Making a Buttonhole

Posted on January 18, 2017 by

I’m writing this tutorial mainly for Helen, having left home to go to uni she has now decided she wants to learn to sew, she’s borrowed my spare sewing machine to make some pyjamas but I didn’t have a spare automatic buttonhole foot. She sent me a photo on facebook of her first handmade buttonhole…and her last, she said!! I was pretty impressed with it but pointed out that you could do buttonholes on the machine without a special foot, just like we used to do!! As she won’t be home again for a few weeks I decided the easiest way to explain was to write a tutorial on here. It’s my first so any suggestions gratefully received!

  1. Mark your buttonholes; this can either be with a disappearing pen or with tacking threads. The bars across the top and bottom are important markers, so don’t be tempted to just do a straight line. The buttonhole needs to be a millimetre or two bigger than the button. Also consider the depth of a button, a fat, chunky button will need a longer buttonhole than a slim, delicate button.Making buttonholes
  2. On a scrap of fabric test out your zigzag stitch settings, this is a plain zigzag stitch.
    1. The stitch length dictates how close the zigzags are, mine is set at 0.3. It will vary with fabrics but you need a nice close stitch. This setting doesn’t change during the button hole.
    2. The stitch width dictates how wide the buttonholes stitches are. Two widths are needed, a narrow one for the long edges and a wide one (double the width) for the ends. I set mine at 2mm and 4mm.
  3. Leg 1; Narrow zigzag setting. Starting at the far end, check needle enters fabric for left zigzag stitch right next to the central marking, like 1 thread away.Following central marking stitch zigzag to end of buttonhole. Finish with needle down in centre of buttonhole.Making buttonholes
  4. Bar 1; Without lifting needle, lift foot and turn fabric 180′. Lower foot and raise needle. Change stitch width to wider setting. Check where the stitch centres, you may need to move the fabric a fraction to ensure the wide stitch covers both sides of the buttonhole. Stitch approximately 6 stitches.Making buttonholes
  5. Leg 2; Change width setting back to narrow width. Check central needle position, it wants to be just a thread width or two away from the first leg. Stitch narrow zigzag alongside 1st leg to end. Finish with needle down in centre of buttonhole.Making buttonholes
  6. Bar 2; Without lifting needle, lift foot and turn fabric 180′. Lower foot and raise needle. Change stitch width to wider setting. Check where the stitch centres again, you may need to move the fabric a fraction to ensure the wide stitch covers both sides of the buttonhole. Stitch approximately 6 stitches. Making buttonholes
  7. Your button hole is complete!

Tips for cutting buttonholes; I’ve learnt the hard way with stitch rippers going straight through the end of my beautiful buttonhole! I always place a pin across the end of the buttonhole, then if it slips, it will stop before it’s a disaster! Nowadays I also tend to cut it in two movements, I stab in at one end, cut to the centre, then stab in at the opposite end, the end of the stitch ripper can be pointed out through the slit before slitting the last section.

Making buttonholes

Good luck!

 

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Little School Sampler

Posted on January 15, 2017 by

school-2016-09-27-jane-greenoff110121_650_90_3337-1Two weeks in and I’ve got my first finish of 2017! One of my Christmas presents from my in-laws this year was a beautiful embroidery kit from the Cross-Stitch Guild. I started it on Boxing Day when we were staying at their house and I’ve just finished it this week.

I love the colours of this sampler, they’re sort of rich but muted. I also like the way it’s not just cross-stitch, there are buttonhole bars and french knots in the main design and the border includes couching and double cross-stitch, as well as the outer border of a red running stitch woven with a soft gold embroidery thread. The last border made me smile as it did remind me of the binca mats I used to stitch as a child!

The Little School SamplerBy New Years Day I had stitched the top half of the sampler, it looked like this;

It was only when I started to stitch the border I realised the two leaves furthest to the left were going to have to come out as they were in the way of the couched gold thread!Little School Sampler

 

The design has an optional hardanger square in the middle, I chickened out and stitched my initials and the year instead. This was partly because I do like samplers to have the date on them somewhere but also because the instructions for the sampler were somewhat lacking so I didn’t fancy trying something I wasn’t confident with in the first place. I think a lot of people like cross-stitch because you are told exactly where to stitch, what colour, there’s even holes provided in the fabric! So long as you follow the pattern you will end up with a picture like the one on the front of the packet. The chart included all the cross-stitch and the border stitches, but not where to place the maroon buttonhole bars or the french knots in the trees, or indeed the colours for the french knots for either the trees or the little butterflies.

