. Sew opening closed. I tacked each intersection and where the sashings meet the border with a machine stitched heart.

What Makes This Project Special

This project is special to me as my younger sister is confined to a wheel chair and finds a lap comfort useful. I have made her several so one might be in the wash and others waiting for use.

Skill Level

Skill level would be basic quilting.

Products

Products were fabric, stabilizer for the blocks stitch by embroidery machine, thread for embroidery and sewing together.

Time Investment

I was able to make this lap comfort in an afternoon, the embroidery takes the most time.

Why I Love This Project

I love this project because it gives purpose to my hobby of machine quilting. I enjoy sharing finished projects with others.

Send Us Your Creations
Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation.

What Would You Do?
Do you know someone who makes special embroidered items to brighten the day of others? Click on the Comments link to share their story.

Embroidered Hot Cup Wraps

atgadmin — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:59:00 GMT

I know you are all waiting patiently (or if you’re like me maybe not so patiently) for more on the great time with at the AnnTheGran Community Circle 2008 in Orlando. We’re ironing out the final details so please just hold on a few more days. Some of you have been asking about the hotel; I can't give that information out until we get everything finalized, or the hotel will have a deluge of calls they don't know how to handle. Also, I've had a fair few gents tear a strip off me for addressing all my correspondence to the "gals". A recent survey showed that 97% of our site's users are women (does that mean I can tell my husband I'm right 97% of the time?), but for all you fellas out there who make up the other 3%, I stand corrected! Old habits die as hard as old broads.

In the meantime, while you wait in anticipation, we had so many requests for Diane’s hot cup wraps from last week's promotion that we decided we should share her secrets with you all. Fun gifts that are easy to make and can be given for no reason at all are always popular. Aside from being cute, this wrap is reusable so it is helpful to the environment. Whether you make just two or a whole bunch, you’re sure to get a giggle from each and every recipient.

Diane's Description
I was trying to think of a fun little gift for the girls in my morning study class when one morning a couple of them walked in grumbling that the local coffee store was out of jackets and their cups were too hot to handle. In the same class they got their cups mixed up and didn’t know which was which. That gave me the idea for these personalized wraps.

Step-by-step Description
1. You’ll need:
a. A 6”X12” rectangle of fashion fabric for the front.
b. A 6”X12” rectangle of fashion fabric for the lining.
c. A 6”X12” rectangle of leftover batting (Hobbs warm and natural type works best)
d. An alphabet, font software or embroidery design of your choice. One collection that is absolutely fabulous for this project is the Mornings collection, from Amazing Designs.
e. Matching embroidery thread.
f. Tear away stabilizer
g. One paper coffee jacket
2. Carefully cut the coffee jacket down one seam. Fold in half. Fold all three rectangles in half so they are 6”X6” and place you pattern on top so the folded edge of the jacket is lined up with the folded edge of the fabrics.
3. Trace adding ¼” on the 3 sides (not on the folded edge). Cut one wrap piece each from front fabric, lining fabric and batting.
4. Using whatever method you like center your design or text on the front wrap piece. Hoop fabric with the stabilizer and embroidery the design. Remove the stabilizer.
5. Baste the batting to the wrong side of the lining. With scissors trim the batting close to the stitching line.
6. Pin front and lining right sides together. Using ¼” seam stitch along both long sides and one short side. With pinking sheers or a rotary cutter and pinking blade, pink close to the seam.
7. Turn the wrap right side out and press.
8. Fold the raw ends of the open side in ¼” and edge-stitch along the fold.
9. Fold in half with right sides together. Align the ends and stitch a ¼” seam. Press this seam open. Top-stitch ¼” in along top and bottom catching the opened seam at the top and bottom. (You can edge-stitch or tack the open back seam down if you like – I did not.)
Note: Add some trim to the bottom if you like for even more giggles from your friends.

What makes this project special?
It’s fun to gift small gifts that are easy to make and provide laughs as this one did when I took a special one for each member of the group.

Skill Level
Beginner

Products
My embroidery machine
AnnTheGran Alphabet Xpress
AnnTheGran tear-away stabilizer
embroidery threads
fabric

Time Investment
About 4 hours once all the supplies were gathered. (But I made more than one.)

Why I love this project so much
It was different and useful and gave the girls something to giggle about. My 3- year old granddaughter had to have one too - with her name on it – and she doesn’t even like hot drinks.

Send Us Your Creations
Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation.

What Would You Do?
This is a great way to make a quick, personalized gift. Share some of your favorite sayings and quotes or a project idea that gave you the giggles, by clicking on the Comments link to share your story.