Launch of the New Hearthsewn Website

This is a day we have been waiting for during many months.

OUR NEW WEBSITE HAS NOW LAUNCHED!

The navigation is easier, the format looks nicer,

the ordering information is clearer, and so on.

Please visit the new website to check out the great

upgrade and changes.

Please NOTE that if you have visited the old website, it may be necessary

to type hearthsewnpatterns.com into the html browser window

at the top of your screen, then if the old website shows up,

hit the refresh button to bring up the newer version

(the older location may have been 'cached' and this will override that.)
Or try clicking the link above, then refreshing.

We are doing a happy dance here at the studio.

Hope your day goes that well, too.

August On The Docket Quilt Tutorial

This center panel construction tutorial is for

August On the Docket mini quilt .

The pattern is "Summer On The Docket" which is available

in Salt Lake area quilt stores, or for mail order online

through the Hearthsewn website.

1. Trace the left and right flip flops onto the paper side of a scrap of freezer paper. Lay the shiny (plasticized) side of paper onto the BACK of selected fabric. Use a hot iron and several seconds of pressure to "temp fuse" the paper in place. Trim each shape 1/4" beyond the paper edge.

 2. Clip seam allowance at inward curve edge area 4-5 places to permit allowance to fold back. 

3. With hand needle and neutral basting thread (contrast to be seen for removal later), fold seam allowance to shape backside exactly at the paper edge. Baste 1/8" or so from the fold edge all around.

4. Lightly press shapes, if desired.

5. Mark positioning onto front side of center panel using washout temporary marker (or equivalent). Here I have prepared a template to complete the marking using the pattern layout illustration. Otherwise use a lightbox setup or window, etc.

6. Mark the strap positions onto the sides of both left and right flipflops.

7. Pin shapes in place on center panel.

8. Transfer strap center mark to fabric shapes.

9. Cut strap fabric strips according to instructions. Press in half (face side out).

10.  Open strip flat, face down, and press each side to the center. This is the top side.

11. Cut ribbon lengths to size (find a center polka dot, then cut the length with that position in the middle).  









Apply fabric glue to ribbon backside.

12. Center ribbon down middle of folded fabric strip to cover and enclose the raw edges that meet at the center.

13. Topstitch next to ribbon edge at both edges with matching thread.

14. Prepare a marking template. Crease on center and angled lines. Turn straps to face side down. Center template so that the angled lines form an upward arrow pointing to top of the strap (this may be incorrectly identified on your pattern template if purchase prior to August 2013). Mark center position, then fold and mark each of the angled line edges.

15. Position strap at centermark on flipflop, then stitch across center and lock stitches at each edge (backstitch).

16. Fold center panel to the left, strap to the right. Align strap edges, then stitch on angled marked line, locking stitches at seam ends.

NOTE the angle in relationship to the top of the flipflop to make sure you are completing yours correctly (overcoming the possible pattern error, that is).

17. Open and spread the straps toward left and right.

 18. Set up machine for a narrow, short blanket stitch. This image shows my Pfaff TipTronic settings, just as an example. The blanket decorative stitch makes 1 straight stitch forward, then one swing stitch straight left and then straight back. Settings should be adjusted so that the swing stitch barely catches the folded edge of the applique. Use clear monofilament in the upper thread position of the machine.

19. Begin at the lower spot where the two shapes touch, then stitch to the first strap position mark and stop. Leave long tails at beginning and end (to pull through to back to protect against unraveling). Begin stitching again beyond mark and stitch along both edges until all sections are complete with openings left for straps.

20. Turn work over, tug bobbin threads one by one to bring top clear thread loop to the back, then work the tail fully to the back. Knot and trim tails to 1/4" or so.

 21.  Do a trial fit of the straps tucking behind the flip flops through the openings...

Trim excess away about 1/2" beyond the applique edge.

22. Re-tuck the strap, pin, then either restitch along applique edge with blanket stitch, or topstitch through all layers.

23. Remove basting stitching, Carefully separate the center panel fabric from the applique, cut a slit, then insert scissor tips and trim away excess center panel, leaving 1/4" seam allowance INSIDE of stitching.

24. Prepare ribbon rosette. Cut sheer ribbon lengths, then use longest machine stitch to baste stitch near one long edge, leaving long tails to pull gathers.

25. Clean finish the short ends with a french seam or treat with Fray-Check, etc.  

French seam: Place ends together with face sides of ribbon outward. Stitch across, locking at seam ends. Trim to scant 1/8". Re-fold/turn ribbon so face sides are together, enclosing raw edges. Complete a generous 1/8" seam so that stitching is just beyond trimmed raw edge, locking stitching at ends as before.

