Tute – a quick and simple needlebook

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Well this week saw the exciting arrival of my Life Is Beautiful Fabrics arriving into stores across Australia – I think they are already in stores in US and Europe also – how exciting- finally  - it seems such a long time coming…. practising patience has been difficult..

As part of my contract I had to provide a free pattern to Red Rooster so I chose to use the panel in this quilt pictured below along with the secondary squares print and some of the blenders. You can get this pattern for free here.

Of course you have already seen all of the little and big projects I made with my early shipped fabrics…when you have them right here on hand its amazing how many things you want to (can) make..

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so to thankyou all for putting up with my journey here on my blog I thought a quick little tute to make these very simple and quick to make needleboooks was in order. I also have to thank Fee for making the ones pictured below for me for market earlier in the year!

so here we go – all you need is:

one square from my ‘squares multi panel’

a 4” square of a coord print

a 4” x 7 1/2” square of coord,

a scrap of fusible pellon

and a piece of woollen felt.

Cut along the dividing lines in the panel to make one square.

Lay right sides together with fabric and cut to match

Stitch down one side of square – make sure your picture panel is upright and will be on the ‘front’ cover of your needlebook once opened. 

Press open and lay onto the glue side of some fusible pellon or parlan(very lightweight fusible batting) Trim to match and fuse with a hot iron following manufacturer’s instructions

Lay this piece right sides together with some backing fabric and trim to size.

stitch around all edges with a 1/4” seam leaving a 1” opening on the bottom edge of the ‘back’ side of your needlebook (ie. not the picture panel edge)

Trim corners and turn through the opening (nurses clamps are great for this – do you have these?– an invaluable tool) slip stitch that opening closed.

Press well and if your corners are a tad round still use a pin to carefully pull them out.  

Cut a piece of wool felt 1/2” smaller than the size of your needlebook. Use a scallop rotary cutter or pinking shears if you have them.

Position in the centre of the inside of your book

Turn to the outside of the book and stitch in the ditch down the centre seam through all layers.

Press your needlebook closed folding along the stitch line.

tada! not a pin or measurement used – very quick and simple but a very useful needlebook. Of course they can be embellished,  edge stitched, hand quilted, add a closure of choice etc. if you wish to make yours extra special.

Now I don’t have a complete list of stores who are stocking the range but I do know of some which I have linked on my facebook page.

BUT with every order placed with us over the next two weeks we will include three squares (or so) of the ‘squares’ fabric so you can make the first couple or something completely different. I’d love to see what you do with them.

hugs for today

Helen

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