Cozy Christmas Sew Along - Week Three - Block Three!!

Welcome to week #3 in our sew along!

If you are just getting started...

CLICK HERE 

to download my free pattern:

Cozy Christmas

CLICK HERE 

to get your 

Cozy Christmas

Sew Simple Shapes

And check your favorite quilt shop to purchase the kit:) 

I'm having so much fun playing with my

 Cozy Christmas fabric and I hope you are too!  

This week is Block Three...

#CozyTreeBlock

In this block we will be using

 ric-rac 

for the garland and a red 

Cute Little Button

 on the top of the tree:)

CLICK HERE 

if you need to download the 

handy dandy cutting guide 

from last weeks tutorial...

And cut your appliqué pieces 

and interfacing according to the guide.

I'm going to show you an easy peasy way

 to add the ric-rac garland onto your trees:

Cut two pieces of ric-rac 4" long and 

two pieces 5" long.

This is how wide your fabric pieces are cut as well.

On the top piece measure 1 1/2" in from the

 top and the bottom and mark a thin line with a mechanical pencil.

On the bottom piece measure in 3/4" from 

the top and bottom and mark lines as well.

The lines on each piece 

should measure 1" apart.

Now topstitch the ric-rac into place like this.

I always use an open toe foot on my machine

 so that I can see EXACTLY

 where the needle goes into my fabric

 ...and for this step especially it helps a lot!

After you have all of 

your ric-rac top stitched...

Trace your sewing lines onto the interfacing pieces. 

Make sure to place each shape

 for the tree 

right in the center of

 the interfacing when tracing

 so that the ric-rac will

 be straight when you 

sew it to the fabric:)

You can use the lines on your 

cutting mat to help with this.

Now sew the interfacing and your 

matching fabric pieces together

 just like always...

and at the same time...

 all of the ric-rac is sewn

 into the seam allowance.

YaY!

Trim about 1/4" past 

your sewing lines like this.

Cut an "X" for turning

 in the center of your interfacing.

Turn...shape...and press.

If you need to brush up on this process:

CLICK HERE

to view my video tutorial from week one:)

Place your tree onto your

 background square 

and either glue baste or

 pin baste into place.

Measure 3/4" from the top and also

 the bottom edge when placing your pieces.

Machine or hand appliqué 

your Cozy Tree into place:)

I used 6 strands of my red 

Aurifloss

to sew the button onto the top...

and also to do the traditional decorative stitch over the ric-rac!

This is the way my grandma taught me to stitch on ric-rac when making aprons...

And I love how my Cozy Tree has

 a cute candy cane striped garland!

I realized that I forgot to

 trim my block to 6 1/2" square 

BEFORE I sewed the button on:)

So I quickly snipped it off

 and trimmed it up...

then sewed my flying geese 

and half square triangles.

CLICK HERE

for week one instructions

 if you are just starting!

I added my little bells border and 

then sewed the button back on:)

I'm in love my 

#CozyTreeBlock

and it's cute little 

candy cane striped garland.

So vintagey cute:)

I keep thinking how much my grandma

 would have loved these blocks.

They would have gone so well with her 

pink tinsel tree and vintage ornaments!

WoW.

We have already finished

 3 blocks in our sew along...

thanks to all of you cute people 

for sewing with me!

xx

Lori

Cozy Christmas Sew Along - Week Two - Block Two!!

YaY!

It's time for another episode of the 

Cozy Christmas Sew Along:)

I'm super excited that 

we have started making my

Cozy Christmas Quilt

If you want to join us...

CLICK HERE

to down load the FREE pattern:)

CLICK HERE

to purchase the 

Cozy Christmas 

Sew Simple Shapes

We are using 

Cozy Christmas Fabric

Check with your favorite quilt shop to purchase the fabric kit:)

Today we are making 

Block Two

#CozyGingerbreadHouseBlock

Here are this weeks fabric choices for the appliques.

