by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 19, 2014
Hooray! Our Quiet Book Sew-Along now has a Flickr group to hold all of your progress photos! I debated a link system on each post, but I think this will work better and it has bigger pictures, so we can see all of your hard work better! (I know there are mixed feelings on Flickr, but it seemed best seeing as how both blogger and non-blogger friends have joined up and it will be easier for the non-bloggers to use Flickr to share their work.)
If you already use Flickr you can access the Quiet Book Sew Along group here.
If you don’t have a Flickr account it is easy to set up, join the group and add photos. I’ve written out the steps, so you have no excuses – kidding! In reality, I was frustrated the first time I tried to join a Flickr group, so I thought it would only be fair to let you know how if I was going to invite you over!
Step 1: Go to Flickr and create yourself an account.
Step 2: Once you are in, click on the “Communities” menu item. Choose “Search Groups”.
Step 3: Type “Quiet Book Sew Along” into the search bar and press “Search”.
Step 4: Click the small “Join?” text under the Thread Riding Hood “Quiet Book Sew-Along” Group.
Step 5: It will ask you if you really want to join. Click “Join This Group”!
Step 6: You’re In! Now to add Photos… Click the white button that says “+ Add Photos” next to the title.
Step 7: Click “Upload Something Now”.
Step 8: Drag & Drop your photos onto the screen or select “Choose photos and videos” to find them on your computer.
Step 9: Name and caption your photo by clicking on the text.
Step 10: Add your photo to the “Quiet Book Sew-Along” group by clicking “Add to groups” on the left menu bar.
Step 11: Choose “Quiet Book Sew-Along” in your groups list and click the “Done” button at the bottom of the box.
Step 12: You should now have a little Red and the Wolf button under “Groups” indicating the photo will be added to that group.
Step 13: Look at the top right hand side of the screen to find the “Upload Photo” button. Click it to save your photo.
Step 14: Flickr will double-check that you are sure. Click “Upload to Photostream”.
Step 15: You should now be in your main screen with your uploaded photo(s).
Step 16: To get back to the “Quiet Book Sew-Along” group page click “Communities”-“Groups List” on the menu bar.
Step 17: Select the “Quiet Book Sew-Along” group button.
Step 18: Comment and favorite all of the amazing Quiet book page progress!
That’s all there is to it! Hope the little tutorial helped inspire you to share your book. Come on over and join. It’ll take you about 10 minutes but you’ll be using it until the end of November. The amortization of time on that transaction is amazing! Please let me know if you have any questions, I’d love to help.
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 18, 2014
We had a great holiday yesterday. A few years ago they invented “Family Day” and decided to give us an extra day off in February – not complaining about that! Our family enjoyed a busy day at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Lots of fun to be had by all! The new project? Honestly,”Quilted Classroom Mat” is not the catchiest name. But my daughter uses it in her class for their daily Yoga-time, Snack-time, Reading-time and Story-time, we tried “The Quilted Y-S-R-S-time Mat” – not so good!
I bought a single bed size Vyssa Tulta quilted mattress pad from Ikea about 8 months ago because it was on sale for $5. I figured I would eventually find something I could sew with it. When my daughter’s teacher asked that everyone bring in a mat to use in class, I knew what it was for. It makes a perfect mat, thin enough to roll easily and thick enough to be comfortable.
Of course it was very important to my daughter that the mat to be made in some kind of rainbow-related fashion, so I pulled out my longer scraps and the only 3 purple fabrics available in my stash and thankfully they worked out well! I also happened to have about 1/2 a fat quarter of rainbow fabric to make the binding from, which apparently is very exciting also – remember, she’s in grade 1! She also picked the ladybug flannel for the back. I had this one stored in my fabric shelf waiting to make some pj’s. I think I picked it up at Fabricland for about $3 in the ends bin.