26. (Image posted soon)

Pull both BOBBIN threads to gather up the ribbon as tightly as possible. Tie ends to secure. 

Complete the quilt borders, layering, and binding. Position rosette at top center of straps connection to flipflop and hand tack in place securely (try to keep backside looking as neat as possible). Attach button at center of rosette.

June On the Docket Kit Swatch Key

This is the fabric swatch key to help identify the fabrics

included in the Spring 2013 Quilts, Etc. (Sandy, Utah)

June On the Docket project kits

available for purchase.

Kit fabrics are used to create the mini quilt shown (right) that celebrates dad activities. 

If you are interested in purchasing the "On the Docket: Summer" HSN 189 pattern by mail order from Hearthsewn, click here. 

(Please scroll through the pages to the 'O' section of the patterns listing.) Titles in the series include "On the Docket: Spring", "On the Docket: Autumn" and "On the Docket: Winter".

If you are interested in contacting Quilts, Etc., quilt shop in Sandy, Utah, to inquire about kit availability (and pattern as well), click here.

This kit and kits for previous On the Docket mini banner projects may be available for purchase while supplies last. 

"Act Upon These Values" Fabric Kit Chart - Quilts, Etc.

Here is the fabrics chart for the kit available for purchase from Quilts, Etc. for the project

"ACT UPON THESE VALUES"  Young Women's Wall Quilt

Spring 2013

Information regarding the purchase of this pattern can be found

on the hearthsewnpatterns.com website

April On the Docket Kit Chart - Quilts, Etc.

Here is the chart to decipher the fabrics in the kit being sold by Quilts, Etc. for

APRIL ON THE DOCKET

Spring 2013

Information regarding the purchase of this pattern through the mail

can be found on the hearthsewnpatterns.com website.

February On The Docket Tutorial Part 1: Scrappy Heart MPF

This tutorial begins with machine paper foundation piecing of the Section 1: Scrappy Heart Block. 
Prep step: Cut out one foundation of this block from your photocopy, leaving a scant margin BEYOND the outer solid line (which is the final trim line). Use a bookmark, thin plastic ruler, or equivalent as a folding tool. Lay tool on the face side of the paper section, along each interior line and crease. See how the paper is being folded print side to print side. 

The paper foundation section includes:
solid stitching lines, stitching order numerals, fabric or color designations, & dashed seam allowance indicator line near outer solid line.

Step 1. Identify patch #1, and its color.

Step 2. Look at the shape of patch #1 from the backside (defined by creases in prep step). Free-hand cut a patch from indicated color, adding a generous 1/4" seam allowance to the creased shape size.

Step 3. On the backside of the section foundation paper, use a little dab of fabric glue stitch to position and attach the backside of the cut patch in place. I have traced a dashed line on my crease lines to show #1 shape. Make sure the shape is centered within the fabric patch boundary edges. 

Step 4. From the front, locate patch #2 and identify fabric to be used.

Locate the stitching (solid) line BETWEEN #1 and #2. This is the TARGET stitching line.

Fold the paper along that crease. Keep the shape to be added - patch #2 here - as the top layer, so it will remain MOST VISIBLE.

Step 5. Place the identified fabric FACE UP on the work surface. ("Fabric" can be either an oversize cut patch as in Step 2, or simply the edge of your yardage piece.)

Position section (with patch #1 in place) over the fabric with crease a generous 1/4" in from cut edge. Make sure the target PATCH SHAPE will be contained within the fabric cut edges.

Positioning checker: Note how the patch being added AND the patch already in place are RIGHT sides together, as in conventional piecing.

Once this positioning is achieved, carefully UNFOLD the paper diagram without letting anything shift.

 Step 6. Adjust machine straight stitch length to 14-16 stitches per inch (about half conventional piecing stitch length). 

Load machine with neutral beige or gray thread. 

Insert needle 2 stitches before the actual beginning of the target line. Stitch EXACTLY on the line . . . . .

. . . .then stitch 2 stitches beyond the actual end of the line. Do not backstitch at beginning or end of "seam".

 Here you can see the stitching just completed from the backside of the diagram where the fabric patches are being added.

NOTE that the fabric for patch #2 is laying OPPOSITE of the dashed lines defining the actual area #2 as it was being stitched to join. THIS IS CORRECT even though it may seem backwards. (See the next image.)

