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04-01-2014

Union Jack Sewing Machine Cover Tutorial and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Paula here at The Sassy Quilter and I am so excited to be the first stop on the

Riley Blake Designs Union Jack Blog Tour!

Union Jack Blog Tour

So….Have you guys seen Riley Blake Designs super cute Union Jack panels!!! Well, I have come up with a sewing machine cover tutorial for you to put these snazzy prints to use. We don’t want our precious machines getting all dusty and if you have ever tried to piece one of these Union Jack designs you will totally appreciate how quick and easy these panels are to use.

Riley Blake has three different color options for a multi flag panel. The smaller flags within the panel are each 9″ x 11″. There is also a giant flag panel that measures 36″ x 42″ and comes in three color options. Click HERE to see!

Today I am using the Union Jack Squares Gray panel.

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What you will need:

1 Union Jack Squares Gray panel.

5 Fat Quarters in assorted prints.

1/4 yard Border fabric.

1 and 1/4 yards Backing fabric.

1/2 yard Binding fabric.

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I am using a collection of Riley Blake Swiss Dots with my panel prints!

Cutting:

From Panel-

Trim two flags to 9.5″ x 11.5″- (1/4″ around the flag)

From Border fabric-

Cut (2)- 4.25″ x  WOF strips, then subcut (4) 4.25″ x 9.5″ rectangles.

Cut (2)- 2.5″ x WOF strips, the subcut (4) 2.5″ x 19″ strips.

From FQ’s-

Cut (1)- 9.5″ strip from each FQ, then subcut (6) 2″ x 9.5″ strips for a total of 30.

From Backing fabric-

Cut (1)- 17″ x WOF strip, cut again on fold to yield backing for front & back panels.

Cut (2)- 12″ x WOF strips, trim selvages and join along the 12″ edge. Trim this long strip to 12″ x 50″ and use as backing for the side panel.

From Binding fabric-

Cut (1) 18″ x WOF strip, then subcut 2.5″ strips on the bias and create at least 160″ of bias binding.

Construction

unionjackpiecingPiece together your front and back panels. Add your side borders first and then the top and bottom borders. Repeat for the back panel.

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Join your 2″ strips together to form one long side panel.

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Layer your front and back panels and your side panel with batting and backing, quilt as desired.

Trim your side panel to 9.5″ x 45.5″ and the front/back panels to 13″ x 18.5″.

Using your bias binding…bind the bottom edge of the front & back panel and both short ends of the side panel.

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Line up the center point of the front panel with the center point of the side panel. Pin these together with the backing sides together.

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Join these two panels together stopping and starting 1/4″ from the corners. Repeat for the back panel.

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Now, pin the remaining sides of the front & back panels to the side panel and stitch together, also stopping and starting 1/4″ from the corners.

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Your sewing machine cover should look like this, with raw edges exposed.

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Now to bind these raw edges!

Starting at one of the bottom corners…Fold the end of your binding under about 1/2″ and start attaching your bias binding to the side panel side of the raw edge.  I stop and start 1/4″ from the top corners to avoid any puckering in the corner. Do not trim anything…just skip a few stitches and then keep going.  Bias binding is stretchy so should go around smoothly.  Stop sewing about 3″ from the final corner. Mark your binding strip and trim 1/2″ longer than needed. Fold this extra under and then finish attaching the binding. Repeat for the opposite side of the cover.

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Hand stitch the binding to the front & back panels.

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The finished dimensions are 9.5″W x 13″H x 18.5″L. It will fit most average size machines.

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Done! I think it looks bloody fabulous;)

Wanna see the inside???

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Do you want to make one of these? Fort Worth Fabric Studios is offering you a special deal this week and a GIVEAWAY!

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

20% off all Union Jack Panels through April 7th with discount code:

UNIONJACK20

Click HERE to get your panel, or….

Click HERE to get this awesome kit Jodie created! She even has one for me to GIVEAWAY!!!