I used the quilt-as-you-go (QAYG) method to put together the quilt top. And a bias tape folded binding for the edges. I think it is quite possible that this might actually count as a quilt finish?? (Maybe? Yippee!?) And it used up large scraps of about 5 of my fabrics too – bonus! I really love QAYG, it’s quick and simple to understand. Since it turned out so cute I thought you might want to make one too? It would also make a quick cute little baby playmat!
You will need:
- 36″ x 18″ piece from a mattress pad or similar thickness
- 13 fabric strips – 3.25″x 20″
- 145″ (about 4 yards) of 1/2″ double fold bias tape
- backing fabric – aprox. 22″ x 40″ (I used flannel)
- strap fabric – 1 piece 6″x12″
- velcro
- your regular sewing supplies
Here we go:
Step 1: (a) Cut your mattress pad down to 36″x18″. Mine was crib size, so I still have lots left over to play with again sometime! (b) Trace a round object to create rounded corners on the mat and cut them out.
Step 2: Arrange your 13 fabric strips so you are happy with their placement on the mat. If you have a digital camera/phone around, take a photo so you remember the order they go in. Either way, stack them in order so that the left-most pieces are on the bottom of the stack. (You will notice I had 14 fabric strips in the photos. I found my measurements were off and I couldn’t fit the last strip on as I finished the mat. Don’t worry, I fixed up the measurements for this tutorial!)
Step 3: (a) Place your first fabric strip on the end of your mattress pad. Place the next strip on top, right sides together. Pin the inside edge. (b) Roll up the other end of the mattress pad and secure with clips or clothespins to make it easier to handle when sewing.
Step 4: (a) Stitch along the inside edge of your fabrics with a 1/4″ seam. (b) Open up your fabrics at the seam and smooth them down. (c) Place the next fabric strip on top of the one you just stitched, right sides together. Pin and then stitch the inner most edge with a 1/4″ seam.
Step 5: (a) Continue to place, pin and stitch each strip until you have sewn on all 13. (b) Baste the outside edges of the beginning and ending strips to the ends of the mattress pad.
Step 6: (a) Smooth out your backing fabric and place it right side down on a large flat surface. Place the quilted mattress pad in the centre, right side up. (b) Draw a line down the centre of each strip with a water soluble marker (blue in the photo). Pin the mattress pad securely to the backing fabric. I pinned down the centre of each strip. (This is where I wished I had bent safety pins instead of quilting pins – ouch!)
Step 7: Stitch down each marked line. I used my regular sewing foot with a slightly longer (basting-style) stitch. Be careful to avoid pins. Check that you have not created any tucks in the backing fabric.
Step 8: (a) Make/Unwrap your bias tape. (b) Pin the bias tape around the edge of your mat. Begin and end in a straight section and leave a 3″ tail on each end. Note: Let 1/8″ of your bias tape hang over the edge of the mat when you are pinning. This will help everything to fit when you finish the edge.
Step 9: (a) Stitch the bias tape on by sewing along the fold line closest to the edge of the mat. (b) Begin and end 3″ apart, leaving the extra bias tape at each end. (c) Match the bias tape ends neatly as per this Sew Essential tutorial – but do not fold/stitch it over the edge of the mat just yet.
Step 10: I followed this Cluck Cluck Sew tutorial to attach my bias tape. This mat, however, has rounded corners and needs a bias cut binding so it is a bit different. (a) Fold the bias tape all around the edge of the mat and pin as per Allison’s directions. I pinned horizontally and vertically to the fabric edge depending on where I was pinning. (b) Stitch around the binding as she instructs, ignoring the directions for the mitered corners.
Step 11: (a) Fold/Iron under 1/4″ on the short ends of each strap piece. Hold it down with pins or a glue stick. (b) Fold the piece lengthwise in half and then fold the edges into the centre. (c) Fold the entire strap in half again along the centre line. (d) Stitch around all edges of the strap close to the edge.
