I am Enough Quilt Along – Pattern 2: French Braid

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Melanie Traylor

Photo-Jun-08-9-27-02-AM-e1528468174690

This post is a part of the I am Enough quilt along that starts September 28, 2018 and ends February 1, 2019.

If this is the first time you are learning about this quilt along then please read this post to find out the intentions behind the quilt along and more details.

To view all the posts concerning this quilt along, click here.

To view the email archives of this quilt along, click here.

 

 

Last week, we made YOUR Color Wheel and today we are following that up with the French Braid.  I LOVE this pattern.  I could see me making a whole quilt with this block.  My favorite part is the ombre look that we are going to be diving into this week.  It allows for a lot of fabric play and who are we kidding, you and I both know that picking fabrics is half the joy.

 

You are Enough

I think that most of us are pretty aware of our flaws.  I know I am.  I have so many pet peeves when it comes to my house.  God forbid you leave the cabinet doors open in my kitchen.  You will get the stink eye all day long.  There are lots of tiny things like that about me, silly, petty things that get under my skin, that don’t really matter (most of them are all about my house though).  Of course, the things I do always seem to be okay.  It’s just the bothersome things of someone else.  My husband calls it “selective analness”.  That’s another thing that’s a pet peeve of mine, the husband telling people about this flaw of mine.  There are many.  I’m only scratching the surface.  I’m sure you have yours as well.  It’s much better to be aware of them and this way I can think twice before getting naggy with my teenage son about things that aren’t that important (like his strange habit of always leaving the microwave door open).  🙂

But what are your strengths?  What is one thing that you are good at and pride yourself on?  I’m sure you do many things very well, but do you have something that you think is above and beyond?

While you work on your French Braid block, take a moment and think of one of your strengths.  I’ll be doing the same.  It’s healthy to like something about yourself and you’ve got plenty to love yourself for.  If you post your progress picture on Instagram, list your strength or strengths in the caption.  I’ll be doing the same.

 

 

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Today’s Lesson

We are making French Braid today.  Before we get to it let’s get a few color lessons out of the way.

If you are a pro at color, please feel free to skip the lesson, if not let’s learn some color basics.

What is ombre?

Ombre is arranging colors from one hue to another, like light to dark, blue to green, or anything really.  Take a look at this board if you aren’t getting it quite yet.

On my French Braid I’ve chosen to go from my lightest fabrics (low volume, which are also my background) to my darkest fabrics (the blacks).  I’ve also decided to add in blues and grays to get me there.  You may choose something completely different.  Whatever color or colors you pick, put them in order from lightest to dark or darkest to light.

But we are working with fabrics

For some, working with print fabrics instead of solid colors can be hard to do.  Here are some tips:

  • Focus on the background color of the fabric.
  • If a fabric has a darker background, but more printed designs, maybe it doesn’t belong at the very bottom, but somewhere above that.
  • Notice the busyness of the fabric.  The less designs/motifs of the fabric, the lighter or darker the fabric can look.
  • There’s no right or wrong.  Go with the look that pleases YOU.

 

Pattern 2 – French Braid

There’s really no rules for this pattern.  Pick as few or as many colors as you like.  There’s much room for creativity here.  You can put them the same as I did or opposite.  You could even start out light get dark and go back to light.  Use this pattern as a way of showing your own style.

Onto the pattern!

Click the tab below to download the pattern and get started.  I cannot wait to see what you make!

Click here to download the pattern

 

Video Tutorial

Click here if the video does not load properly.

 

Tips for Piecing

  • Be aware that as you sew, your braid is on the bias and has a stretch to it.  Try not to pull and tug, so that the piece doesn’t distort.
  • The pattern for piecing is:  sew, press, grab the next piece, then repeat.  Always rotate which side you sew the next piece on to.
  • Don’t let your piece dangle off the table when trimming.  This will alter the size it reads.
  • The 6.5″ square is only there to give you a starting place and a lot of wiggle room for error when trimming.

