MINI QUILT YOU WILL NEED
■ Background fabric: one (1) fat quarter
■ Light brown fabric (muzzle):
5in square
■ Medium brown fabric (fur): one (1) fat eighth
■ Dark brown fabric (ears, tail, arms and legs): 10in square
■ Assorted scraps for the clamshell and nose: four (4) 2in squares
■ Backing fabric: 12in x 14in
■ Batting: 12in x 14in
■ Binding fabric: one (1) fat eighth
■ Black and peach embroidery thread
■ One (1) copy of each of the Otter FPP templates A–F
FINISHED SIZE ■ 11in x 13in
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are in, unless otherwise noted.
■ Press seams to the side, unless otherwise instructed.
■ Templates include seam allowance around the outer edges only.
■ For templates, see p87.
■ To paper piece the otter design and clamshells set, shorten your stitch length to around 1.5.
■ FPP = Foundation Paper Piecing.
■ RST = right sides together.
■ WST = wrong sides together.
■ RS = right side of fabric or paper template.
■ WS = wrong side of fabric or paper template.
■ Fabric supplied by Fat Quarter Shop (fatquartershop.com)
FABRICS USED
■ Background fabric: Linen Texture Cream fabric by Makower UK.
■ Assorted scraps from various designers (including some Robert Kaufman Essex Yarn Dyed fabric used for the otter)
CUTTING OUT
Using the template as a guide, cut the
1
fabric pieces for each section of the FPP template, making sure the pieces will be at
least ¼in larger than the section they will cover, all the way around.
2
From the binding fabric cut three (3)
2½in x 22in strips.
PIECING THE OTTER
3
Find Sections 1 and 2 on the Section A paper template and take the fabric pieces for each. For this template, Section 1 is the nose fabric and Section 2 is medium brown.
4
Hold up your template against a light source. Arrange the Section 1 fabric piece on the wrong side of the paper template, with the wrong side of the fabric touching the paper and the right side of the fabric facing the light source. Make sure that the fabric covers all of Section 1, plus at least ¼in seam allowance all around. Pin in place.
5
Place the Section 2 fabric RST with the Section 1 fabric, aligning the raw edges on the side where Sections 1 and 2 meet. Pin in place, along the line between the two sections. Now you can fold the Section 2 fabric back and check that once sewn, it will cover Section 2 completely, plus the ¼in seam allowance on all edges.
6
Sew along the line on the template between Sections 1 and 2, backstitching at both ends to secure.
7
Check when the fabric is unfolded, Section 2 will be covered completely, with a ¼in seam allowance all around. Then fold back the template along the seam, and trim the seam allowance to ¼in, making sure you don’t cut the paper template. Press the fabric open.
8
Repeat steps 5–7 to piece the remaining sections on the template in numerical order. Repeat to piece Templates B–F.
ADD AN ACCENT COLOUR TO YOUR BINDING, COORDINATING IT WITH YOUR PAPER-PIECED CLAMSHELL
9
Pin the pieced Sections A and B together along diagonal edges, RST, carefully matching up points and edges of the block. Baste in place.
10 !
Return your stitch length to its normal length for piecing. Sew the two sections together (Fig 1). Trim the seam allowance to ¼in. Press the seam open.
11 !
Repeat steps 8–9 to join Section C to Section AB. Then join the remaining templates to the bottom in alphabetical order (Fig 2).
12
Trim the pieced top along the dashed outer edge of the paper templates, then remove the templates to complete the quilt top. 13 !
Embroider the eyes with two strands of black embroidery thread. Susi made French knots. Embroider the mouth with two strands of peach embroidery thread (Fig A).
QUILTING
14 !
Press the quilt top and backing well. Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then the quilt top centrally and right side up. The backing and batting are slightly larger than the quilt top. Baste the layers together using your preferred method.
15 !
Quilt as desired. Susi chose to quilt around the otter and highlight the arms and legs as well as the facial features and the clamshell it’s holding.
16 !
Trim the excess batting and backing level with the quilt top edges and square up the quilt.
17
Sew the binding strips together end-to-end using diagonal seams. Press the seams open and trim away the dog ears. Fold in half lengthwise, WST, and press.
18 !
Sew the binding to the right side of the quilt, folding a mitre at each corner. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish.
BACK YOUR CLAMSHELL MUG RUGS WITH PRETTY PATTERNS TO MAKE THEM DOUBLE-SIDED