Vintage Housewife Sew Along - Week Three!!

Welcome to week three of the

 Vintage Housewife Sew Along

CLICK HERE

 if you need to download the 

Sew Along Guide and 

CLICK HERE 

if you are just joining us and 

need to read the Bee Prepared post 

that tells you all about this sew along:)

We are using my new fabric

 Vintage Happy 2

And my new Sew Simple Shapes

Vintage Housewife

To make the 

Vintage Housewife Quilt

74" x 82"

These are the blocks that

 we have done so far:

BAKING BLOCK

CANNING BLOCK

And today we are making the 

IRONING BLOCK

Tie on your apron and let's get started!

Your Ironing Block kit should be

 all ready for you to sew 

as per the cutting instructions 

in the Sew Along Guide.

Sew Simple Shapes needed 

for this block are:

J-1

J-2

J-3

J-4

J-5

J-12

J-18

You will also need 

straight bias strips prepared 

by running them through the

 bias makers 

(sizes are listed in the guide 

with the cutting)

and then

 cut and pressed to the 

following measurements:

Hanger - Cut One - 9" long

No pressing ends needed

Spool - Cut Two

1 1/4" long after pressing each end under

Thread - Cut One 1 1/4" long

No pressing ends under needed

Jar Lid - Cut One

1 1/2" long after pressing each end under

Plug and Cord Bottom - Cut Two

Both about 5/8" long after

 pressing both ends under 

for plug and one end under

 for the other one.

Iron Button - Cut One- 3" long

I pressed mine in half

 and had plenty to tuck under:)

You will need to use the

 small red vintage trim for the cord 

and several buttons from the 

 bag of tiny Cute Little Buttons!

Before sewing the button jar 

you will need to trace that line from J-12.

Sew all of your shapes 

after they are traced:)

After trimming and before turning...

take note that you will need to 

clip the cleavage and inner curves 

on the hanger and the button jar.

Don't let the hanger scare you

 just because it is long and skinny. 

It looks strange after turning and shaping...

But just press one half at a time...

Like this!!

Totally do-able:)

Same goes for the folded laundry pieces.

I just cut straight instead 

of making an x 

in the back for turning these:)

Easy peasy!

Now that your shapes are finished...

it's time to lay out your block!

This is what the two shapes 

J-2 and J-3 looked like 

as I prepared for basting.

Most of them are tucked under

 and can be trimmed off afterwards...

 but I left on quite a bit until 

the very end because I didn't

 want to trim off too much!

When drawing this block...

instead of making these 2  

Sew Simple Shapes be

 just for the iron handle...

I knew these shapes would be easier

 to sew and shape if I made them this way

and they can also

 double for other things later...

like cute little vases!

I layed out my iron piece on top 

like this and adjusted until

 it looked good!

You can pin at this point.

Don't forget to tuck this piece 

under the iron bottom.

You can trace the embroidery pattern

 on first or last...

whichever is easiest for you.

Those patterns are on page 15 of the guide.

Here is my plug all ready pressed under 

and ready to pin or glue...

I glued mine down and tucked 

the end of the cord under it first.

Pinning...pinning...pinning!

I glued down the cord at the 

same time as I glued the shapes.

Use the glue sparingly on the cord...

I did and that helps a lot!

I used 3 strands of the white 

in my Aurifloss set to sew down 

the cord like this!

It's fun and easy to do and it 

really ends up looking like

 one of those vintage cloth cords:)

Use 3 strands of gray Aurifloss

 and backstitch the hanger top.

I used a satin stitch and a

 backstitch for the needle.

I also used the gray for the plug ends.

Use 3 strands of floss and

 a backstitch for the thread:)

Everything is all embroidered

 and ready for appliqué!

On this block you will have about

 1/4" WITH-IN THE RULER WINDOW

 around all sides when finished.

This picture will help you with the 

layout and placement of your pieces:)

Use these buttons for the jar.

Randomly lay out your buttons 

to fill your button jar and

 sew them on with matching Aurifloss.

Cute as a Button Jar!

LOL

My grandma always had a jar 

full of buttons for a 

quick mending job on washdays:)

She kept it on the shelf next to the 

washing machine along with a 

spool of thread and a needle.

Back in her time...

and my Mom's time too...

Wash Day meant Ironing Day as well.

No permanent press back then 

for the vintage housewife!

My mom still irons so many things 

including her pillowcases 

just because she likes things that way:)

This block brings back so many fond memories.

I took this photo right after 

applique and before

 trimming it up and 

sewing on the buttons 

and the borders:)

IRONING BLOCK should measure 

14 1/2" square before 

you sew it into your quilt.

LOVE IT!!

Are you ready for more 

vintage housewife photos???

Scroll down and enjoy...

and I'll be back next Monday 

with the Typewriter Block tutorial:)

xx

Lori