Step 12: (a) Cut the strap in half so you have two equal lengths. (b) Attach 2 pieces of Velcro 2″ long on each end side-by side. I like to make an X to hold it in place better. One strap will have 2 pieces of hook-side Velcro, the other will have 2 pieces of soft-side Velcro. (c) Stitch the soft-side Velcro strap along the first quilting seam. Leave 1/2″ of the strap on the side closest to the end of the mat, as per the photo. (d) Fold the strap over itself (hiding the raw end) and stitch it to the mat. Again, an X shape will secure it well.
Step 13: (a) Attach the hook-side Velcro strap to the soft side. Roll the mat up so you can mark the placement of the strap. (b) Roll the strap around the rolled mat to find where it needs to be attached. Pin as per the photo – marking edges and 1/2″ up from the end of the strap.
Step 14: (a) Unroll the mat and place the hook-side Velcro strap within your pinned markings. The end should be 1/2″ past the pin marking the end placement. (b) Stitch the end of the strap with a 1/2″ seam. (c) Fold the strap back on itself (hiding the raw end) and stitch it to the mat using an X shape.
All finished! Go and get your yoga (or reading, or story, or snack) on!
I hope your favorite little person likes their new mat! You can share your projects on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #alongforthreadride, or post them on the Thread Riding Hood Facebook page. And, of course, if you have any questions please be sure to contact me on any of the above or email sherri@threadridinghood.com. I’d love to hear from you! (And, as usual – this tutorial is for personal use only! Thanks.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 15, 2014
Last Week’s Survey Results:
You all are super helpful, thank you! A few weeks ago we asked what you did with your fabric scraps. Over half of you put them in a bin and ignore them like I do, but I was impressed by the suggestions made in the comments. I got some great ideas, and here are some of my favorites. Giving the small scraps to a daycare or kindergarten for crafts. Sorting them by colour and size into bins. Keeping the tiny scraps for stuffing. Donating your scrap bin to your quilting guild’s charity committee. Now I suppose that I can’t do all of those as some of them conflict with each other… but I really don’t like throwing something out that may be useful to someone else (or myself!)
As far as follow-up. I have (just barely) started a scrap basket for small skinny cuts of fabric. I figure these will be good for stuffing small things if I ever collect enough! I also think I might throw my thread ends in there – even though that might be crazy! They would be good for stuffing as well, and I am always surprised at the amount of thread I find in my garbage bin. (and on my floor!)
This Week’s Question:
This week I’ve finished tidying up the last few spaces in my sewing area, and have put all of my patterns into envelopes. This made me wonder how you get most of your patterns. I am always impressed by the patterns I’m seeing offered online, but haven’t bought many because I can’t justify the cost very often. I am a tad conflicted, because I would love to support the online community more. Simple patterns like Rae’s Geranium and Washi Dresses (+ the expansion pack!), Oliver and S’s Fairy Tale Dress and April Rhode’s Staple Dress have been on my list for just about forever. I buy few patterns at the fabric store anymore – they are too “proper” in their instructions and almost irritatingly complex. So… Please let me know by filling out the survey below, I’d love to hear some of your favorite patterns you’ve bought, and what is on your wish list as well! (Want your sewing project or blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday? It’s easy! Find out how at the bottom of this post!)
This Week’s Survey:
[polldaddy poll=7803151]
How to get your Sewing Project or Blog featured on Sewing Survey Saturday: Send an email to sherri@threadridinghood.com that includes your sewing related multiple choice question, your name and where you live (if you’d like it included). Please send your question with 3 to 5 multiple choice answers. Also send your blog information including which post you’d like me to link up to if you are featured! If you do not blog I would love to post a photo of one of your recent projects, so please send it along with your question. (Note: I may also feature a photo from your blog post (if applicable), if you do not want a linked photo please let me know in your email.)
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 14, 2014
I had a whole bunch of extra pictures from the Bunting Tee tutorial that I couldn’t pass up – so I decided to save them for today, lucky you! I truly hope you feel loved and have a happy day today. Don’t forget that all of the chocolate will be on sale tomorrow! Happy Valentine’s Day from our house to yours.
by Sherri Sylvester | Feb 13, 2014
Here we are – the first official Quiet Book Sew-Along post. How excited are you?! This post has a lot of beginning information, but I promise we will be sewing in no time. Besides, choosing fabrics isn’t bad ever, right?!