***GIVEAWAY!***

Leave a comment to enter to win this kit to make your own sewing machine cover:)

(Giveaway ends Sunday at midnight/EST, open internationally.)

 

Riley Blake Union Jack Blog Tour Schedule:

 

Tuesday 4/1 – Paula at The Sassy Quilter- You are here:)

Thursday 4/3 – Jina at Jina Barney Designz

Tuesday 4/8 – Karin at Leigh Laurel Studios

Thursday 4/10 – Marni at Haberdashery Fun

Tuesday 4/15 – Julia at My Fabric Obession

Thursday 4/17 – Molly at Rose and Odin

Tuesday 4/22 – Amanda at Jedi Craft Girl

Thursday 4/24 – Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt

Tuesday 4/29 – Julia at Riley Blake Designs

Thursday 5/1 – Ginny at Darling Adventures
 

 Hope you enjoy your visit here today! Here are a few things you might want to check out:

Helpful Charts– a collection of charts useful to Quilters, Quilting Tips– tips and tricks for Quilters, Free Tutorials and Patterns for beginners and Quilty Fun– quilting games perfect for retreats and guild meetings!

I am also currently hosting a Triangle Quilt Along and it is never too late to join in!

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You can find and follow TheSassyQuilter  on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, Instagram, Twitter or by email updates(form on right sidebar)!

Keep it Sassy

 

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05-17-2013

Binding your Quilt – Part 3

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For the complete guide to binding your quilt…click here!

Are we done yet? Machine Finishing your Binding

1. Now that all your binding is attached to the front of your quilt, you now have to secure it to the other side.

Once again, start at a mid-point of one of the sides of your quilt. Fold the binding over to the backside of the quilt. Secure it to the back with a pin, making sure to cover the previously stitched line. You can go ahead and pin the binding along the entire quilt edge or just work in sections.

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2. When you get to the corner, make sure you turn it completely, pushing the corner out to a nice point. Fold one side of the binding over and pin. Then turn the other over and pin. They should overlap forming a fold that goes out to the point of the corner(mitered fold).

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3. Turn the quilt over so that you’re looking at the top of the quilt. Insert your needle into the seam where your binding meets the quilt top. The goal here is to sew in the seam line. When you pinned the binding over to the back of the quilt and made sure to cover the line of stitching, you made sure that you will catch the fabric when stitching on the front of the quilt. Sewing in the seam line hides your stitching on the front of your quilt,too.

If you use a matching thread it won’t be so noticeable if you wander out every now and then, like that could ever happen...

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4. When you get to the corner, leave your needle down directly in the corner. Lift your presser foot and turn the quilt so you can head down the next side. Keep going till you get to where you started, then sew a few stitches over your beginning stitches and you are done!!!

Fantabulous!!! Your SASSY binding is D-O-N-E!

(Look at that quilt, whipping in the breeze…so securely bound it could last for ages!)

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Great Job! All you Sassy Quilters out there:) Keep me posted on your binding and let’s get these quilts finished!

Happy Binding

Click here for the complete Sassy Guide to binding your quilt!

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05-03-2013

Binding your Quilt – Part 2

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How do I join the Ends!?!

1. First, determine the unfolded width of your binding strip. In my case it is 2 1/2″ .

2. Overlap the ends of your binding strips and trim the ends so that they overlap by the same amount as the width of your strip. Here they are overlapped 2 1/2″. Do your trimming so you are still working in the middle of your unfinished area. This just makes it easier to handle under the machine.

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3. Now, lay the ends of your binding strips face to face at a right angle, and pin securely. Draw a line from corner to corner (using the corners that connect to the binding, not the outer and inner corners). If you sew the wrong corners, don’t worry, it will not look right and you can just pick out and try again. If the quilt is toward you, this should look like a little mountain top.

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4. Sew along this line, remove your pins and open it up to make sure its right. If it looks good, go ahead and trim your excess off, leaving a 1/4″ seam. Finger press the seam open and re-fold your binding in half.