 Step 7. Press the fabric patch #2 back along seam.
It will now be in position to cover the crease-defined shape #2. To check that this is the case, pick up the foundation and with the print side toward you, hold it up to a light source. You will be able to see "through" the paper enough to see the fabric outlines. Just make sure that the creased shape falls within the fabric edges with enough allowance to trim back to 1/4" all around.

 Step 8. Fold back the diagram along the most recent stitching line/crease. Use rotary equipment to trim excess to 1/4" beyond crease.

The ruler being used here is "Add-A-Quarter" which has a 1/4" ridge on the bottom that will "catch" against the thickness of the paper fold to assist in quickly making this cut.

Continue folding along each crease that defines patch #2 and trimming 1/4" beyond paper fold. (For patch #2, there are 6 sides to the shape.) Many of these trims will involve ONLY patch #2 fabrics.

 Step 9. Identify patch #3 and its stitching line (between #3 being ADDED and numbers 1 & 2 which are already IN PLACE. Fold paper diagram along that line. Note that as you fold, the stitches at that end of the previous seam will need to pull free (or un-do themselves) to allow this process. This is the correct result.

 Step 10. Repeat Step 5 to position the #3 shape as seen from paper backside (pen-dash outlined for this image) over the FACE-side-up fabric.

Repeat the unfolding, stitching, pressing and trimming processes in Steps 6-8, this time for patch #3.

This image shows patch #3 being pressed back into final position. 

Next comes: repeating the visual check, turning diagram over on cutting surface to sequentially crease on stitching line to trim 1/4", and all of the other lines that define the shape for patch #3.

This is the process to join the remaining patches through #7 that create the Scrappy Heart Block.

Here you can see the completed heart patchwork (along with background patch #1). 

Now we will add the background shapes which involve "half-square" triangles and strips.

Grain line selection has been more or less left to chance up to this point. Now we will add more information about using better grain line choices.

Step 11. Identify the next patch, #8, and the target seamline between it and previously-attached fabric patches. Since it is a triangle that is the shape attained when dividing a square on the diagonal, a patch can be easily pre-cut then easily joined. If the fabric is NON-DIRECTIONAL, the process produces 2 triangles, so one can be used for #8 and the other for #9.

Step 12. Envision the size patch that will be required. Easy geometrics like these triangles work well with this shortcut. I have traced a RED line around my shape that includes the 1/4" seam allowance. If I use a ruler to measure the hypotenuse legs of the triangle (top and right side lines that connect at the right angle corner), I can figure the square that would be required. My calculation is a 1 1/4" square, but I need to bump it larger to allow for some trim and some safety. So I cut my single background (pink) square 1 3/4" x 1 3/4", then cut it on the diagonal, too.

 Step 13. Now position the triangle as for the other patches, that is FACE up on the work surface. The paper foundation is folded on the target seam line crease. Position the #8 area (shown outlined in red pencil here) over and within the shape of the triangle. Once adjusted, paper is unfolded carefully, then the seam stitched as before.

Here you can see the #9 shape which has been stitched-to-join, then pressed back into position. Follow the same steps for #8 and #9. 

Step 14. Follow a similar procedure to supply  triangles for patches 11 & 12, then complete the joining, pressing and trimming process. A suggested square cut size would be 
2 5/8" x 2 5/8" (increasing this from the measured required triangle edge at 2 1/8").

 Step 15. Add remaining patches to complete the block - #13-15. Cut strips that are adequately wide (such as 1 1/4") and appropriate lengths, cut one strip that is long enough to complete all four block sides, or work from the edge of the yardage.

There is only one small difference to NOTE: for #14 & #15, the ends of these seams will NOT be crossed by any additional seams. Therefore, stitch on the lines, but BEGIN at the paper edge, stitch across, then END by stitching off the paper edge. 

This image shows the untrimmed block with ALL the fabric patches in place.

 Step 16. Turn the foundation to printed side up. Use rotary equipment to trim away excess EXACTLY on the outer solid "trim" line. Trim all four edges.

 Now turn over your Scrappy Heart block and do some admiring. You have earned it!

 Step 17. Remove the paper foundation from the fabric patchwork. To do this, work from highest number to lowest. We begin here with #15. Refold along the line/crease, then begin at one end to tear the paper away along the perforations created by the stitching.

(The shortened stitches pay off here!)

Continue working to next lowest number patch, flexing the paper slightly to help the paper pull away from the stitching.

View other tutorials for other parts of this pattern project, including a comparison of the smaller machine paper foundation blocks, checker & fusible hearts panels, layering and machine quilting, and ribbon insertion at the upper binding seam.