 

I am Enough Quilt Along Schedule

 

Helpful Links

Havel’s Tools I use in the video

Prizes

Be sure to post your progress on the French Braid block on Instagram to be eligible for the bi-weekly prize from Havel’s Sewing.  Havel’s will announce the winner on Instagram on the Thursday before the next pattern releases.

To enter to win the rotary cutter:

 

I am loving looking at your progress on Instagram.  Don’t forget to follow and like the posts of other participants.  A kind comment or two can make someone’s day.

Hugs,

Melanie

Let’s Connect

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Posted in Melanie Traylor, Melanie Traylor | Tagged | 3 Comments

I am Enough Quilt Along – Pattern 1

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Melanie Traylor

Photo-Jun-08-9-27-02-AM-e1528468174690

This post is a part of the I am Enough quilt along that starts September 28, 2018 and ends February 1, 2019.

If this is the first time you are learning about this quilt along then please read this post to find out the intentions behind the quilt along and more details.

To view all the posts concerning this quilt along, click here.

To view the email archives of this quilt along, click here.

 

 

Picture me jumping up and down and clapping.  That’s how excited I am to FINALLY begin on this quilt.  It’s been on my mind since last May and since we announced the quilt along this past June, many of you have reached out and told me how much you love the theme and the intentions of the I am Enough quilt.  Your words have meant so much to me.

You are Enough

Apparently, not thinking we are enough is a running theme amongst most of us.  Let’s banish this thinking.  I’m so tired from it.  I am average at everything in my life, and most of you are probably just like that too.  What could possibly be wrong with that?  Why do I need to change this or that?  Just because Mia is really good at decorating her house doesn’t mean I have to be or that I’m awful at it.  Just because Karen puts together the BEST color palettes doesn’t mean mine are ugly.  We all have our strengths and our flaws and they are all different from each other and they are all fine.

I am enough just as I am.  YOU are enough just as you are.  I am enough with floors that aren’t as clean as they could be.  I am enough with my double chin.  I am enough when I ate a larger piece of chocolate cake than I should have.  I am enough even when I didn’t get all of my to-do list checked off.

Recite all of this to yourself inserting your own personal issues and let it sink in.

Now when you begin this quilt, whatever fabric/design/creative choices you make for yourself OWN them.  This quilt is about what YOU like, not this other girlie or guy.  Just you.  The colors and designs that you prefer can never be wrong.

 

 

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Today’s Lesson

We are going to be making the YOUR Color Wheel today.  Before we get to it let’s get a few color lessons out of the way.

If you are a pro at color, please feel free to skip the lesson, if not let’s learn some color basics.

What is ROYGBIV?

ROYGBIV is an acronym for color order.  ROYGBIV stands for:

  • red
  • orange
  • yellow
  • green
  • blue
  • indigo
  • violet

We are not going to get massively in depth with color order and the why and how.  I just want you to know that it exists and it can be cool.  Lots of you are into rainbow quilts.  I like to look at them, but I’ve never made one.  Just because their appeal is not so strong with me, doesn’t mean I can’t use the color order to make something I like or that better suits my own taste.

Notice that the pieces I chose for my color wheel in the picture above aren’t exactly rainbow.  Even so, they are still in color order (as best as I could do) and I LOVE the look of them.

Do your own thing with YOUR Color Wheel if you’d like, or put it in color order to help yourself learn this little color lesson a little better.

Light versus Dark

As quilt makers, sometimes we want things to blend and sometimes we want them to pop.  I like both!

Though sometimes I will have exceptions to my rule to make things more quirky, I also like to go into each quilt with the thought of what is my background fabric and what is my focal fabric.  For this block and the majority of my quilt, I’ll be using scrappy low volume as my background and my color palette as my focal prints.

The low volume is the light and my color prints are my dark.  This means my color wheel will pop off the background.