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5. Pin the binding in place and start sewing a few stitches on top of where you left off and over top of where you started, to make sure there are no gaps. Yay! You made it all the way around:)

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 Check in next week for Part 3 – Are we done Yet? Finishing your Binding by Machine

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04-26-2013

Binding your Quilt – Part 1

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Before you start…..you have to create your binding strips!

Check here for how to make your own binding,

or buy some pre-made(you may still have to join some packages together to have it long enough).

Get your binding strips cut, joined together and then pressed in half

and you are ready to get this binding partay started!

 

Where do I start?

1. Trim and square up the edges of your quilt. You should have excess backing and batting that needs to be removed.

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2. Start the binding process at a mid-point on one of the sides of your quilt. It is hard(if not impossible) to join your ends together at a corner, and its less noticeable if it doesn’t look fantastic….like that could ever happen, your a quilty superstar and you can do this in a snap!

 

3. Leave a 6″ tail of binding before you start attaching it to your quilt. This gives you room work in when joining the final two ends together.

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4. Pin your binding to the front of your quilt. You want the raw edges to line up with the outer edge of your quilt, this means the folded edge is toward the center area of the quilt. Pin the binding just until you get to the first corner you come to. Place a pin or mark a small line 1/4″ away from the very end of your top. Don’t worry this mark will be on the inside so you won’t see it.

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5. Now start sewing  a 1/4″ seam along the binding, removing pins as you go. Take a couple of back stitches at your starting point. Continue sewing along the binding and stop 1/4″ away from the corner(at your pin or mark). Again, take a couple back stitches and then take your quilt out of the machine. We need to fold the binding a little before we continue.

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6. Fold the binding strip upward, this should make a triangular fold with the point going directly into the corner of your quilt(left pic); Now, fold the binding strip back down onto the next side of the quilt you will be working on. This fold should be flush with the side we have already attached(right pic). Pin this in place at the fold and continue to pin along this side of your quilt, marking/pinning the 1/4″ mark at the next corner.

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7. Start sewing your 1/4″ seam again, beginning at the very edge of the quilt. Stop again at your next 1/4″ mark or pin before the corner, and repeat the corner folds from step #5.

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8. After you round your last corner, stop approximately 12″ apart from where you started. Take a couple of back stitches, and remove your quilt from the machine.

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What is the most frustrating part of binding your quilt???

Check in next week for Part 2 – How do I join those Ends!?!

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04-18-2013

How to make Binding like a Pro!

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1. First things first……you need to decide how much binding you will need.

Here is a great binding calculator you can use:

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Just plug in your numbers for your quilt size(ex. 45″ x 60″), width of your fabric(42″ is a safe #), beginning width of your binding strips(usually 2  to 2.5) and it will tell you how much yardage you need and how many strips to cut….Awesome:)

Now that you know how much you need, go ahead and cut your strips.

2.The next step is to prep the strips so we can join them together. I like to leave my strips folded in half, just like when I cut them, and then trim the selvages off the ends.

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3. Unfold and place one end of a binding strip right side up, lay the end of another strip wrong side up on top of the strip at a right angle(like the letter “t”). It should overlap on all sides. Use the lines of your mat to make sure it’s straight.

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4. Draw a line from corner to corner. I like to pull the fabric over my ruler to see if this makes a continuous strip, just to check myself….it never hurts. Secure with pins on both sides of the line so it doesn’t slip.

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5. Sew directly on the marked line. Line up your 1/4″ mark on your ruler along the stitched line and trim excess.

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6. Press open and then press open your seams on the back. Making bias binding(binding where seams are joined at 45 degree angle) and pressing open seams allows your binding to be less bulky where it joins the next strip. Continue adding strips until you have one long strip of binding.

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7.Trim your “dog ears” off the edges.

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8. Now….to the ironing board. Fold the binding strip in half and press closed. Working your way down the entire strip.

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Your binding is ready! Isn’t it cute?

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 Sassy Binding….if I don’t say so myself:)

***CHECK IN TOMORROW FOR A FREE ,FABRIC, FRIDAY GIVE-A-WAY!!!***

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