Friday, December 4, 2015

NEW!!! - Tutorial on Making Patchwork Flowers and Leaves with the Sew Simple Shapes Templates!



Today I wanted to show you 
how to make
 patchwork flowers and leaves
with my Sew Simple Shapes

A few weeks ago I did some tutorials
on how I prepare my pieces for
 appliqué using the 
BLOOM Sew Simple Shapes.

to see those tutorials
 if you missed them:)


If you don't have your 
BLOOM Sew Simple Shapes yet...
And join the fun!


First up...
 I'll be using the 
A-23 Sew Simple Shape 
from the set.


This is what the flower
 looks like using one 
fabric for the entire flower
 and one fabric for the center .
I used A-2 Sew Simple Shape 
for the circle.

Today I want to show you
 how you can make the flower
by doing just a little bit 
of patchwork first:)


Choose 4 - 2 1/2" squares 
from your scrappy stash 
and sew them together 
into a four patch like this.
Use a scant 1/4" seam allowance.


Press the seams open 
and place the A - 23 template 
onto the wrong side...
 lining up the center marks
 on the template
 with the center of the 
seam allowances and 
trace around the template...


Like this.
This line is your stitching line:)
I  use a .05 mechanical pencil 
for a nice thin line.


Now cut a 5" square of the


Pin together with your 
marked lines facing up...


And stitch directly
 onto the lines...
all the way around.
Don't forget to backstitch 
when you stop and start:)


After stitching...
trim an approximate 
1/4" seam allowance
 all the way around 
like this.


*This step is important!
There are 4 "cleavage" areas 
in this A - 23 Sew Simple Shape. 
You will need to 
clip right up to the stitching
 (but not into or past the stitching)
just like this...
so that your flower will 
lay flat when you 
turn it inside out.

Clip all 4 cleavage areas of the flower.


Now pinch the Pellon 
away from the flower front 
and make a small clip 
in the Pellon only.


Cut an "X" like this 
for the opening to turn.


Turn right side out and 
use a smoothing tool to help
 push out the points and curves.
***Use this tool gently...
don't poke through the Pellon:)


Press it nice and flat 
from the front...not the back.
Cute right?
It looks complicated and 
somewhat like
 english paper piecing
but as you just saw...
it's machine sewn and easy peasy!


I chose to use
 A-2 Sew Simple Shape 
from the set to make 
the center circle for 
this cute patchwork flower.


I used a 3 1/2" square of fabric
 from my scrappy stash 
and a 3 1/2" square of Pellon.

I traced the sewing line
 onto the Pellon.


Pinned...


Stitched and trimmed...


Cut the"X"...


Turned and pressed.
You know the drill by now!


Now I have a cute patchwork flower
 ready for hand or machine appliqué:)


It's time for some leaves.


I cut a 3 1/2" x 4" 
piece of fabric 
and also Pellon...
and traced around the A-11 
twice onto the Pellon.


If you are making a set
 of matching leaves...
 it's easier to do them 
both on one piece of fabric:)


Two matching leaves done:)


Now for a 
fun and easy patchwork leaf!

I used 
Sew Simple Shape A-12 
for this set.

I cut each fabric strip 
1 1/2" x 4 1/2"
and sewed them together.


Lay the template onto 
the wrong side with the
 seams pressed open and 
trace the stitching lines 
like this.


Pin to a piece of Pellon...
 cut 2 1/2" x 4 1/2"


Stitch and trim...


Turn and press.
I love how these 
patchwork leaves look...
don't you?
Again...
it looks very complicated
 but is sew simple!


Next time...
 I'll show you how to
 make stems and even more 
patchwork flowers using 
different Sew Simple Shapes.

See you then!
xx
Lori



12 comments:

  1. Thank you for the great tutorial!

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  2. Thank you for always coming up with amazing designs and projects !!!

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  3. I am sure hoping I get my set of these shapes for Christmas....looks like fun and I have always despised "applique"...so that is really saying something for me!

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  4. I always love your tutorials...Fridays are my favorite days!

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  5. Which appliqué method do you normally use, Lori?

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  6. Once again you make everything so effortless and it always comes out looking amazing. Thank you Lori

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  7. Oh thank you for this post today....I got these a few weeks ago but haven't opened them up, yet! So excited for the upcoming sew along and your new fabrics....I am going to try to set all my other projects aside for just an hour or so this weekend and PLAY with these!!! You always knock it out of the park, Lori! Hugs!!

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  8. Looking forward to your next sew along. Love your tutorials! Whenever I think, "too hard for me" - you break it down and help me push to the next level. You are the best, Lori!

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  9. OK! I'm officially in love! How much fun is this!! I'm buying some of these real soon. Kay

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  10. Love these, hoping I get these for Christmas, I told Santa. I read somewhere and can't find it now, that you will be coming out with the fabrics I thought I read in December. I sure would like to be able to get some of the cute prints. to be able to sew along with you, and I believe I read, it will change to Mondays? Could you let us know about fabrics please. Thanks and I loved the booth at Houston Quilt Festival, spent my most money there this year! Have a Merry Christmas! Linda

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  11. Thank you for making it sew simple, even I can do it!

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