Friday, December 13, 2013

'Tis the Season! A Tutorial


Tis the season for sharing!  As the countdown to Christmas begins, how about a couple of sewing/quilty tips?
Today, I wanted to share my quick finish on an odd-angle-edged quilt, such as this tree skirt.  You may remember seeing it here: Ho-Ho-Hop.   You can find the pattern at my Etsy Shop HERE.

I "pre-bound" the edges using an Envelope finish or Knife-Edge finish rather than a binding.  Here's how:

1)  PIECE the quilt backing at least 1" longer and wider than your quilt top.
Lay the quilt top right sides together with untrimmed backing and PIN well,
then STITCH all the way around the quilt top, pivoting at corners
and overlapping the beginning stitches.  I used 1/4" seam allowance
so as not to cut off my star points on the quilt top.


2)  TRIM backing slightly larger than the quilt top to grade the seams.
I trimmed mine at about 1/2" from the stitching line.


3)  Lay stitched quilt top over batting and PIN well.


4)  STITCH along the same stitching lines used to sew the top and backing
together, pivoting at the inside and outside corners.


5)  TRIM batting a bit larger than the backing; 3/4" to 1" from the stitches.


6)  Next, SLICE your tree skirt as indicated in the pattern,
and cut out about a 4" circle in the center to fit around your tree.
CLIP inner corners to (but not through) the stitches.


7)  PIN each sliced edge together and STITCH.  
I guess you could bind those cut edges, but why?


8)  TRIM the corners.


9)  TURN quilt right side out through center cutout, then PRESS edges flat.
Use this cool No-Clip Corner technique to turn the 90-degree angled corners.


10)  BIND the inner circle with a BIAS BINDING strip,
leaving enough length on the ends to tie a bow.
I fussy-pieced the backing to make it a Reversible Tree Skirt.


OK, now that that's done, HOW DID I QUILT IT??  Tune in tomorrow for PART II!  Meanwhile, I'm off to sing my little heart out at a Christmas Concert.  ♫ Glo- o-o-o-o -o- o-o-o-o -o- o-o-o-o -o-ria! ♪♫

3 comments:

  1. lovely idea but would not work for me as I do not have a tree

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Margaret - This quilt also works as a table topper! Just leave an 8" space along one of the sides to turn it right side out, then hand-stitch the opening closed.

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So happy you stopped by for a visit! Thank you!