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Friday, January 27, 2012

Starburst Hot Pad Tutorial

These directions are the best of my recollection from the class I took a few days ago.  The instructor did not have written directions, so I've tried to recreate what we did in that class. I've also added a few of my own suggestions.

Starburst Hot Pad Tutorial
Materials:
Fabric A
Cut 12 – 3” x 4 1/2”
         4 – 3 ½”  x 3 ½”
Fabric B
Cut 8 – 3” x 4 ½”
Fabric C
Cut 8 – 3” x 4 ½”
Fabric D
Cut 8 – 3” x 4 ½”

Binding = Width of Fabric x 2 ¼”
Hanger = 1” x 5”

Backing = 10” x 10”
Foundation = 10” x 10”
Batting = 10” x 10”

Directions:
Cut fabrics.  You can use any number of fabrics that you like – 2,3,4, or 5. These directions and photos show 4 fabrics.  Fabric A was used for row 1 and row 4 in the sample. Row 1 uses 4 rectangles while all other rows use 8 rectangles. Careful measuring is very important in making the stars symmetrical.

Row 1
Step 1:
Take the 4 rectangles for the first row and press ½” along one long side of each  rectangle
 

Then fold the pressed rectangle to form a square. Press again.  This pressing line is used as the sewing line.  You may want to draw a line down the middle of the rectangle for the sewing line instead of pressing.














Step 2:
Draw a line down the center of the foundation fabric from top to bottom (I’m using a scrap of brown fabric). Then draw a line across the center from left to right.  Finally, draw diagonal lines from corner to corner, so that all of the lines cross at the center of the foundation. These lines will serve as guides when you begin sewing the star points.

Step 3:
Place one of the Row 1 rectangles along one of the guidelines.  Make sure that the center of the rectangle aligns with the center of the foundation, as shown in the next picture.
Stitch down the center of the rectangle. Use the fold line on the rectangle to align with the line drawn on the foundation fabric. Take a back stitch at the beginning of your sewing for reinforcement.

Step 4:
Place another rectangle above the 1st one and stitch down the center of the 2nd rectangle as shown below.

Fold as shown below.

Step 5:
Lay the 3rd rectangle as shown and sew down the center. Do the same with the 4th rectangle.

Then fold the 3rd and 4th rectangles the same as the first 2. Then press.
Your center should look like the photo below.

Step 6:
Place the foundation on the piece of batting and sew ¼” around the outer perimeter of the center pieces.

ROW 2
Step 1:
Measuring down the center of 1 of the pieces, place a row 2 rectangle ½” from the center as shown. Careful measuring is extremely important in making a symmetrical starburst.
Stitch down the center of this piece like you did in row 1. 
Add the 2nd rectangle directly above the 1st one. Add the 3rd rectangle to the left of the 1st one & add the 4th rectangle directly across from the 3rd one. Your first 4 rectangles should look like the ones below.
Fold and press these pieces
.


Step 2:
Add the 5th rectangle to row 2 as shown, making sure to place the rectangle ½” from the center.

Add the 6th, 7th, & 8th rectangles in the same manner as 3, 4, & 5.
Fold and press. You should now see the center star being formed.
Stitch 1/4” around the outside perimeter of Row 2.  Stitching around the perimeter helps keep each row flat and in place.

Do Rows 3, 4, & 5 in the same manner as Row 2. Always start a row with a star point that was one of the first 4 in the last row. I don't know if that is clear, but if you look at the picture above, you can see that the last 4 star points sit on top of the first 4 in that row. Always measure ½” down from the inner star points for accurate placement. Remember to stitch the perimeter of each finished row.


Here is the completed Row 3:

Row 4:

Row 5:
Corner Squares
Step 1:
Draw a diagonal line on the back of each of the corner squares.

Step 2:
Place a square back side up on the block. Line up the top edge and the left edge of the square with a 4th row star point as shown below.  Then stitch on the diagonal line.

Press down to form a corner triangle.  Repeat for the other corners.

Step 3:
Stitch around the outer perimeter of the block.  Check that you are satisfied with all of your star points.  If not, rip out to the offending point and fix your problem now.
When you are satisfied, trim your block.

Finishing
Step 1:
Lay the block on the backing, wrong sides together.  Stitch about 1/8” around the perimeter of the block.  Trim the backing even with the block.

Step 2:
Press the binding down the middle of the long side. Attach the binding to the front side of the block. Do this the same way you normally put binding on your quilts.
Step 3:
Take the 1” x 5” hanger piece.  Fold it down the middle (long ways). Then fold each long side to the middle.  This makes a ¼” x 5” hanger.  Press. Then stitch the long edges together.


Step 4:
Attach the hanger to a back corner of the hot pad as shown.  Stitch about 1/8” inside the seam allowance.
Hand sew the binding to the back of the hot pad.
Here is the finished Starburst Hot Pad!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Hot Pad Class at Coastal Haven

Our sewing guild, the Coastal Haven Sew 'N Sews, met on Tuesday for a class.  Mary Lawrence from Magnolia Springs came and taught us to make beautiful hot pads.  There were 13 ladies who took part in the class, and, of course, Linda Saunders cooked us a fabulous lunch.
 Mary has the patience of Job.  She worked slowly through the instructions to get everyone started, and then she wandered throughout the room and gave each of the ladies some personal attention and encouragement.
 It's easy to see from the expressions on our faces that we were taking this project very seriously. We worked very hard to make sure that our final product would be one that we could show with pride.

Here is Bonnie...

and Alece....











and me carefully working.

 By lunch time our projects were beginning to take shape.











We never have a Sew 'N Sews workshop without having a fabulous lunch.  Actually, the Sew 'N Sews never do anything together without having a fabulous lunch. Linda outdid herself this time.  She fixed Italian beef, 2 kinds of soup, and 2 kinds of brownies for our lunch. I threw together some Chinese slaw to go along with her Italian beef.  Needless to say, we did not go away hungry. Here is our cook after she finished the clean up of the kitchen.

.
 Here are some of the finished hot pads.  Aren't they all beautiful.  There is such a variety of beautiful fabrics that make the hot pads unique.






 These three hot pads are made from the same fabrics, but look how different they all look because they all use a different order to the fabrics.






Joan, Linda, Sandy, and Marilyn are proudly showing their finished projects. Wait a minute!  Linda, that is not a finished hot pad; that's a corner square that you stole borrowed from Joan.  Now give it back so she can finish.
Somehow Rosanne eluded my camera.  I know she was there, but I don't have a single picture of her. Hmmmm .....  How did she manage that???

Monday, January 16, 2012

Biscuit Baskets

The ladies at Coastal Haven have begun their winter sewing again.  Today, Marjie came and taught them to make fabric Biscuit Baskets. Four of the ladies were able to complete the baskets today.  Marjie brought her serger and serged beautiful waves on the edges of all of the strips for the baskets.  That took her about 6 hours.  Thank you Marjie for all of your hard work.



Joan, Roseanne, Sandy, and Felicia working hard at weaving the strips. Roseanne and Sandy helped the other ladies with the basket weaving portion of the project, since they had already made their baskets several weeks ago.

 Linda and Deb keeping Marjie company while she worked on the serging of the strips.




Roseanne, Marilyn, and Felicia weaving the strips into their baskets.

Here is one of the finished baskets.  Isn't it cute?

While all of the basket making was going on Dodie was working on some other projects.  Here is the bear that she made using an old Superman costume. 
Superman