 

Pattern 1 – YOUR Color Wheel

The reason we are starting with this block is so that it will be a reference for the rest of your quilt to help you remember your chosen colors.

Decide on a color palette.  Use at least one of every color from your chosen color palette in YOUR Color Wheel.

For example, the above picture of my color wheel shows you what my color palette is.  Though the shades and fabrics will vary, you will only see me using these colors for the rest of my quilt.

In the pattern and video tutorial I am using, Charlotte’s Fusible Web as my applique method.  It is a new to me product.  It takes the place of interfacing or adhesive when working on raw edge applique.  The major benefit I have found is that it takes away the bulk or stiffness caused by those materials.  When using Charlottes’ Fusible Web you simply have two fabrics on top of each other, no bulk.

Onto the pattern!

Click the tab below to download the pattern and get started.  I cannot wait to see what you make!

Click here to download the pattern

Video Tutorial

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnbgtxy-hjQ[/embedyt]

If you are only interested in the Charlotte’s Web part of this tutorial, it starts at minute 7:30.

Click here if the video does not load properly.

 

Tips for Piecing

  • If you’ve never cut a blade before, here’s a tutorial for that.  But note, you are cutting 6.5″ blades.
  • If you are cutting from scraps or small pieces, cut it to 3×6.5″.  After that you only need to cut the sides.
  • Make sure you line up the top and bottom of the blades as you sew them together.  Unlike with Dresden plates, our color wheel will show when they don’t meet up.
  • If you don’t like the applique method I’m using in the video, here’s another, and another.
  • In the video, I mention chain piecing.  Here’s what that is if you’ve never heard of it.

Extra Tips for Choosing Fabric:

I like to use a method that I call Controlled Scrappy.  What I mean by that is that when I’m making a quilt, I start with a color palette regardless of whether I’m making a scrappy quilt or just shopping my stash.  This can be a tight color palette (a few colors) or a broad one (many colors).  You can get a color palette using your own preferences, something you seen in colors you like or by starting with a fabric collection and just adding in fabrics that blend well.

If you’ve given scrappy a try before and didn’t like it, maybe it was because you used any and all fabrics instead of sticking to a color palette.  Try controlling the scraps you use and you might like the scrappy look even more.

Here’s a more in depth look at choosing fabrics.

When I can’t decide on color palettes I take it to Pinterest.  In the search bar, type in something like:  color palettes with turquoise.  This is a great tool when feeling a bit undecided or uninspired.  Visit my color board here.

 

I am Enough Quilt Along Schedule

 

Helpful Links

Havel’s Tools I use in the video

Prizes

new-large-cutting-mat-2-sided-self-healing-24

Be sure to post your progress on YOUR Color Wheel block on Instagram to be eligible for the bi-weekly prize from Havel’s Sewing.  Havel’s will announce the winner on Instagram on the Thursday before the next pattern releases.

To enter to win the Extra Large Cutting Mat:

 

I’m thrilled that you are here!  I want you to enjoy yourself and make new friends. If you need any help or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thanks again for all of your support!

Hugs,

Melanie

Let’s Connect

Blog / Email / Instagram / Newsletter

 

Posted in art ideas, Fabric, Fabric Rotary Cutters, Fabric Scissors, Fabric Selection, Free Craft Projects, Free Quilt Patterns, Free Quilt Projects, Free Sewing Project, How to Make a Quilt, Melanie Traylor, Patterns, Quilting, Quilting, Quilting & Embroidery, Quilting Tools, Select Fabric, Tutorials | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tips For Travel Sewing

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Luv2Sew

Tips for Travel Sewing
by Jessica Schunke
@blueskycrafter

I took up hand sewing several years ago after taking a needle-turn appliqué class with Carolyn Friedlander. After a few short hours, I was hooked. I loved the slow, thoughtful method and how portable it is. You mean I don’t have to stop sewing just because I’m not behind my machine? I’m in.

