Folk Quilt Applique. Clare Kingslake
Use ¼in (6mm) seams throughout
Templates: Treats Box
Preparing the board and wadding
1 Using a craft knife cut the grey board into one 10in (25.4cm) square and four pieces 10in × 4in (25.4cm × 10.2cm). Cut the wadding (batting) into one piece 10in × 20in (25.4cm × 50.8cm) and four pieces 10in × 8in (25.4cm × 20.3cm). Take each piece of card and wrap the corresponding piece of wadding around it tightly. Over sew the wadding round all the board pieces.
Preparing star and circle appliqués
2 Make six diamond templates for the large star and twelve diamond templates for the small stars using thick paper. English paper piece one large star and two small stars following the instructions in English Paper Piecing.
3 Make two large circles, two medium and nineteen small circles using washers and template plastic – see Appliqué Using Templates.
Preparing background and lining
4 Cut a 19½in (49.5cm) square of background fabric and the same from lining. For both fabric pieces, make a hem along one side by placing the pieces face down and lining up the edge of the ruler ¼in (6mm) in from one of the raw edges. Crease along the edge with a tool such as a hera. Fold the fabric over, press and tack (baste) down.
Appliquéing the stars and circles
5 The lining has an appliqué star in the middle and each side of the box has a star or a circle in the centre on the outside. In order to find these centres, fold the lining and the background pieces neatly in half and half again at right angles. Press to get the creases at a cross in the middle and crease lines right up to the raw edge.
6 For the lining, line up the centre of the star with the creased cross on the fabric. Pin and sew in place. Sew six small circles evenly around the star.
7 For the background, sew the two stars opposite each other, lining up the star points with the crease line ¾in (1.9cm) below the raw edge. Sew three small circles in place – one in a contrasting colour in the star centre and the other two, the same colour as the star, on either side.
8 Sew the large circles opposite each other on the other crease line 1¼in (3.2cm) in from the raw edge. Sew the medium circles on top of the large circles in a contrasting fabric, followed by the small circle. Sew a small circle on either side of the large circle. Press the background and lining fabric.
9 Cut four pieces of wadding (batting) each 4¾in (12.1cm) square. Line them up with the corners of the back of the lining fabric. Tack (baste) in place.
Making the ties
10 From the background fabric cut eight strips each 14in × 1½in (35.6cm × 3.8cm). Fold each piece in half right sides together lengthwise. Machine across one end and all the way down one side ⅛ in (3mm) from the edge. Turn inside out and press.
11 Each side has two ties that are sandwiched between the background and the lining. They are sewn in place (the raw edge end) when the background and the lining are sewn together into a ‘bag’. Lay the background face up. On three of the sides (not the side with the hem) place a tie 4¾in (12.1cm) in from the corner edge (see Fig 1). There are six ties in all. Pin and tack (baste).
Fig 1
Joining background and lining
12 Place the background and the lining pieces right sides together, with the tacked-on ties sandwiched between them and the corner wadding on top (Fig 2). Line up both hemmed edges well and pin both pieces together. Machine round three of the sides, leaving the hemmed edge unsewn. This fixes the ties as well as joining the background to the lining.
Fig 2
13 Turn inside out. Press flat and ensure the corners are well turned out. Undo the tacking on the ties, so now you have a bag with six ties sticking outwards.
Making pockets for cardboard
14 Place the ‘bag’ you have made on a table with the opening facing you. Line the ruler up 4⅜ in (11.1cm) from the left-hand edge, against the ties, and make a crease line all the way along the ruler (Fig 3) – a hera is useful for this. Turn the fabric round so the opening is furthest away from you and make another crease. Machine along these creased lines. Turn the fabric round again so that the opening is on the right. Again, line the ruler up 4⅜ in (11.1cm) from the left-hand edge against the ties and make a crease line all the way along the ruler, at right angles to the other lines.
Fig 3
15 Slip one of the 10in × 4in (25.4cm × 10.2cm) cardboard pieces into the centre pocket so it fits snugly at the end. Machine sew along the crease line. Line the ruler up against the edge where the opening is and make a crease line 4⅜ in (11.1cm) in from the edge. Put the side pieces of cardboard and the centre piece in place, tucking them well in. Machine sew along the crease line. Place the final piece of cardboard in the pocket, tuck in the two remaining ties and pin the two pieces of fabric. Machine sew the two together. Quilt the corners with embroidery thread to finish.
This alternative box use small buttons instead of appliquéd circles and the stars and large circles are sewn on with embroidery thread.
Baskets are not only functional and attractive additions to a home but can provide the inspiration for some lovely projects, and in this chapter a basket motif is used on a charming wall hanging and a cosy lap quilt. There are also some sweet little heart decorations to hang in your home.
The projects use the idea of an appliqué basket, where strips of fabric representing the weave of the basket are woven together as they are appliquéd to the background. You will have great fun mixing pretty fabrics together to make baskets of different colours. Hand appliqué is made easy with freezer paper and template plastic, while bias strips are used for flower stems. Stuffed appliqué is added for texture, plus some simple embroidery and shadow quilting.
APPLIQUE FOCUS…
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