Having said that, I think it’s a gorgeous design and I wouldn’t hesitate buying another of their kits, I’ll just go in with my eyes open! It’s currently down at my picture framers being mounted and framed, ready to hang on a wall.

Little School Sampler

I’m linking up with Kathy’s Quilts as it’s Slow Stitching Sunday, a weekly celebration of all things hand-stitched. Why not have a look what everyone else has been creating this week.

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Nearly there!

Posted on January 14, 2017 by

splendid_button_TMOver the last few weeks I’ve been beavering away on my Splendid Sampler quilt blocks. We had a couple of weeks off from the twice weekly schedule over Christmas which did give us a bit of breathing space, but also gave me chance to catch up a bit on the sashing and quilting.

I’ve just stitched blocks 89 and 90, so just ten to go! I’ve really enjoyed this quilt-a-long and I’ve learnt loads, but I must admit I’m ready to get it finished, it has been a challenge keeping up with all the blocks and at  times it does seem to have taken over! I’m itching to do a bit of dressmaking again and of course there are other quilts I want to do too!!!

Block 89 was designed by Ebony Love, it’s called ‘Colorado to the Midwest.’ It’s made with lots of triangles, as opposed to squares stitched together diagonally to make half square triangle blocks. I’ve decided I prefer the latter method, even with lots of starch the triangles move too much! Having said that, it’s a very pretty block.

My Splendid Sampler

Block 90 was one that made me hesitate for a while! It did look complicated! It’s designed by Lorena Uriarte and it’s called ‘Juggling’, I love the story behind the block, I so know where she is coming from, life is a bit calmer now my children have grown up, but I’ve certainly had my loopy days!!

‘My most splendid days are spent doing a little of everything I love. Often that means juggling my family, work and hobbies so everything gets done. Ideally this would look like a little calm gardening in the morning, some stitching with friends and cooking wholesome meals for my family in the evening. Sometimes there is frantic lunch box packing, ferrying instruments around town and scrambling to meet class times and deadlines, at the end of those days I can feel a bit loopy. That’s when I really enjoy some appliqué or handwork, it soothes my busy brain and I feel like I’ve reclaimed the day. It’s amazing that a little bit of fabric and thread can do that, how splendid!’

Once I sat down and read the instructions it actually wasn’t that hard, I think the hardest bit was choosing the fabrics, especially the crosses on the balls, not convinced I got the balance right but it’s turned out OK.

My Splendid Sampler

 

I’ve not only got pretty much up to date with the blocks, I’ve also managed to sash them all, even the ones I’ve just made! I’ve decided I really don’t like sashing! I’ve read alot on blogs about quilters who dislike binding so much that a quilt will remain unfinished for months or years just waiting to be bound. I love binding a quilt, I sit down on a comfy chair and hand stitch it down whilst my mind wanders onto other projects! Sashing on the other hand…excuse the pun, but it’s a bit of a bind!

As well as sashing ninety blocks, I’ve also quilted over thirty of them, ready to put together using the quilt as you go technique. Some of them are just quilted in the ditch but most of them I’ve tried to do a little extra stitching. The embroidered blocks and a few others have been quilted with free motion quilting, trying to pick a design that suits the block, such as leaves on a flowery block, or hearts on the Love and Kisses block. I’m surprised how quick they are to stitch, once I get the sandwiching done, I can finish quite a few in an evening.

This is my pile of quilted blocks, and my box of blocks waiting to be quilted!  I’ll quilt a few more before I trim them to the same size and then start stitching them together…the final few steps!

My Splendid Sampler

 

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Mother and Daughter Time

Posted on January 10, 2017 by

Having had one week at university Helen has decided she needs some crafts to keep her occupied, so while she was at home for Christmas she took herself off to Hobbycraft to make herself a ‘craftbox’. She came back with two cross-stitch kits, a decoupage elephant and a desire to learn crochet.