Today we are going to get ready by making sure you have thought through your fabric choices. You will need a bit of time to collect yardage for the page backgrounds and cover, and also pick up some interfacing and binding for the pages. I’ve included helpful information on what to buy for each of these below. I would also recommend not cutting any of your fabrics until you need them. However, you can pre-wash them, it’s important that a kid-friendly book be washable!
There are lots of helpful hints in this post – but since is information heavy I have give you the shopping list for week 1 first. Just click, print it and go. Remember, just like a pattern, all of this information is important so be sure to read over it so you don’t miss anything!
PAGE BACKGROUNDS:
You have two choices for the page background fabrics. The starting size of each page is 9″ x 9″. I would recommend using a quilting cotton weight fabric for them. Since we are building more fabric onto each page they can be hard to finish and bind if they are too thick. Here are your two options:
Page Background Yardage:
- Scrappy Look: If you take a look at my book, you will see that none of the background pages use the same fabric. I love the scrappy look and I also love using pieces from my stash that are too small for other projects. 6 of the pages for this book are based on a scrappy look anyhow and wouldn’t use a coordinating fabric background. You can buy or use your scraps for the page background fabrics as we get to them, some have specific colours.
- Cohesive Look: If you like a more cohesive look it would be fun to order enough fabric now to cover all of the page backgrounds. Eight of the 12 pages can use the same background fabric. There are 6 pages that won’t need it due to their construction. You will need to buy 3/4 of a yard of fabric for the page backgrounds.
COVER FABRIC:
Once you have decided on a scrappy or cohesive look you need to choose a cover fabric. You have two options for the cover:
- Cohesive Look: Cover matches the pages. Buy 1 yard of 44″ wide fabric. This is enough fabric for your pages & cover (see diagram below).
- Scrappy Look: Cover is different. Buy 1/2 yard of 44″ wide fabric. Note: You can still choose to match only your pages as per the “pages only cohesive look” above.
Both yardage recommendations are below and in the shopping list. The cover is 11″ high by 21″ wide. You need 2 pieces, one each for the inside and outside of the book. I found it helpful to buy this at the beginning because I think it influenced my colour decisions as I went. Even though my book is scrappy, I tended towards a more colourful look because the outside fabric was black and white. This gives you quite a bit of extra fabric to play with later! (Hooray for stashing!)
Cover Fabric Yardage:
Option 1 – Pages & Cover are the same.
Option 2 – Cover Only (Scrappy Look)
INTERFACING:
You will also need a few “boring” things like interfacing and binding. To be honest, I don’t remember if I used heavyweight or medium weight interfacing in my book. However, I am recommending that you use a medium fusible interfacing for this Sew Along because that is what it feels like I used. Also, I think I only interfaced every other page, so one of each pair of pages that are sewn together has interfacing. This time around though I think I am going to interface both – it will make the pages a bit stiffer, which would be nice. This is what I have included on your shopping list.
Interfacing Yardage:
- You will need 3 yards of 20″ wide medium-weight fusible interfacing.
BINDING:
As far as the binding. I used what I had last time and stitched half of the pages with white 1/2″ double-fold binding and half of them with black grosgrain ribbon folded in half. This time around I want them all to match, so I am going to recommend the 1/2″ double-fold binding. You don’t need the binding until the end of October, but again, if you like to have everything planned out you can buy it now and I will remind you again later! You can also choose to make your own binding, and if you do it does not have to be cut on the bias, which will make it a bit easier to sew.
Binding Yardage:
- You will need 3 yards of 1/2″ double-fold bias tape exactly to bind all of the pages. Buy 1/2 yard extra if you want to be safe.
So – which are you choosing to make – A Scrappy or a Cohesive look? What colour are you using for your binding? I’ve got to decide on my cover fabric this week too. Since I’m trying to make a unisex book it’ll be a more interesting challenge!
