Monday, November 8, 2021

My Happy Place Sew Along - Week Nine!!






"NEEDLE BOOK BLOCK"


Welcome to week nine of the 
"MY HAPPY PLACE"
Sew Along!
Join me here each week 
when I will be doing tutorials
 on the blocks for the quilt.

 I will be posting each Monday 
right here on my blog 
and you can follow my tutorials 
any time during the week that 
 is convenient for you.



For this sew along...
We are making the 
My Happy Place Quilt
74" x 88"


The quilt is made with my newest fabric
 collection called STITCH...



Along with several Bee Backgrounds:)


If you are just joining us 
and need a fabric kit...
 just do a quick google search 
to find out which quilt shops 
may have one left for you.
Simply type in 
"My Happy Place Quilt Kit"
to find one!

As all of my 
Sew Simple Shapes Sew Alongs go...
We are using the shapes
for the pattern of this quilt
and of course the Sew Along Guide and my tutorials each week.

The set of shapes that we are
 using for this quilt are called
MY HAPPY PLACE

I have already posted the
 post which details all of the supplies
 for the sew along and how it works.
I have also given the link there 
for the free PDF Download 
of the Sew Along Guide

to read that post.


This week we are making 
two appliqué blocks.
 
The Needle Book Block and the 
Floss Block.
Grab your block kits that you 
have already cut
as per the sew along guide
and let's get started!!



The Sew Simple Shapes
 for the Needle Book Block 
that you will need:
1 - L8
1 - L10
1 - L13
1 - L14

Trace your 2 rectangles onto your
 Sew-In Interfacing as per the
 instructions on page 11 of the guide.

You will also need to 
have your background cut:
12" x 21"
and you will trim it to 
10 1/2" x 19 1/2"
AFTER
it is appliquéd:)


Cut the two 5/8" wide strips
 from corner to corner like this.
(I turned my fabric to the wrong side
 for this photo so that you could see it)


We cut these strips on the bias 
because they will need to curve 
as you are running them 
through the 1/4" maker:)


Time to stitch!


After trimming you will need to 
clip the cleavage 
at the top of the hearts.


Shape and press:)


Use the embroidery guide to trace 
the pins on and embroider 
them as per instructions.
Lightly draw three lines 1/4" apart 
in the center of the needle book pages.

Do a running stitch on these lines 
using the same floss and strands
 as called for the pins.


After embroidery....
glue the appliqués onto the pages.
Next step is to sew on the buttons...


Like this!


Now layer them onto the background
 and glue baste everything into place.

I pressed the ends of the 
needle book ties under by 1/4"...
Because you cut them on the bias 
it makes it easier to 
manipulate them into a curve.

The width of the needle book 
including the ties 
should measure about 17 1/2" wide.


All ready for appliqué!

P.S. after my quilt is quilted and
 bound I'll take one of my larger
 Nifty Needles from my book 
and place across the small heart:)


"NEEDLE BOOK BLOCK"
should measure 10" x 19" 
after it's sewn into the quilt...

but after applique you will need to
 trim down the background
 to the unfinished size of 
10 1/2" x 19 1/2"


The Sew Simple Shape
 for the Floss Block 
that you will need:
9 - L24

You will also need to 
have your background cut:
9" x 21"
and you will trim it to 
7 1/2" x 19 1/2"
AFTER
it is appliquéd:)


You will need to sew the 
5 pieces of fabric for each
 skein of embroidery floss 
together before sewing
 to the interfacing.

First step is to take the rectangle 
from each print and sew the gray rectangles
 to each side using an 
accurate 1/4" seam allowance
and press your seams open.
The squares will be added on to each end afterwards...


Like this!
Now you can see how the gray labels
 will line up with your traced shape:)


All sewn:)


This is what the back
 looks like after it's sewn.


Now for trimming...


And clipping right where 
the pieced fabrics meet...


View of the other side.
So basically you are clipping 
 to the thread and not past it...
right between your seams:)


This is how I cut my 
interfacing for turning.


And what it looks like turned
 before I shape it!


After I shared it I used my 
Quick Press Seam Roller 
to quick press those edges down nicely...


And then another quick press with 
the iron and the Quilters Clapper on top:)


Super cute!


Now I'll just chain piece 
and prepare the
 remaining eight skeins for the block
 in the exact same way.





Ready for laying out onto
 the background fabric!


Start first by pressing your 
background fabric in half 
so that you have a crease
 to center the first skein onto.

Measure up 1 1/2" from 
the bottom to place it
 (and all of the others too)

Now place your measuring tape 
onto the center skien on the 
9" mark and pin the two outside
 floss skeins
 on the 1" and the 18" marks...
so that all of the skeins together
 will not measure more than 18" wide.


Still using rulers to 
measure 1 1/2" up from the bottom...
place the 3 skeins onto 
EACH side of the center one
 and you are good to go!

Pin them all and glue baste into place.


Ready for applique!


After applique
 I'll trim this block down to
 7 1/2" x 19 1/2"

It will finish at 7" x 19"
 when it's sewn into the quilt:)



I love how these two blocks look together!
I hope you have fun making them
 and I'll be right back here
 next week for more:)
xx
Lori
**************************************

Click on the links below 
to visit each week of this sew along:




 

Week Three

















Bee in my Bonnet
Vintage 1966

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