I suggested she borrowed my spare sewing machine and did some sewing and she has gradually come round to the idea, though we are going to have to get it serviced first so it will have to wait til her next visit home.

Initial CushionsI made her an initial cushion for Christmas like the one I made for James and Tillie and it gave her the idea that maybe she could make a cushion.

I introduced her to pinterest and craftsy and she is now discovering how fast time goes when you’re on Pinterest!

I still had fabric left from the cushions so she decided on an elephant cushion. We spent a lovely afternoon in the sewing room together. I have a pattern for an elephant quilt which I’ll be making for her shortly so she traced the pattern from that. I showed her how to use Bondaweb and a tracing wheel, and she quickly had the elephant stuck on waiting to be stitched.

She had a practice at stitching in a straight line and then a practice at using blanket stitch round a shape, she was brilliant at it! She carefully went round the elephant in a pretty much perfect line, it’s not exactly a simple shape either!

Elephant cushion

Of course she wanted pom-poms round the edge, Helen doesn’t believe in making things simple! She stitched it in place before pinning all around and then stitching with a zipper foot to get as near to the bobbles as possible.

Superman Cushion

Helen’s cushion came out beautifully and by the time I came back from work the next day she’d made a Superman one for her boyfriend’s birthday!

She’s now looking into sewing classes in Birmingham!

dsc_0106

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Monday’s Meander Round the Garden

Posted on January 9, 2017 by

One of my New Year resolutions this year is to take a photo of the garden every day and post it on facebook. I did it about three years ago as a way of seeing what’s good in the garden, rather than seeing the weeds and the work. The byproduct of this was that I went into the garden alot more and did alot more gardening, the garden was the best it has ever been that year…and it’s been going down hill since!! I’ve a lot of plans for the garden this year so hopefully this will help me get the energy and the drive to get it done! I quite like the decaying winter garden look, but I think it’s time to get out there and sort it…

Winter Garden

This week there’s been quite a lot of chopping down, falling down and pushing over!! It started a couple of days ago when an old lilac tree at the top of the garden fell over. They seem to be prone to this, they get to a certain age and then just go rotten at the base, after previous experience of this I do give my lilacs a bit of a testing push every so often! Lucky it happened now and not in a couple of months time when Mr & Mrs Bluetit would have been nesting.

Winter Garden

Our neighbour is having a lot of work done in his garden at the moment, including replacing the dividing fence, which is great news as the current one looked very patchy. He was outside yesterday clearing some of the shrubs and I took the opportunity to cut down a philladephus. I’d been planning to do this before the spring anyway as it’s becoming quite a thug and as there is a much bigger one on the back lane, we will get the scent anyway. It worked really well as it’s in the way of the new fence so he was more than happy to help and even better, his digger will pull up the roots!

I had a huge pile of twiggy branches when I turned my eye to our other lilac which is also spreading over the boundary. I decided to ‘test’ the main trunk, very wobbly, it didn’t take much to pull that one down. I then check a side branch and that came straight down too! I now have a big pile of wood to sort out! Good job we’ve got a wood burner!

Cyclamen
Bulbs

On a more positive note, I found the first shoots peeping through, I think they’re snowdrops. The cyclamen are still flowering too.

We’ve quite a few evergreen shrubs which add a bit of interest at this time of year, this is osmanthus (great alternative to holly in Christmas decorations!) and eunonymous, which after years of just being a heap on the ground has suddenly made a bid for freedom up the wall!

Eunonymous
Osmanthus

Here’s an overview of the back garden, looking I have to say, a bit sorry for itself! The area to the left is being cleared for a new graveled circle with deep beds.  Other areas need tidying or clearing, depending on how infested with weeds they are. The chickens are sulking after the one month quarantine imposed by DEFRA was extended to three months! It’s all to do with preventing bird flu but  they’re not happy! We’ve not had one egg!!

Spring will soon be here and then it will start looking better 🙂

Winter Garden

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SAL 4

Posted on January 8, 2017 by

It’s three weeks since my last stitch-a-long post, with Christmas and New Year and life  in general in between I only managed to spend one evening on my flower lattice embroidery.

This is an embroidery I started a couple of months ago which was designed by Di Van Niekirk, it includes ribbon embroidery and stumpwork so it’s a huge learning curve for me as it’s what I call ‘proper embroidery’!!

