Sew Simple Shapes - How to make Stems!!!

Today I'm going to

 show you how I make the 

stems to go with my

 happy patchwork flowers:)

I made all of my flowers using the

 BLOOM 

Sew Simple Shapes

CLICK HERE

to get a set of your own:)

Before I made the stems...

I whipped up a few more leaves

 using the A-14 and A-16 

in the set.

Then I chose 

3 different greens

 from my scrappy stash

 to make my stems:)

I used the Clover 1/4" bias tape maker.

I cut my fabric strips 

5/8" x width of fabric.

***NOTE- these stems will be

 straight and not curvy 

so I did not cut

 them on the bias.

I like to clip off the

 corners and make a point

 to thread through 

the bias tape maker.

I insert the fabric 

like this and use whatever

 is handy next to me 

with a sharp point 

to help pull it 

through the tip.

You can use 

small embroidery scissors...

a tailors awl

 or a pin:)

This is what it looks like

 on the other side 

where the fabric 

comes out folded.

To press...

turn it back over

 to the side where 

its not folded. 

I like to thread it

 thru the metal loop 

on the end to keep

 my fabric straight.

Place your iron 

on the fabric 

without touching the

 bias tape maker....it's metal so you

 will make it too 

hot to touch!

Pull backwards 

(to the left) 

on the metal loop and

iron the fabric strip 

nice and flat 

as it comes out.

I like to let mine cool

 and then wind it around

vintage wooden spools ...

making sure the folds

 of the stems underneath

 are nice and flat 

as I wind it.

I use these tiny 

little appliqué pins by Clover

 to secure the ends.

Now my stem strips 

are ready for appliqué...

I just have to cut off 

the length needed for a flower:)

Before I appliqué 

the flowers 

onto a background...

I like to appliqué 

the centers onto

 each flower first.

I use matching 

50 weight 100% cotton 

Aurifil thread

and a tiny zigzag stitch.

I also keep a 

small ruler handy for 

measuring so that 

I'm sure the center 

is right in the middle

 before pinning 

and appliquéing.

I am doing machine appliqué

 for this project and 

I love the way it looks!

This is what 

it looks like

 from the back.

I change my top thread

 to match each piece

 that I am appliquéing...

but leave white 

Aurifil in my bobbin.

This is a close up

 of the top:)

Now that all of my flowers,

 leaves and stems are ready...

I'll show you

 what I'm making 

on my next post.

I can't wait!

xx

Lori

Sew Simple Shapes - Another Scrappy Happy Flower Tutorial!!!

Today's tutorial is a 

few additional 

scrappy happy flowers 

for easy appliqué:)

As I've said before...

here are 24 different shapes

 in the BLOOM set and today

 I'm working with 5 of them.

CLICK HERE

to get your own set of 

BLOOM

Sew Simple Shapes

Here is the cutting for each shape;

A-18 - 2 1/2" square

A-19 - 2 1/2" square

A-21 - 3 1/2" square

A-1 - 2" square

A-5 = 2" x 2 1/2" rectangle

You will need to cut a piece of

 Sew-In Pellon 

the same size as each 

fabric piece as well.

Trace around each

 Sew Simple Shape

 by placing it in

 the center of the Pellon.

I always use a 

.05 mechanical pencil 

for a nice thin accurate line.

Pin to the right side of the fabric.

Stitch directly onto each traced line...

securing your stitch when you stop and start.

Trim an approximate 

1/4" seam allowance

 around each piece.

Use a small sharp pair of

 embroidery scissors 

and cut an "X" 

in the Pellon ONLY.

There is one "cleavage" area

 in the heart Sew Simple Shape

 that you will need to clip

 right to the thread...

 but not into it or past it.

Clipping will allow the heart

 to lie flat after

 it's been turned right side out.

I like to use the

 Clover turning tool 

to GENTLY push out the

 corners and curves

 after turning.

Press each appliqué piece

 flat from the fabric side.

I think that the oval

 and the circle look cute

 "tucked under"

 these two little flowers...

 don't you?

The heart is cute on it's own 

but a small circle

 tucked under it 

would be cute as well.

I could go on and on

 making even more flowers 

to appliqué

from my

BLOOM

Sew Simple Shapes

 but I think that I

 probably already have

 too many for 

what I'm making...

but it's so hard to stop!

They really are 

fun and addicting:)

My next post 

I'll do a few more leaves

 with some of the shapes

 we haven't played with yet

 and then for the stems!

See you then...

xx

Lori

Sew Simple Shapes - Patchwork Tulip Tutorial with More Leaves and Flowers!!!

Good morning cute people!

Today I'm continuing 

my tutorials

 on making flowers with my 

BLOOM 

Sew Simple Shapes

First up is shape A-24...

and I'm going to show you

 how I make a 

cute patchwork tulip:)

First I cut 4 strips of

 scrappy fabric 

1 1/2" x 4"

Then I sewed them together

 with a

 scant 1/4" seam 

and pressed them open.

I placed the A-24 shape

 onto the wrong side

 and lined up the seams 

with the marks

 on the template 

and traced my stitching line...

Like this.

I cut a piece of 

Sew-In Lightweight Pellon

the same size and pinned

with right sides together.

I stitched directly 

onto my stitching line...

securing when I 

stop and start by backstitching.

I trimmed an approximate

 1/4" seam allowance

 and clipped a 

little bit 

off the top

of the points.

***Important! -

 You will need to clip 

the two "cleavage" areas 

in between the tulip points.

Use a small pair of 

sharp embroidery scissors 

and make a clip 

to your stitching line...

being careful not to 

clip past it...

 or into it.

Clip an "X" into

 the Pellon and 

turn right side out.

I use this 

Clover turning tool 

to GENTLY push out the points.

Press your tulip flat 

from the front:)

I quickly stitched 

up an A-24 Tulip 

without the patchwork

 to show you

 how cute and easy 

it is as well!

Now for a new leaf shape.

You can use the ovals

 in BLOOM for 

leaves as well!

For this set...

I am using the A-7 

and making patchwork Leaves.

I cut 2 pieces of green fabric 

3 1/2" wide x 4" tall...

then I cut them in half

 so that they measure 

1 3/4" x 4"

Click Here

 to see how I make 

these oval leaves...

because the method

 is exactly the same

 as my other 

two sided leaf tutorial.

I think the ovals

 make cute leaves too!

 I like to be creative 

with the leaf shapes 

as well as the flowers:)

(still need stems...

but i promise they are coming!)

There are 4 oval shapes

 in the BLOOM set 

and they are

A-5  A-6  A-7  A-8

I cut some Pellon and

 a bunch of fabric 

from my scrappy stash

 for all four sizes...

And made some oval flowers 

to add to my 

growing collection of 

scrappy happy flowers:)

I also made another

 set of oval leaves!

This time I used 

one fabric instead of two:)

I'm having so much

 fun playing with my

 BLOOM

 Sew Simple Shapes

and I hope you are too!

I'll be growing my 

garden of patchwork flowers

 over the week-end...

 and I'll show you

 even more on Monday:)

xx

Lori