Jessica Sew on the Go 1

And this latter reason is, of course, why so many of us love hand sewing (in any of its many forms – appliqué, EPP, and so on) – its portability. We lead busy lives, and it’s wonderful to be able to continue our creative outlet while traveling or sitting by the pool or watching our children’s soccer games. It’s also handy for get-togethers with fellow hand sewers. My guild hosts a hand-sew happy hour one evening each month at a local coffee shop, and it’s one of my favorite events on the calendar.

After several years of hand sewing on the go and trying a ton of different notions, I’ve definitely found some favorites. I hope this post gives you some ideas for your own travel bag and maybe your next project.

Jessica Sew on the Go 2

One of the most important notions in your travel bag are, of course, your scissors. The last thing you want when you’re out and about is to need to cut some thread or trim a bit of fabric and find your scissors aren’t up to the job. I have two favorite pairs of scissors, my Havel’s 3.5″ Double Curved Embroidery Scissors and my Havel’s 4.75″ Snip-Eze Embroidery Scissors.

Jessica Sew on the Go 3

They are both super sharp and have a very fine point that lets you cut accurately, right up close to the fabric. The curved scissors are especially helpful for making sure you don’t cut into the fabric. They’re also small enough to fit easily into any travel carrying case and pass right through airport security, following all travel regulations for scissor size. The Snip-Eze scissors also come with a small rubber tip to cover the point, which helps to keep them from poking through your bag (or poking you unexpectedly!) when not in use.

Another must-have for my travel sewing is a small needle book. I love this one I received as a gift several years ago, and they’re so simple to make.

Jessica Sew on the Go 4

Supplies:
(2) 4.75” squares printed fabric
(1) 4.75” square batting scrap
(1) 3” square piece of felt, edges pinked (optional)
Coordinating thread

Jessica Sew on the Go 5

(1) Layer the two pieces of fabric right sides together, then place on top of the piece of batting. Using a ¼” seam allowance, sew all the way around, leaving a 2” opening on one side to turn it out. Clip your corners.

Jessica Sew on the Go 6

(2) Turn the needle book inside out. Use a bodkin to push the corners out so they’re nice and square. Topstitch 1/8” from the edge all the way around, closing the opening as you go. Press.

Jessica Sew on the Go 7

(3) Fold the book and piece of felt in half to create a crease.

Jessica Sew on the Go 8

(4) Center the piece of felt on the inside of the needle book and topstitch a vertical line down the middle of the book. You’re all done!

Jessica Sew on the Go 9

This needle book is just the right size to fit in my travel sewing kit, but it’s also large enough to fit several needles in a variety of sizes and types. These also make great gifts for sewing friends, and you can knock out several in no time.

Finally, it’s important to have a good carrying case for all of your travel items. I have two that I love and use all the time, but there are a million tutorials out there for a variety of cases, so feel free to look around and experiment until you find one that fits your needs. Some have needle holders sewn in, others have vinyl pockets so you can see what’s in them, and some have holders for multiple spools of thread.

The travel sewing case I use most often is my Sew Together Bag (pattern by Sew Demented). These bags are insanely popular and for good reason. They are big enough to hold a ton of supplies but small enough to easily slide into a tote bag or airport carry-on. I use mine for all of my appliqué projects. I’ve also made a few others as gifts. The three roomy zipper pockets and four pocket slots are an organized girl’s dream and give me enough room so I don’t have to be too picky about which supplies I choose to bring with me.

Jessica Sew on the Go 10

Jessica Sew on the Go 11

Jessica Sew on the Go 12

My other travel sewing case is perfect for hexies and EPP. The double-zip clutch is from Heidi Staples’s fabulous book, Sew Organized for the Busy Girl. The full-size version is actually great as is, but the mini version is perfect for holding just the essentials.