The kraft paper brown solid is called 

Nutmeg by Riley Blake Designs

for this block we will use 

B-1  B-2  B-4  B-15

I thought it would come in handy 

for you to have the 

fabric and interfacing 

cutting measurements for 

each appliqué piece all on one sheet.

CLICK HERE 

to download the 

Cozy Christmas 

Sew Simple Shapes 

"Cutting Guide" 

and keep it with your pattern 

for easy reference every week:)

Cut all of your pieces 

using the new handy dandy 

chart as your guide!

Remember to cut a 7" square 

for your background:)

You will also need to cut a 

1" x 8" strip 

from the green gingham 

to use for the

window box in this weeks block.

All appliqué pieces are prepared

 the exact same way that 

I showed you in

my week one video 

unless otherwise shown. 

CLICK HERE

 if you want to 

refresh your memory 

before beginning:) 

Prepare Appliques

1. Trace all of the shapes onto 

your Sew-In Interfacing pieces.

2. Pair up with chosen fabric and stitch on your marked lines.

Trim an approximate 1/4" around stitching.

3. Press on the fabric side to set your stitches.

Cut an "X" in the back of each piece 

*EXCEPT*

 cut an inch off the bottom 

of your chimney piece.

It doesn't need to be that long:)

4. Turn all pieces right side out

 and press from the front.

*Turn chimney piece right side out 

from the bottom open edge:)

First piece that you will

 glue or pin baste is 

the bottom of the house.

Measure 3/4" up from the bottom 

and center it

 onto the background square.

Cut a 6" piece of the 

ric-rac 

and mark a line on your appliqué piece

 1/8" down from the top edge.

This is the line that 

you will sew your ric-rac on to.

I used a mechanical pencil 

for a thin line because 

the ric-rac is so cute and tiny!

First appliqué the bottom of the house down.

You can do this by

 hand or machine of course:)

Now fold under the edge of ric-rac 

and stitch down

 across your marked line 

like this.

Use matching thread:)

When you get to the other end...

trim off the excess ric-rac 

and fold under before finishing.

Baste the roof leaving the

 bottom edge of the ric-rac showing.

Now you have frosting 

on your cute 

little gingerbread house!

Tuck the chimney piece 

under the roof about 

1/4" from the

 top right corner of roof top.

The chimney should finish 

at about 5/8" tall:)

Now prepare your bias strip 

using the 1/2" bias tape maker.

Cut a 2 1/2" piece off 

to use for this block

 and save the other piece

 for the snowman scarf

 that we will be doing another week:)

Finish glue basting or 

pinning all appliqué pieces

 so that you can stitch them down.

Press under one end of the 

window box like this 

and pin it into place.

When you get to this part of the appliqué...

(either by machine or by hand)

use your needle or a tailors awl to 

tuck the turned edge inside before stitching...

like this:)

Continue until you get to the other end.

Trim off the excess and turn under 1/4"...

Pin it into place and continue stitching:)

Appliqué is all finished!!! 

Now to plant the

 "Cute Little Button" 

flowers and embroider the

swirly chimney smoke:)

Choose 6 of the 

tiniest buttons in the jar

 for the flowers...

and a red one that is

 a size up for the doorknob:)

I'm sewing my buttons on now 

so that you can sew 

where they are placed...

I'll probably leave them there

 during quilting because they are

 so small but you can decide

 to do yours now or after quilting:)

For the embroidery 

I used 6 strands of my

Aurifloss 

and a backstitch.

Easy Peasy!

 I also sewed my 

cute little buttons on with

 6 strands of my Aurifloss 

in matching colors...YaY!

Notice that I used either a 

cross stitch or a long stitch 

when sewing on my buttons for extra cuteness:)

Now add the borders using the little christmas bells print:)

And add your flying geese

 and half square triangles!

I really really love how this 

cute little gingerbread house 

block turned out.

I heart the added touches of 

just a few buttons 

and a little embroidery!

#CozyGingerbreadHouseBlock

Next week is block three...

see you then!

xx

Lori