Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Feb. 19.J.977
42
Aggie Arnold-Norman shows a vinyl duffel bag
she made.
Aggie Arnold-Norman made this hen on a basket
to be given as a gift. As an idea of what to do with
these baskets, Aggie put sewing items on the in
side, which made the gift perfect for a seamstress.
A bun warmer was another idea given for the
possible use of the hen project.
Homestead
This is a prequilted project featuring a faced
zipper with exposed teeth.
The various steps in zipper application for a
faced zipper with exposed teeth are shown above.
Notes
Brighten up Winter
with crafts from
prequilted fabrics
By SUSAN KAUFFMAN
Dreary days in February and March in this part of
our country seem drearier since the passing of the
quoting parties that used to perk up the bluest spirits
which tradltionaUy occur this time of year. The
holidays are long over and Spring is too far away for
much enthusiasm in cleaning closets or polishing
windows. It is too cold to think about sewing warm
weather fashions and too late toget much wear out of
Winter garments sewn now. The garden seeds are
already ordered and have arrived to await warmer
earth. What is there to do to fill in these long, dreary
days of late Winter?
While stories are also making the shift from cold
weather to warm, they are providing one possible
outlet for the woman who wants something different to
occupy part of her time. Rather than making a quilt,
why not work with pre-quilted materials now at drastic -
clearance prices in most fabric stores which still have
them in stock.
“Although pre-quilted fabrics are popular for gar
ments with the oriental look in vogue, they also nuke
interesting accessories, gifts, and bazaar items,”
states a worksheet prepared by Lancaster County
Extension Service. Agnes Arnold-Norman recently
instructed a class in pre-quilted fabric crafts and gave
basic information for sewing these material along
with patterns for making a number of craft items.
If you can not afford to repaper the kitchen after •
paying taxes, try perking up your spirits and your
kitchen’s appearance with new, brightly colored ap
pliance covers.
If your family is weary of the same vegetables from
the freezer and shelf and the same menus week after
week, try sparking up mealtime with new placemats
made from pre-quilted fabric and decorative bias tape
trim.
Cheer np a daughter who also finds this bi-between
everytbing time of year more bearable by stitching a
pretty and practical shoulder bag or backpack with
pre-quilted fabric and zanny zipper applications.
Sewa tote bag in which to carry die many casseroles
prepared for covered dish dinners which abound in
Winter.
Make a duffel bag or a cosmetic case or a tennis
racket cover for the college student who would ap
preciate a mid-semester pick-me-up.
All these items and many more can be made with
pre-quilted fabric by following basic guidelines.
SEWING HINTS
Sewing and cutting techniques have to be modified in
some instances when working with pre-quilted fabrics.
This is necessary in order to compensate for the extra
thickness of the material and the quilting threads.
Some basics to remember when cutting pre-quilted
fabric are to cut one layer at a time; do not cut fabric
with the pattern placed on a fold; use weights or long
pins to hold patterns in place; use sharp scissors for
cutting; and handle cut pieces carefully to prevent
quilting stitches from coming unstitched.
When sewing keams, some type of treatment of the
seam allowance will avoid fraying and separation of
the layers. One treatment is an overcast stitch and a
straight done in one operation by some sewing
machines. The use of one row of straight stitches and a
second row of zigzag stitches or two rows of straight
stitches about % of an inch apart is another alter
native. Binding edges with bias tape by sewing through
all thicknesses at one or attaching one edge of the tape
to one side of the allowance, folding over and stitching
the other side of the tape down on the other side of the
allowance provides a good finish. To avoid puckering
the tape be sure to stitch both stitchings in the same
direction. The seam binding can be decorative if the
project is sewn wrong-sides together and the binding is
placed over the right side of the material exposed in
the seam allowance.
Closings on pre-qullted items can be fashioned from
velcro strips, snaps, buttons, draw strings or zippers
placed in seams or faced for a decorative look. With a
faced zipper, the teeth are exposed rather than hidden
under a flap of material as in conventional sewing
techniques.