Jessica Sew on the Go 13

To make the mini (an idea borrowed from Heidi’s blog), I cut the original measurements in half and left out the interfacing on the pocket linings. Easy peasy! And boy is this little guy handy. The open pockets fit 1” hexies perfectly, and the zipper pockets fit needles, small spools of thread, a thimble, and a small pair of scissors, including my favorite Havel’s 3.5″ Double Curved Embroidery Scissors. If you’re an EPPer on the go, it’s hard to beat this set up.

Jessica Sew on the Go 14

I hope this post has given you some ideas for how to improve your sewing on the go! Happy sewing!

JSchunke_Fall2015

Jessica Schunke
Sewing, baking, editing Texan living in the Midwest. STLMQG President. Havel’s Sewing Ambassador (use code “blueskycrafter7” for $7 off orders $25+).

Posted in art ideas, craft, Craft to make, Crafting, Embroidery Scissors, Free Craft Projects, Fun Stuff, Jessica Schunke, Sewing Supplies, Tutorials | Comments Off on Tips For Travel Sewing

Back To School Ditty Bags!

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Luv2Sew

By Stephanie Kendron of Modern Sewciety

Modern-DittyBag-683x1024 (1)

I started making the Modern Ditty Bag last year for a back to school post for Janome. I would see the teachers at my girl’s school carrying around a bag that held essentials when they weren’t in the classroom but the bag was not pretty and this maker couldn’t handle that. I always like to give teachers something useful for their classrooms and so the Modern Ditty Bag was born. It is a simple bag with an outside pocket to hold their walkie talkie that they need to be able to grab quickly. I don’t put pockets on the inside, although you could, but I find sometimes clipboards and such get hung up on the inside pockets. I like to have fun with the fabrics and usually make scrappy versions of the bag but you could use one fabric or a couple for a completely different look.

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I used several fat quarters from Heather Ross’ Kinder fabric line and tried to use some contrasting colors to make it fun. The hands are pretty long so I used several prints but you could also use a fat quarter to keep them simple. I had to get a little peek of that cute fox on the strap! That is the fun thing about this fabric line there are so many hidden creatures you discover when you are using it on a project. I love those little details that I think Heather does so well. The denim on the bottom is from my fabric stash.

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I used Sulky’s Cotton+Steel 50 wt thread on the entire bag for piecing, quilting, and topstitching. I love Cotton+Steel threads and if you ever listen to the podcast you know I have always loved neutral thread colors until I discovered this line. I love that the colors go so well with modern fabrics. I used Bright White, Neon Yellow and Light Red for this bag and I love how well it matches the Kinder fabrics. I am learning all of the cool features on my new Janome Skyline S9 so I did some decorative stitching on the bottom on the bag. I know I know the Skyline S9 can embroider but I am not quite ready to show you my beginning skills just yet. Soon I promise.

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One of the important things about bag making is using stabilizers to give it some strength and help it stand up when you set it down. I like to use a combination of Hobb’s cotton batting and Sulky’s Soft n’ Sheer Extra, an iron-on, cut-away, permanent stabilizer. For the bottom of the bag I used a denim and quilted it with Hobbs cotton batting then ironed on the Soft n’ Sheer Extra. I don’t like to quilt too much on the Soft n’ Sheer so that is why I quilted with the batting first then ironed on the stabilizer. I also used the stabilizer on the straps, the panels (after they were sewn together), and pocket. I love the Soft n’ Sheer because it gives the bag some stability but doesn’t make it too stiff.

Havels product Modern Ditty Bag
I never make a sewing project without my Havel’s Pink Extra Large cutting mat with my all time favorite 60mm rotary cutter. I love using a bigger rotary cutter because I am impatient and often use it to cut through several layers of fabric. Yep, you read that right it will cut through several layers at once! You can get your own pink mat and rotary cutter for a great price using the code MODERNSEWCIETY7 for $7 off $25 order. You can’t beat Havel’s prices so go check out their store!

