Everything you need to know to live it up outdoors

Make lazy long meals all the merrier with table linen and cushions sewn by you

Basics SEWING A FRINGE

STEP 1 Place one fabric piece right side up. Place the fringed trim along 2 opposite sides on the outer edges of the fabric, with the fringed edge facing inward. Pin the fringe in place with straight pins. STEP 2 Place the second fabric piece right side down over the first piece and fringe, matching the edges carefully. Insert additional straight pins through all 3 layers perpendicular to the edge every 5cm. Remove the straight pins inserted into the fringe and the first fabric layer. STEP 3 Using a sewing machine and leaving a 1cm seam allowance, sew around all sides, making sure to go through all 3 layers on the fringed ends. Leave a 10cm gap on one unfringed side, to pull the project through to the right side.

QUILTING STITCH LENGTH

STEP 1 Use scraps of fabric, backing and batting to make a sampleswatch sandwich to test the stitch length. By testing the stitching on a swatch, you can see if you need to adjust the tension of your sewing machine and the stitch length. Place fabric right side down with batting on top, then position backing right side up. There is no need to pin baste this sample-swatch sandwich. STEP 2 Start sewing, making sure the machine has a new needle each time you get ready to quilt. Sew 1 line along the swatch at the first setting you want to test. Then, remove the swatch, change the stitch length setting, and sew another line next to the first. You can sew as many test lines as required.

STEP 3 To check the stitch quality and tension are correct, look at the stitches on both the front and the back of the test swatch. Adjust the tension and stitch length until you’re happy with the stitching on the test swatch before you move onto your quilting.

STRAIGHT LINE QUILTING

STEP 1 Place fabric right side down with batting on top, then position backing right-side up to create a quilt sandwich. Pin baste the quilt sandwich together. STEP 2 When quilting, always start in the centre and work your way out. Mark the centre and draw a straight line. Use this line to sew your first straight line. Work out the spacing of the lines and use the first line to sew the second line. Continue until you have covered the front in your desired amount of quilting. STEP 3 Square the quilt sandwich using a quilting ruler and rotary cutter.

MITRED CORNERS

STEP 1 Cut fabric to required size for the project with a 5cm seam allowance. STEP 2 Lay fabric right side up and fold over 2.5cm on each edge to wrong side. Press. Fold over 2.5cm again and press.

STEP 3 Unfold second fold. Then fold corner inwards so pressed creases line up with creases from second fold.

STEP 4 Press fold to create a crease, then unfold.

STEP 5 Fold at a corner so fabric is right sides together, making sure you line up the outer folded edges. The last crease you made should line up through layers. Pin, then stitch along the line on 1 folded edge. Repeat on remaining corners.

STEP 6 Turn mitred corners right sides out, press.

STEP 7 Topstitch folded edges, keeping needle in fabric at each corner for a neat finish.

MAKING A CUSHION

STEP 1 Cut cushion back and front to the same size with a 6mm seam allowance.

STEP 2 With right sides facing, sew 3 sides together, leaving 1 side open. Turn cushion cover right side out. Place cushion insert inside cover. Hand-sew opening closed.

CUSHIONS

2 x 45cm cushions in red 2 x 45cm cushions in aqua 1 x 60cm cushion in green

Gather your supplies

• 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric • Cushion inserts • Sewing thread

Here’s how

Follow Making a cushion instructions (this page).

QUILTED CUSHIONS

60 x 60cm blue cushion

Gather your supplies

• 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric • 100% cotton plain fabric • Batting

• Quilting pins Here’s how

STEP 1 Cut cushion front and back, plain panel and batting to the same size with a 6mm seam allowance. STEP 2 Place cushion front right side down, put batting on top then finish with plain panel to create a quilt sandwich.

STEP 3 Follow Steps 2-3 of the Straight line quilting instructions (opposite page). STEP 4 Follow Step 2 of Making a cushion instructions (this page).

CUSHION WITH FRINGING

40 x 55cm cushion

Gather your supplies

• 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric • Cushion insert • Sewing thread • Fringe trim

Here’s how

STEP 1 Cut cushion front and back to size with a 6mm seam allowance. STEP 2 Follow Steps 1-2 of Sewing a fringe instructions (opposite page). STEP 3 Follow Step 2 of Making cushion instructions (this page).

QUILTED PLACEMATS WITH FRINGING

50 x 35cm placemat

Gather your supplies

• 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric • Thermal polyester batting • Fringe trim

• Sewing pins

Here’s how

STEP 1 Cut placemat front and back, and batting to the same size with a 6mm seam allowance. ➤

STEP 2 Follow Steps 1-2 of Sewing a fringe instructions (page 178).

STEP 3 Position the batting on top of placemat back, pin in place.

STEP 4 Follow Step 3 of Sewing a fringe instructions.

STEP 5 Put your hand between the placemat front and back panels to pull it through the right away around with the batting on the inside.

STEP 6 Hand-sew gap closed.

STEP 7 Follow Step 2 of Straight line quilting instructions (page 178) to finish.

QUILTED TRAY MAT

60 x 45cm tray mat Gather your supplies

• 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric • Thermal polyester batting • Sewing pins Here’s how

STEP 1 Cut tray mat front and back, and batting to the same size with a 6mm seam allowance.

STEP 2 Place tray mat front right side up, position the back on top right side down, matching the edges carefully.

STEP 3 Position batting on top of the back, pin in place.

STEP 4 Using a sewing machine and a straight seam, sew around all sides, making sure to go through all 3 layers. Leave a 10cm gap on one side, to pull the project through to the right side.

STEP 5 Put your hand between the tray mat front and back panels to pull it through the right away around with the batting on the inside. STEP 6 Hand-sew gap closed. STEP 7 Follow Step 2 of Straight line quilting instructions (page 178) to finish.

TABLECLOTH AND NAPKINS WITH MITRED HEMS

120 x 120cm tablecloth 50 x 50cm napkins Gather your supplies 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric Here’s how

STEP 1 Follow Mitred corners instructions (page 178) to make napkins and tablecloth.

MESH TABLE COVER WITH FABRIC TRIM

110 x 110cm table cover Gather your supplies

• Mesh fabric

• 100% cotton hand-block printed fabric Here’s how

STEP 1 Cut 4 fabric strips 22 x 125cm and sew together to create one long strip. Iron the length of fabric in half, wrong sides facing. STEP 2 Beginning in centre of one edge of mesh, place binding strip against mesh, aligning open binding edge with mesh raw edge. Begin sewing binding in place at least 5cm in from start of the binding strip. Stop sewing 2cm from the corner. Backstitch, then clip threads.

STEP 3 Remove from sewing machine presser foot. Fold binding strip upwards, creating a diagonal fold (see diagram below). Holding diagonal fold in place with your fingers, bring binding strip back down in line with next edge of mesh, making a horizontal fold that aligns with the mesh edge (see diagram below).

STEP 4 Start sewing again at top of horizontal fold, stitching through all layers. Sew around the mesh, turning each corner in the same way.

STEP 5 When you return to starting point, join the ends. Press seams open. Sew final edge to mesh.

STEP 6 Turn binding over each mesh edge to the back. Machine top stitch binding onto the other side, making sure to cover all machine stitching.

Quilted cushions

Cushion with fringing

Quilted placemats with fringing

Quilted tray mat

Tablecloth and napkins

Mesh table cover