CHEERY POT HOLDER

TIME: 2 HOURS SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

MATERIALS: Motif and stitch guide Cotton wadding 20×15cm (8×6in) solid (plain) turquoise cotton fabric for upper section 20×7cm (8×2¾in) contrasting cotton fabric for lower section Dressmaker’s carbon 1. Cut out fabric pieces and a 20cm (8in) square of batting. Enlarge coffee pot design by 200 per cent. Transfer onto turquoise fabric with pen and carbon paper. 2. Following the stitch guide, embroider the motif for the coffee pot on the fabric for the upper section. 3. Use any fabric as a contrast to the upper section. With right sides facing, pin two front sections together along bottom edge of turquoise fabric. Machine stitch together, with 1cm (½in) seam. Trim seam and press flat. 4. Place embroidered front piece right side down. Place batting on top. Add square of backing fabric, right side out. Pin the three layers together. 5. Machine stitch four evenly spaced lines, 1.5cm (5∕8in) apart, starting 1cm (½in) from base, across bottom of front panel.

paper, 20cm (8in) square Cotton fabric for backing Air-erasable marker pen Dark blue and white stranded embroidery floss (cotton)

1m (1yd) dark blue bias binding

Sewing machine & matching thread Trim corners to curve, avoiding stitching. 6. For the contrasting edge, cut a length of bias binding long enough to go around the holder with an extra 2cm (1in) to fold over at the end. Pin around edge of holder and machine stitch in place along binding fold. When nearly full circle, overlap start by 1cm (½in) and turn under 1cm (½in) for a neat finish. Stitch to end. 7. Fold binding over to back of holder. Pin in place, ensuring the raw edge is folded under. Use small slipstitches to secure. 8. For hanging loop, cut a small piece of bias binding 10cm (4in) long. Machine stitch open edges together and fold in bottom raw edges by 5mm (¼in). Fold strip in half and hand stitch the ends to the back top right-hand corner of the holder. Press. Text © Clare Youngs, Photography © Loupe Images/ Caroline Arber