Agnes Arnold-Norman explained how to apply a
faced zipper by cutting a piece of unquilted fabric from
a pattern made by drawing a box on a piece of paper
the size of the area for zipper placement On the piece
of paper, draw a rectangle around the area of the
exposed zipper teeth. Overcast the edges of the facing
fabric if the material seems to ravel. Place the facing
fabric onto the pre-quilted fabric with right sides
CRAFT IDEAS
together where the zipper is to be palced. Place the
papa* with the zipper teeth box on top of the facing.
With small stitches, sew around the box made for the
zipper teeth. Tear paper away. Cut open the box,- turn
and press toeing to wrong side. Position the zipper
unde: the opening and secure it with pins or tape. Top
stitch the zipper in place.
Another important sewing technique when making
pre-quilted fabric items is strap application. A triple
fold strap is the strongest method to make a strap since
a strip of fabric the length desired by three times its
finished width is folded in thirds. Straps with a double
thickness are easy to construct by folding the" strap
material so that the width overlaps V* of an inch down
the center of the underside of the strap. Use a zigzag
stitch or overcast stitch over the exposed edge. Add
stitching along both sides for extra strength.
Straps can be fastened by enclosing thepr in a seam,
in a hem at the top of a bag or by folding one or :two
inches of the end of the strap under itself and top
stitching it to the bag with two rows of stitching or any
other decorative pattern such as a cross or box. Make
the strap long enough to encircle the bag and top stitch
down one side, across the bottom and up the other aide
for more strength.
To show how simple pre-quilted crafts can be, a few
easy projects-follow.
SMALL COSMETIC BAG
Cut a piece of pre-quilted fabric 8 inches wide and 11
indies long.
Fold right sides together.
Sew side seams.
Turn down hems at top.
Attach snaps or. velcro to close top.
By folding at one-third die length, create a purse
with a flap at the top.
TOTEBAG
yard will make a 19 inch by 15 inch tote.
'Cut two rectangles ISinchea wide and 19 inches long.
Cut two rectangles 3 indies wide and 28 inches long.
(One of these straps will have to be pieced.
Apply pockets as desired.
Sew bottoms and sides of the bag.
Line up right sides of side seam and bottom seam on
each end of the bottom. Sew across the base of the
triangles formed so that a 4 inch, wide bottom
results.
Hem top.
Make and attach straps. v ' ~ .
PLACEMATS
l-% yards will make six placemats (13 inches by 19
inches) and six to 10 coasters.
10-M> yards of bias for binding.
Face with a suitable material or use double-faced pre
quilted fabric (if you want reversible ones)
Cut out 13 inches by 19 inches ovals and apply desired
bindings or ruffles.
Trace a pattern by using your hand and allowing ease
and seam allowances.
Cut four to six layers depending on the thickness of the
material.
Layer so that right sides will show inside and out.
Sew edges together, except wrist section.
Hem wrist area or apply bias tape.
Attach hanging loop.
APPLIANCE COVERS
To make appliance covers, measure the width and
height of the front of the appliance and allow for
seam allowances. Measure depth as for a toaster
and the length up one side, across the top and down
the other side. Cut two pieces (one front and one
bade) and one of the long pieces called a gusset
which provides depth.
Sew front piece to gurnet, easing at corners.
Sew bade piece to gusset, easing at corners.
Hem unfinished edges.
Sew all pieces wrong side together and apply bias tape
over seam allowances for decorative touch.
To make a cover for a crock pot or some similar round
or oval shaped object, measure height and provide
seam sDowances at top and bottom.
Then measure distance around appliance allowing
seam to join ends of this long piece together. Cut a
circular or oval piece from a pattern drawn by
inscribing around circumference of appliance.
Allow for extra width to cover attached handles.
For more specific instructions of construction and
for many more instructions for other projects request
pre-quilted crafts worksheets from Lancaster County
Extension Service, Farm and Home Center, 1383 Ar
cadia Road, Lancaster, Pa. 17604.
HOT MITTS