This is where I was three weeks ago, I’d just finished my first block with the cute little spider…

Flower Lattice

The second block is entitled ‘ A daisy, a snail & wild sorghum’, I have to admit I have no idea what wild sorghum is, but it looks pretty!!

The daisy is embroidered with a warm, pale yellow silk ribbon with lazy daisy stitches. One thing I learned here is that it is worth following the instructions and using a 16 chenille needle. I stitched the stems first with a needle I picked out of my pincushion, whilst I didn’t have a problem making the stitches it did damage the silk ribbon pretty quickly. Once I swapped to the size 16 chenille it made a bigger hole in the fabric and therefore the ribbon wasn’t damaged. Every third stitch on the daisy is just a twisted straight stitch, this reduces the bulkiness of the flower. The centre is french knots in a variegated thread using one or two wraps to get a bit of texture.

dsc_0116

I’ve not bought the recommended threads for this project, I’ve bought some shaded threads at Delicate Stitches in Kentish Town, otherwise it’s DMC substitutes. I stitched the snail shell with one thread of a beige/brown thread and one threadof a beige/pink thread. I think it’s worked pretty well. The shell is stitched with a added satin stitch, which is where you stitch round the edge with stem stitch and then satin stitch over the edge to make a rounded effect. The centre is just chain stitch round in a circle.

Lattice embroidery

The body is created with stem stitch, probably my least favourite stitch as my effort is never as smooth as I feel it should be. This time it worked fairly well with the main area stitched in a sandy colour, a few straight stitches added in the brownl thread and then a little green added to ‘ground it’.

Although I’ve only managed one evening this time, I’m pleased with the result, hopefully I’ll manage more next time, especially as I’ve a day sewing at my Embroiderers Guild |meeting.

Lattice Embroidery

This stitch -a-long is organised by Avis from Sewing Beside the Sea, why not have a look at what every one else is stitching. We all post our progress on a specific project  every three weeks but we’re all at different time scales at opposite ends of the globe, so if there’as nothing there at first, do check later! If you fancy joining in just send a message to Avis.

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What’s in a Name

Posted on January 3, 2017 by

A couple of months ago (ok, I admit it was probably a bit more than a couple!) we were all given a name badge to create at Skipton Embroiderers Guild, it’s a great idea, as particularly for a newbie like me it can be a bit daunting trying to remember names.

The following month there were some beautiful name badges in use, all embroidered or beaded, whatever the owner fancied creating. Whilst it was all very inspiring it also left me wondering what I could do that could be anywhere near as nice. I kept pondering but never quite managed to come up with a plan…

One of my New Year resolutions this year was not to play any solitaire on the computer, so far (I know it’s only day 3!!) I’ve stuck to it, the downside is that I’ve rediscovered pinterest…gosh there’s some seriously beautiful things on there! I was looking at embroideries and these two photos caught my eye.

jessiechorleyinspirations.com
jessiechorleyinspirations.com
gentlework.blogspot.co.uk
gentlework.blogspot.co.uk

I decided I could adapt the idea to make a name badge. First of all I embroidered my name using my favourite DMC variegated threads. I stitched some double cross-stitches and some running stitches underneath and added SEG at the top for Skipton Embroiderers Guild. My OH spotted me at this point and when I told him I was embroidering a name badge he said I really needed to get out more…then very quickly reflected and decided I go out quite a lot anyway 🙂

Embroidered name badge

I then started playing around with fabric, laces, ribbons and buttons. I rather liked the idea of a chatelaine style badge with dangly bits! I applied some iron on interfacing to the embroidery and the fabric before stitching it all together. I added some sewing themed buttons and charms as well as some tiny mother of pearl buttons.

I decided to make it into a necklace rather than a brooch as I feel you don’t always want to stick a pin in your blouse. I just had enough of my ‘life is beautiful’ tape left to make the necklace.

I’m really pleased with my name badge, I will wear it with pride! I’ve just got to remember to pack it in my bag!

