Melissa Dunworth – Page 74 – Sew Bittersweet Designs

Simple Panel Quilt – A Tutorial

8 Comments / Hopeful Threads, tutorial / By Melissa Dunworth

This tutorial is part of the Baby Love November Project at Hopeful Threads. Please read more about the project and consider joining us and sew along!

For this quilt I took a simple panel (21″x21″) and added borders and backing to turn it into a 36×36″ NICU Quilt. I will show you how to use batting scraps for the batting and I have links 2 binding techniques and a labeling technique for the brave!

Supplies include:
Panel you love
Coordinating fabrics for borders
Matching thread for the quilting
Batting or batting scraps and backing (I like 5″ extra on all sides for the backing and batting but you can make do with less than that).
To quilt I recommend a walking foot for straight line quilting or a darning foot (also called a free motion quilting foot) if you want to do free motion quilting (FMQ).

Step 1: Pick a panel

As this panel measures 21×21 inches I decided I would add three borders and pull colors from the main panel. I selected a pink and yellow right off the bat. As each panel will differ in size I am not going to give measurements. Remember for a NICU quilt, and ideal size is right around 36×36 (roughly 1 yard by 1 yard).

Remember when quilting, to use a 1/4″ seam allowance.

My first border measures 2.5″ wide.

I forgot to take picture of how I attached the first 2 borders, but I have pictures for my 3rd border (I was really in a sewing groove). I cut my strips 2.5″ x width of fabric (wof) and trimmed them after they were attached to the panel.

For my next border I used 4.5″ strips of a beautiful yellow fabric (this fabric was donated by Sondra from Contemporary Cloth).

For my final border I did a lot of auditioning of fabrics. As part of my process I emailed a bunch of my favorite quilty friends for their opinions and I landed on a beautiful green dot.

I did a 2″ border and I started by sewing on both of the vertical sides:

Next I pressed my seams towards the green and I trimmed them to the correct size.

Then I added the horizontal strips

I pressed these two seams towards the green and trimmed again. Finishing off my top.

Continue to add borders until your quilt top measures 36″ x 36″ (I only needed 3).

Next you will need to prepare your batting. I normally press mine, though sometimes it needs pressing with steam. I only have a bolt of batting at my house and as I didn’t fancy a trip to JoAnns, I improvised and pieced some batting scraps together. You can either line your batting up and zig zag stitch the scraps together or you can use fusible batting tape.

The final step is to baste your backing, batting and top. I use the Pinmoors I bought from Quilting Lodge (Pinmoors are awesome and I will soon have a review for them). After you baste your layers you can quilt to your hearts content. Use your walking foot or free motion foot for this and coordinating thread.

To bind this quilt, I used my backing fabric and my tutorial for turning the backing over to the front for binding. I also have a tutorial on how to make binding strips and machine sew them down.

Super easy! Let me know if you have any questions.

How I Became a Surgeon – A Tutorial

11 Comments / tutorial / By Melissa Dunworth

Meet Joe and Bob (don’t ask me who is who, I can’t tell them apart…but Anne can!).

They both had a problem. They are 4 years old and were beginning to look a bit…thin. Anne asked if I could fix them. I fixed Bob first and then took a picture of him and Joe. Check them out and you will see why they needed a little surgery.

Now, you might wondering why there are 2 and you also might be wondering why we just don’t get rid of them and move on to newer stuffies. Well, here’s why:

This is Anne at 2 weeks old. Bob (or Joe, not really sure which one this is) was the first animal she latched on to. We bought a second one in case anything happened to the first and then started rotating them. After 4 years they were both a bit tired. So I needed to perform some surgery to perk them back up.

For Stuffie Surgery you will need the following items:

Fluff (any brand, make sure it is washable if you plan on washing the stuffie)
Seam Ripper
Thread that will match or blend well with the fur
A good sharp needle

First thing is to find a seam that is on an inconspicuous side, there was no really good seam on the giraffe but ideally you would do one that isn’t front and center. Then you want to gently pull out the stitches. Try to create a hole at least big enough to fit your hand in.

Next pull out all of the stuffing. Now I have machine washed and dried these guys many many times over the years and I was surprised by the smell, so be prepared for a potentially unpleasant smell. The stuffing will likely be matted and very icky. Joe is now a shell of his former self.

Next it is time to stuff him! I used a hemostat at times to get into places like his head, the hole for his head was no larger than the tip of my thumb and I needed help.

Next you want to sew up the hole that you created. Remember to use an invisible stitch. I used a ladder stitch, the same one I use when I sew bindings onto quilts. It is invisible and holds up rather nicely to washing (never once have I had a binding come off!).

And as you can see below…I had one very happy customer once I was done operating!

So if you have a stuffie in need of a little revitalization now you know what to do it, operate!

November Mid-Month Check In – A Lovely Year of Finishes

4 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Fiber of All Sorts / By Melissa Dunworth

Welcome to the middle of November! Did the middle of the month sneak up on you too? I just don’t understand where this month has gone. I got my sewing machine back and I have been quilting away, but I think I might start piecing solely on my new Featherweight. I just love that machine (even more now that my hubs oiled and lubed it!).

I have made great progress on my goal and just have a bit more left to go. I’m not sure if the recipient of this quilt reads my blog but I can’t put up a full picture just yet.

Your turn! How is your goal progressing along?

You can link up here or with Shanna, no need to link up twice.

Grab a button from my sidebar and spread the LOVE!

And don’t forget our awesome Sponsors and the incredible prizes they are offering!

November Prizes Include:

1.A Prize from The Intrepid Thread

2. A $15.00 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop

3, 4. TWO winners each getting to choose one pdf pattern
from Sew BitterSweet Designs – that’s me!
($10 value)

5. Choice of $15 or 2 charm packs from Stitch n’ Giggles

6. A Paper Piecing Kit from Paper Pieces

7, 8, & 9. One Thread Chart & 2 Thread Packs from Aurifil Threads

10. Quilting Patterns designed by Quilting Lodge

Try and visit 2 other people who have linked up before you so that we can cheer each other on!

Happy Birthday Anne

16 Comments / Personal Post / By Melissa Dunworth

Dear Anne,

Today you turn 4. Each day I have been blessed to watch you grow into an incredible little person. You are bright, imaginative, smart and inquisitive. You challenge me every day in new and creative ways. You force me to stretch my imagination and my patience. I love that I get to be your mama, it is has been the biggest and best adventure of my life. I have huge hopes and dreams for you, but mostly I just want for you to be happy. Know that mama and daddy love you to the sun and back (as you like to tell us).

Love you!

On her birthday, 4 years ago!

Today, bold, beautiful and 4 years old!

Love,
Mommy

Happy Veterans Day & A Giveaway

7 Comments / Hopeful Threads / By Melissa Dunworth

Happy Veterans Day. Today we honor those who have served and are serving. We honor men and women like my husband, who stood/stand on a wall. Today at 11:00 am please take a moment to observe 2 minutes of silence. This is to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women who have served their country. Thank you.

In Baby Love news, please head on over to Hopeful Threads. Kristy has a giveaway up for 2 different panels. One is donated by me and the other by her. We would love for anyone with a desire to participate in this month’s project to be able to do so. When you enter, if you are picked, please remember the intent of the giveaway is that you will use the prize to make something and donate back to the monthly project.

Happy Veterans Day!

Author name: Melissa Dunworth