LOVE FROM LIBERTY
Whip up a speed-pieced hot water bottle cover to keep cosy during the blustery days and long winter nights
Whip up a speed-pieced hot water bottle cover and keep cosy
FOLLOW THE EASY-PIECING PATCHWORK METHOD FOR A BEGINNER-FRIENDLY PROJECT CUTTING OUT
1
From your print fabrics cut:
■ Eighty five (85) 2½in squares.
2
From the interfacing cut:
■ One (1) 12½in x 17½in front panel.
■ One (1) 12½in x 25in back panel.
3
From each of the batting and lining fabric cut:
■ One (1) 10½in x 14½in (front).
■ One (1) 10½in x 20½in (back).
■ One (1) 2½in x 4½in, from lining only.
4
From the binding fabric cut:
■ One (1) 2in x 9in strip.
5
Cut the remaining binding fabric into
2in strips along the bias. Sew together
along the short edges to create one long strip approx. 60in long. Press the seams open and press the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
PREPARING THE PATCHWORK PANEL
6
Mark a grid of 2½in squares using a pencil on the non-fusible side of each piece of interfacing so that it is easy to lay out your squares (Fig A).
7
With the fusible side of the interfacing facing up, lay out your print fabric squares, carefully aligning within the marked grid. Using a pressing sheet, fuse your squares to the interfacing. Note that the top two rows of the back panel will form the fold-over flap so if directional prints are being used you will need to place them upside down so that they are the right way up when the cosy is closed (Fig B).
SEWING THE PATCHWORK PANEL
8
Take the back panel first. Fold the top row of squares down, RST, along the pencil line. Sew along the fold using a ¼in seam (Fig C). Finger press the seam to one side, then press with the iron from the front. Fold the next row down, sew and press the seam to one side. Keep working until you have sewn all the rows. Give a final press from the front.
9
Turn your piece so the sewn seams all run horizontally. Fold down the right hand column, sew and press as you did before, being careful to keep the seams all running in their pressed direction (Fig D). Work across the piece until all seams are sewn. Press from the front, working the seams flat to complete the back panel
10
Now take the front panel. If you are adding the lace detail, make sure you sew the horizontal rows first and then the vertical columns. Before sewing the second vertical seam, carefully place the lace along the seam line before folding the seam. Sew along the fold so that the lace is sandwiched in the seam (Fig E). Trim the edges of the lace even with the completed panel.
QUILTING THE PANELS
11
Place each lining fabric right side down, the corresponding batting on top, then place the pieced panels centrally and right side up. Quilt as desired. Kate quilted a cross-hatch design through the diagonals of the pieced squares.
12
Take care not to quilt over the lace on the front panel. This can be achieved by quilting the panel on each side of the lace separately, lifting the lace out of the way so that it is not caught in the quilting.
TRIMMING THE PANELS
13
Trim the front panel to 8¾in x 13in and the back panel to 8¾in x 19in. Make sure to trim evenly from each side, and along the bottom edge. Do not trim the top edge, so you have whole squares along the top edge of each panel.
14
Bind the top edge of the front panel using the 2in x 9in strip. Trim the edges even with the panel (Fig F).
EMBROIDERING THE LABEL
15
Trace the Embroidery template onto a piece of linen using a removable fabric pen. Stitch the design in backstitch. Trim to 2½in x 4½in, centring the design.
16
Place the embroidery RST with the
2½in x 4½in lining fabric and sew around the edge. Carefully cut a small incision in the lining fabric and turn the embroidered label out through this hole. Ensure the corners are pushed out. Press and sew a running stitch around the edge to finish the label.
17
Place on the front panel and slip stitch around the edge of the label to secure.
ASSEMBLING THE COSY
18
Lay the back panel wrong side up and place the front panel on top right side up, aligning the side and bottom edges. Baste the two panels together using a 1/8in seam to keep it in place. 19
Round the bottom two corners, using the Corner template. Also round the top two corners of the back panel.
20
Stitch the folded bias binding to the front of the cosy. Take care on the corners not to stretch it out of shape. Join with your preferred method and slip stitch the bias binding in place on the back.
21
Add a plastic snap (or other preferred fastening) 1in from the bottom edge of the flap, ensuring it is centred. Add the other half of the snap approx. 3in from the top edge of the front panel to finish, ensuring it is centred.