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I love making these bags and I think I need one for myself! I hope you make your own and if you do make sure to use #moderndittybag so I can check it out.

All opinions are my own on the products mentioned but supplies were provided by my sponsors to make this project.

#SewBetterWithSulky #BackToSchoolSewing #windhamfabrics #hobbsbatting #havelssewing #janome #modernsewciety #kinderfabrics

Modern Sewciety_Day One Instagram

Hi! I am Stephanie, host of the Modern Sewciety podcast. I love to chat with creatives in the sewing industry getting all of the latest trends, tips, and information for you!

 

Posted in art ideas, craft, Craft to make, Crafting, Cutting Mat, Fabric Cutter, Fabric Rotary Cutters, Free Craft Projects, Free Sewing Project, School, Sewing Supplies, Stephanie Kendron, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Perfect Pencil Pouches!

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Luv2Sew

Havel’s School Pencil Pouch
By Emily Lang
emedoodle@yahoo.com

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 16

Finished size: 3.5” x 8”

Use 1/4” seam throughout unless specified.

Fabric:

Scraps of three fabric

Materials:

 *10” (or larger) plastic coil zipper
 *9” x 7” piece of Pellon 987 Fusible Fleece (or scraps of low loft batting may be used)

Tools Needed:

 *Basic sewing and quilting supplies
 *Zipper foot

Cutting Instructions:

*3” x 7” outer fabric 1
*6 1/2” x 7” outer fabric 2
*9” x 7” lining fabric

Assemble Pouch:

1.Sew the 3” x 7” and 6 1/2” x 7” rectangles along one 7” side, right sides together. This is the outer fabric.

2.Fuse the 9” x 7” piece of Fusible Fleece to the wrong side of the outer fabric.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 2
3.Switch machine foot to a zipper foot.

4.Attach outer fabric and lining to zipper (along one 9” side) by stacking fabrics in this order: outer fabric right side up, zipper right side down, lining right side down.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 3

5.Turn fabrics right sides out, press, and topstitch 1/8” from the fold.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 4

6.Carefully separate the lining and outer fabrics, fold them around to the other side of the zipper, and follow step 4 to attach them to the second side of the zipper.

7.Unzip zipper, turn right side out, and topstitch along the second side of the zipper.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 6

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 7 (4)
8.Switch to regular presser foot.

9.Carefully cut across the lining piece opening it into two separate pieces.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 8

10.With right sides together, using a ¼” seam allowance stitch 3” down, leave a 3” gap for turning, then stitch down the remaining 3”.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 9

11.Press seams open.

12.Unzip zipper half way.

13.Starting with the outer fabric, fold the pouch unit so that ½” of fabric is visible above the zipper (be aware that any fussy cut images are aligned the way you intend). Pin along the side edges to hold the outer fabric in place.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 11

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 10 (1)

14.Repeat step 13 for the lining fabric, the lining will be slightly narrower than the outer fabric.

15.Sew down each side, with the lining and outer fabrics stacked, using a ½” seam allowance. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam and backstitch across the zipper to reinforce it.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 12

16.Trim the zipper ends to match the seam allowance. Clip the seam allowances on the corners being careful not to cut through the stitched line.

17.Turn right side out through the gap in the lining. Poke the corners out using a blunt chopstick or turning tool.

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 17

18.Stitch lining shut by hand or machine.

19.Press the pouch flat and fill it with your favorite pens!

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 13

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 1 (1)

E Lang Havel's Pencil Pouch 15

Enjoy your new pouch!

Posted in art ideas, craft, Craft to make, Crafting, Emily Lang, Fabric, Fabric Cutter, Fabric Rotary Cutters, Fabric Scissors, For Beginners in Sewing, Free Craft Projects, Free Sewing Project, Fun Stuff, Guest Writers, Seasonal | Comments Off on Perfect Pencil Pouches!