Monday, October 10, 2016

WIN Your ENTIRE Order FREE! - Hurry, Today's the LAST DAY!




Today is the LAST DAY of our 20% Off Knit Fabric Sale!
Did you know that you can win your entire order for FREE

Here's how!
1. Place an order during our 20% off Knit Sale. Hurry, the sale ends TONIGHT!
2.Sew up ANYTHING you wish from your knit order. Yup, you have to use the knit you ordered from us during this sale to qualify.
3. Post a picture of you finished item on our Whimsical Fabric & Me Facebook Group along with the hashtag #OctKnitChallenge before the end of the day October 31st, 2016.
4. One winner will be randomly picked from all entries and that person will win their knit order for FREE*. *Note: Winner will receive a gift certificate to use on our website for the original purchase price of their knit order, up to a $50.00 value.


Happy Creating!
Danielle Storm
 
www.whimsicalfabric.com

Monday, October 3, 2016

October Quilt Along Challenge



Hello again!  It's Sharon with October's Quilt Block of the Month. This month is another version of a star block. Autumn evenings for my family means sitting outside and stargazing. It is one of our favorite things to do. I had to use the scraps form my son's quilt as it seemed very fitting for this block. This is the Sarah Jane Magic! fabric line.

Prizes
Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album will count as one entry into our monthly drawing. If you make two blocks, that is two entities, make four that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing each month.
This month's prize is a $10 Whimsical Fabric Gift Certificate!
Supply List for this month:
cutting mat
rotary cutter
fabric pen
quilter's ruler
scrap fabric pieces

Let's Sew!
1. To cut out each of your squares use your quilting ruler and mat. 
To make this block you will need to cut the following;

Dark Color Fabric
(2) 2¼" squares
(1) 2" square

Light Color Fabric
(2) 2¼" squares
(4) 2" square

2. Grab your two larger sized light colored squares and draw a line right down the center from one corner to the opposite corner. Repeat on second light colored square.

3. Take your two larger dark colored squares and place them on your table right side up. Next, place your light colored square on top with the right sides facing, making sure that the two are even.

4. Sew on each side of the center line that you drew with a ¼" seam allowance. Repeat with the second square set. Then, cut right on the center line to make two triangles pieces. 

5. Press you squares open with the seam facing the darker fabric and trim off the "triangle" pieces on the seam that over hangs over the edge of the squares. You will now have four squares like the ones pictured below. 

6. Lay your blocks out like in the picture below. 

7. Next, we will sew our blocks together into three rows; top row, middle row, and bottom row. On the top and bottom row press your seams away from the center square. On the middle row press your seams towards the center square. 

8. Sew all your rows together. Remember to place the seam together so that they "lock" together while sewing for neat points on our stars. This is why we pressed the seams in different directions on the rows in step 7.  Lastly, trim up your blocks with a straight edge quilt ruler.
Repeat to make as many blocks as you would like!
Facebook Group
After you have sewn all your blocks for this month please go over to our Facebook group and share each of them in our October Quilt Along Album for a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing! You have until Monday, October 31, at 12:00 pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks.  

Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make.  Make as many or as few as you would like.

Happy Sewing!! 

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

September Tutorial Tuesday #4 - Charlie's Camp Shirt Turns Fall Jacket

** If you would like to see an image on our blog in a larger format, just click on it to enlarge.

Hi, Granma Texas here (AKA Barb Selvage). Now that the weather may be getting chilly in your area, (not here in Texas) your kiddo's may just need a little something to wear to school.

Note: Make sure to read until the very end for a great sale Whimsical Fabric has going on for just one week!

 I love to work with patterns I already have. This idea came to me after I finished making my Grandson a "Charlie's Camp Shirt". Many of you know this is my favorite pattern. I have made more than I can count so I generally have one cut out on my sewing table. It took some planning, but once you have the pattern pieces ready it takes no time to make.

So all you need is a main fabric, a contrast fabric, buttons/snaps, any trim you wish, and the "Charlie's Camp Shirt" pattern. Everything is available from Whimsical Fabrics! 
I used Fabric Finders Hot Pink Dot Corduroy for my main fabric, Riley Blake Vintage Market in pink for the contrast.

I wanted to make a jacket a little different than the shirt. I decided a band on the bottom would make it look more like a jacket than a corduroy shirt.

Cut out the size you want and lay pieces together. Since this is a shirt pattern you need to adjust the length (bottom) for the jacket. I wanted my finished length 18.5".

 Next, I cut a band pattern piece to the length and width I wanted.

I made mine wider than necessary so I could adjust for a proper fit. Place you band on the pattern piece where the finished length should be and see if it is where you want the band. If not you can adjust size and placement now.

Now you will need to draw a cutting line on the pattern to allow the band. Remember to leave a 1/4" seam allowance. Cut along this line.

Lay all the pieces together to check for proper fit and look. Measure, measure, measure!

Now adjust any other pattern pieces. I took off 4".

Measure to be sure the same amount has been taken off the front and back.

Almost finished with  the pattern pieces....only a few more! LOL! But, it is so worth it.

I wanted my cuffs lined with a contrast. So I folded the cuff in half and then added 1/4" for the seam.

I wanted my collar and neck band to be lined with the contrast. so I marked that on the pattern pieces. Be sure to mark all pieces for how you want your main fabric and your contrast. It may seem like a lot of work, but it only takes a little while. And it is so worth it.

Cut out your main fabric and contrast fabric. And proceed like you are making the shirt.

I did a contrast on the back yoke lining.

I made a contrast band for where the buttons/snaps go in the front. It took some thinking. Here is how I did it:

I measured the front center line and cut 2 strips 2 x 15".

Marked a 1/4" seam line on each.

Placed the strips so my seam line is on the center front line (right sides together).

Placed my marked line on the center front. The marked line will become you stitching line.

Stitch along the marked line.

Press open and finish as per instructions for the shirt.

Inside of shirt/jacket.

Don't forget to topstitch.

I used a contrast for the cuffs, collar, and band. I prepped each before I put them on according to the pattern instructions. I continued using them as if I did not contrast.
Be sure to press.

Mark all pieces. I used contrast for the sleeve placket.

Attach the cuff.

Attach the band.

I attached the band right sides together.

Stitched the main fabric. Folded and pinned the contrast and hand stitched closed so there are no unfinished seams.

Outside of jacket.

Made the collar the same way.

Don't forget to top stitch!

Add buttons or snaps and any trim.

Press! And you now have a jacket for chilly weather!


Save all your scraps! You never know what you can make to match!

This would make a great boy's jacket too! I chose brown corduroy and a cute contrast! That is what is on my sewing table now!

BONUS!! This week Whimsical Fabric has all of their corduroy, twill, chambray, and denim fabrics 20% off! All perfect fabrics for making this fall jacket. We even threw in the Charlie's Camp Shirt PDF Pattern in this sale for you! The sale lasts through Monday, October 3rd.

Happy Sewing!
Granma Texas (Barb)
www.whimsicalfabric.com

Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links.