Embroidered name badge

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The Little School Sampler

Posted on January 1, 2017 by

school-2016-09-27-jane-greenoff110121_650_90_3337-1One of my Christmas presents this year was a gorgeous cross-stitch kit from my in-laws. It’s called The Little School Sampler and it’s designed by Jane Greenoff. I just love the subtle colours and also the way she uses lots of different stitches, it’s not just cross-stitch. It’s also a perfect size for popping in my handbag when we go away! We went to visit my in-laws last week so it seemed a perfect time to start my new cross-stitch. I was quite surprised how quickly it grew…or maybe that’s just an indication of how I get somewhat addicted to a project!

This is my progress so far, there’s a square of hardanger embroidery at the bottom, I still haven’t decided whether to do that or to stitch my initials and the date.

The Little School Sampler

I’m linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow-Stitching Sunday, a celebration of all things hand-stitched. Why not have a look what everyone else has been stitching over the festive period.

 

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My Splendid Sampler

Posted on December 31, 2016 by

Well, as we reach the end of the year I am pleased to say I am up to date with my Splendid Sampler blocks! I’ve made 88 blocks so far, so there’s just twelve left to make with the next one due on Thursday.

One of my favourites of this bunch is called Love is the Answer, isn’t it gorgeous? It was designed by Pat Wys. She writes a lovely message with her block;

‘Love brings peace and peace brings joy! Isn’t that the truth? The block, like it’s sister blocks in the Splendid Sampler has been stitched in joyful celebration of the art of quilting. Celebrate with me the journey and fellowship that this amazing community of quilters has enjoyed as we travelled together splendidly sewing our blocks.’

I stitched it with a DMC variegated thread in pale blues, purples and beige, I wanted to keep the lightness of the doves. I love this one.

My Splendid Sampler

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Down the Rabbit Hole

Posted on December 29, 2016 by

Confession time…I’ve signed up for another Block of the Month…in my defense My Splendid Sampler will hopefully be finished by the end of February and thisis the only BOM I am stitching next year! I have to admit that keeping up with three this year has been a challenge and I did think long and hard before signing up for this one…well at least five minutes!

Down the Rabbit Hole BOM

I’ve signed up for Sarah Fielke’s Down the Rabbit Hole quilt. I saw a sketch on facebook of the basic design and I couldn’t resist! It’s a beautiful design, it’s also a medallion quilt which I have been wanting to do for a while. A lot of it is applique, having got the Apliquik rods for Christmas and a gorgeous pair of Ernest Wright 5″ scissors, I’m hoping to master needle turn applique. One factor that persuaded me to do this quilt is the on-line support we are clearly going to get, there’s videos on techniques and a facebook page that is already very active with Sarah answering lots of questions and giving us advice on fabric choices etc. It’s the one thing I missed with my Anderson Farm quilt, I felt very much on my own stitching that BOM. With this one I already know there is someone up the road in Harrogate who is also signed up and lots more on facebook.

Our first decision is fabric, we have a comprehensive list of fabric requirements and the option to have a printable copy of the basic design for us to colour in and work out our fabric choices. Sarah advised A3 size so I e-mailed it to our local copy shop and then popped in and asked for four copies, it cost me the grand total of 80p!! It was really helpful being able to see how the colours worked out. I tried pencil crayons to start with, then tried felt-tips but that felt too hard for the colours I was using so I went back to the pencil crayons. One thing it has reassured me about is that I am very unlikely to get addicted to the colouring book craze, I was quite relieved as I could really do without a new hobby!

Down the Rabbit Hole BOM

I want this quilt to go in our bedroom which is purple and duck-egg blue. My first thought was to use a layer cake and charm pack I bought a while ago, it’s Moda’s Potting Shed, it’s really pretty. I’ve even got a couple of metres of a border print. I realised fairly quickly that it would need supplementing with other fabrics. I happened to spot a fabric set I bought to make the Harebell quilt by Monkey Buttons, the colours are gorgeous. I think they go pretty well together, it is also reassuring that I know I can buy the fabric pack again if I need more whereas Potting Shed is not readily available now.

Down the Rabbit Hole BOM

I just need to sort out my background fabrics now, I’m tempted to use two or three different muted prints if I can find the right fabrics, in maybe duck-egg, soft grey and very pale purple or cream. I’m planning a trip to a quilt shop tomorrow if they are open.

Our first installment is published on 31st January…exciting times 🙂

 

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