Scrap Challenge Entry: Lily Bowl and Plate Tutorial

It is that auspicious day!

Today I must submit my entry for the all-Canadian Fabric Spot Scrap Challenge to Rachel over at Stitched in Color. And if you were wondering what mysterious thing I was making the other day, wonder no more! Here it is just under the wire... I'm going to call it "The Scrappy Lily Bowl and Plate"... I think that works as a name, don't you?

Um, so let me think... The rules, if you recall, were: (1) to use some portion of the eight fabric scraps provided in the bundle and one more fabric if we liked, and (2) to have the thing ready by today. So check and check, if you please!

Each of them - both the lily bowl and the lily plate - use all eight fabrics. If you've ever made a Dresden plate block, you'll notice that this is a slightly modified, 3-dimensional version of it. Here's the simple step-by-step just for you!

Tutorial:  Scrappy Lily Bowl and Plate

You will need: 

• several fabric scraps
• batting and/or interfacing (I used what I had around but a lovely medium-weight interfacing might work just as well)
• matching thread
• needle
• templates and paper
• scissors or rotary cutter
• cutting mat
• sewing machine (with regular presser foot)
• straight pins

Note: I'm showing you how to make the plate but the bowl is created in exactly the same way.

Step 1: Download the templates available HERE. Cut them out. Cut 2 paper versions of Template 3 (hexagons). Note: Don't mix and match the plate and bowl templates or you'll wind up with some wonked-out bowls.

Step 2: Cut out the fabric and batting/interfacing as shown in the following photo. For the two fabric hexagons, add roughly 1/4" (6mm) of fabric all around the edge of the template before cutting.

Step 3:

For both sets of six Template 1 fabric pieces, do the following: (1) Take a piece. (2) Fold it in half along the length, right sides together. (3) Machine-sew along the top straight edge. (4) Flip the raw edges in. (5) Press the seam down so that it is aligned with the middle of the piece as shown.

(6) Now with only six of the Template 1 fabric pieces, place a Template 2 batting or interfacing piece snug inside each.

The six batting-filled pieces with make the inside of the plate/bowl, while the other pieces will be the outside.

Step 4: Once you've prepared all six batting-filled pieces, sew them right-sides together along a raw side edge, two at a time.

Step 5: In this project's case, I have back-tacked at the top edge of my stitching line to reinforce that top joint.

Note: Whenever possible, I like to save time and thread by chain-stitching pairs of items together.

Step 6: Continue joining all six batting-filled pieces until you've got a pretty star. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the six non-batting-filled pieces to create a second star. Press the seams flat to avoid too much bulk in your bowl or plate. It helps to finger-press the seams open first before running the iron over them. You'll notice the 3-D-ness of the plate/bowl coming alive now!

Step 7: Stack the two stars wrong-sides together. Align their edges and pin.

Step 8: Hand stitch around the perimeter with a whipstitch.

Step 9: Here I added a few lines of echo-quilting around the perimeter of the plate/bowl. I used my regular presser foot for this.

Step 10:

Prepare the two fabric hexagon centers: one for the inside of the bowl/plate and one for the outside.

HERE's a beautiful demonstration of how-to prepare hexagons by Sunshine's Creations. Follow the first 10 photos in the matrix only for the two hexagons you'll need for your plate and bowl.

Take one of the two fabric hexagons (the one you're using for the outside of the plate or bowl) and after pressing it with your iron, remove the thread and paper from the hexagon. Nestle the batting hexagon inside the fabric hexagon and re-fold the fabric edges over the batting.

Step 11: Place the batting-filled hexagon on the bottom of the plate/bowl and hand-stitch it in place.   Repeat Step 11 for the second hexagon, stitching it to the inside bottom of the plate/bowl. I tried my very best to align the points of the hexagon with the seams in the plate/bowl.

Are we done yet? YES. Yes, indeed we are, we are! We have plate-age and/or bowl-age! Wahoot, baby!

And how pretty and scrappy they are. Perfect for storing some of those slippery craft supplies or - in my husband's case - the contents of the bottomless pits known as his pockets.

Thank you so much to Karen from Fabric Spot for sponsoring this all-Canadian crafty scrappy challenge, and to Rachel from Stitched in Color for hosting it! I had some good times over the last week creating my little entry and I just just cannot wait to see what my comrades, Laura from Waffle Kisses, Carla from My 1/2 Dozen Daily, and Patti from Retired to Quilt have made! Eep, so excited!

Happy happy Canada Day to you!

♥M

Lost and Found

I tell you. When you tackle a heap such as the heap that overwhelmed my basement workroom for so many moons, you unearth some good stuff...

See the yarn basket above? The Boy and I made it together, oh, probably about 4 years ago now. I dug it out during the recent clean-up. Still going strong, eh? I think I'll use it to store zippers.

I also happened upon this little fellow below. An inuksuk stamp designed by The Boy, and used to make homemade invitations for his birthday a couple years ago. We carved it out of a foam meat tray. It made the sweetest invites. I can't believe I still have it...

And of course, there's the obligatory unfinished toilet paper roll craft. This one's been patiently waiting its turn in one of my numerous piles for... um... ever? I've brought it down to the workroom now where it stares at me incessantly. Maybe the crushing guilt will actually move me to complete it... One can only hope... I'll give you one guess as to what it might be.

And best of all, the newly-rescued "Giraffe with a Fork" mini-painting by my sweet daughter Dia! I love this quirky little painting. I could swear I had carefully stowed it in a safe and known-to-only-me location (under the printer) while it awaited framing. But when I went to retrieve it... gasp and double-gasp... it was gone! And it stayed gone for months despite my many searches. Needless to say, I was ecstatic but befuddled when I found it in a completely random spot (under the scanner) during the purge. I'm becoming convinced that the house centipedes moved it. I really wish they'd stop touching my stuff.

I can hardly wait for the next clean-up, almost. You never can tell what lovely lost treasures lie about...

♥M

Denim Bowl PDF Tutorial in The Shop!

Happy Saturday to you!

Today I have a joyful little shop update!

It is a PDF downloadable tutorial for a two-toned recycled denim bowl. The 6-page photo tutorial will guide you step-by-step through the creation of this pretty bowl. The project requires little skill and only a few supplies including a couple scraps of denim, a bit of crochet cotton, some fabric stiffener, and a circular metal juice lid from a frozen concentrated fruit juice container. The end result is not only very pretty and unique, but also useful and most satisfying to put together. I know you will enjoy it, just as I did!

The PDF downloadable tutorial is available in the Shop!

Have yourself a fabulous weekend. I'll return again very soon.

♥M