Folk Quilt Applique. Clare Kingslake
triangle. Pin or tack (baste) these triangles along the top of the skirt so the raw edge lines up with the top of the skirt. Hand sew the band to the bottom of the skirt 1in (2.5cm) up from the raw edge.
Making the bodice and triangles
7 Trace the bodice on to freezer paper and cut out along the drawn line. Iron on to the back of the bodice fabric and cut out allowing ¼in (6mm) for a seam allowance. Peel the freezer paper off. Sew it to the skirt, making sure that the triangles you just tacked (basted) to the skirt are sandwiched between the bodice and the skirt.
Making the head
8 Trace the head and hat on to freezer paper, as before and cut out. Cut out a strip for the collar 3½in × 1in (8.9cm × 2.5cm), cut on the bias. Line up the head so that it overlaps with the neck of the bodice and sew them together. Cover the raw edges with the collar, tucking in the edges as you go.
9 Cut out a 5in × 3½in (12.7cm × 8.9cm) piece for the hair and fold it in half lengthways and sew all along ¼in (6mm) in from the fold. With scissors cut a series of snips in from the raw edge almost up to the sewing line. Make a series of ¼in (6mm) snips into the concave side of the hat. Pin it in position on top of the head with the snipped edge tucked under. Now tuck the hair between the hat and the face and sew all three together by hand, making sure you sew right through to the head.
Making the wing
10 Trace the wing on to freezer paper. Cut out and iron on to the fabric as described before. Cut out the wing with a ¼in (6mm) seam allowance. Peel off the freezer paper. Sew the wing on to the bodice and skirt (the angel’s back is the side where panel 1 was sewn).
Making the legs and shoes
11 Cut out four pieces of fabric for the legs each 5½in × 4½in (14cm × 11.4cm). Trace four leg shapes on to freezer paper (two reversed). Cut them out and iron on to the back of the 5½in × 4½in pieces. Cut them out with ¼in (6mm) seam allowance. Pair them, right sides together, so you have a left pair and a right pair. Leave one freezer paper shape on each pair. Trace four shoe shapes on to freezer paper. Cut out and pin the shapes on to the felt. Cut out each shape with a ¼in (6mm) seam allowance.
12 To make each leg sandwich the legs and shoes together in the following order:
a Leg without freezer paper facing up.
b Two felt shoes.
c Leg with freezer paper facing up.
Pin the sandwich together. Machine round sewing right up to the paper, leaving the top open. Snip into the seam allowance round the curves. Turn inside out and stuff with toy stuffing. Add some ribbon, folding in the raw edges and sew in place with a button. Put aside for the moment.
Making the arm
13 Trace and cut out of freezer paper two arm shapes (one reversed) and two hand shapes (one reversed). Sew each arm to a hand, making sure the thumbs face upwards. Place the two hands and arms together, right side inwards, and sew all around leaving the top open. Turn right side out and fill the arm with toy filling, leaving about ½in (1.3cm) at the top. Turn the raw edge at the top inwards and sew the opening together. (Note that the arm is not added to the angel until after the quilting.)
Fig 1
Making the stars
14 From two different fabrics cut a rectangle 8in × 4in (20.3cm × 10.2cm). Fold each rectangle in half right sides together so that they measure 4in (10.2cm) square.
15 Trace two star shapes on to freezer paper and cut them out. Iron each star in the middle of the 4in (10.2cm) square. Cut two pieces of ribbon 7in (17.8cm) and 10in (25.4cm) long. Fold in half and place between the two layers, with the ribbon ends poking out slightly above the raw edge of the top of the star.
16 Pin and machine sew right up to the freezer paper, leaving a gap in order to turn inside out. Stuff with toy stuffing and sew up the gap.
17 For each star cut out a felt heart and sew to the middle of the star with the button. Secure the ribbons to the angel’s hand. Embroider the mouth with two strands of red embroidery thread and backstitch. Work the eyes in tiny satin stitches in blue in a circular shape, with a black French knot in the centre, or use little buttons for eyes.
Quilting and binding
18 Refer to Making a Quilt Sandwich and Quilting in the technique section. Quilt the panels, bodice, hat and wings. The top half of the wing shape is the wing behind, so quilt this part first. With a pencil draw a curved line where the bias strip is to be placed. When quilting the wings I quilted a row, stopped, pulled thread through to the front for sewing in later, and then moved the needle to start the next row. When the quilting is finished, sew on the arm.
19 Cut 1¼in (3.2cm) wide strips on the bias to a length of about 90in (230cm). Sew a bias strip the same colour as the binding where the two wings meet to give the impression of two wings. Line up the raw edges of the leg with the raw edges of the skirt so that the legs look upside down (see Fig 1). Pin the legs in place. When sewing on the binding sew in the legs at the same time. Sew all the way around to finish the doll.
Treats Box
YOU WILL NEED
(For one box)
• Fabric for background and ties 34in × 19½in (86.4cm × 49.5cm)
• Lining fabric 19½in × 19½in (49.5cm × 49.5cm)
• Fabric for stars, large circles and small circles 17in × 9¾in (43.2cm × 24.8cm)
• Scraps of fabrics for medium circles and small circles
• Grey board 2.5mm thickness 18in × 18in (45.7cm × 45.7cm)
• Sheet of thick paper
• Wadding (batting) 37in × 19½in (94cm × 49.5cm)
• Nineteen shirt buttons (for alternative box)
• Basic kit
Finished size: 10in × 10in (25.4cm × 25.4cm)
Techniques used: machine sewing, English paper piecing, appliqué using