Cynthia Shaffer

Burlap Tote Tutorial : : Free Motion Stitching/Sketching

 

In case you haven't figured it out yet ... I LOVE TO FREE MOTION STITCH!

I LOVE everything about it ... the imperfections that happen because I was going too fast, or not fast enough. I Love the buttery feeling under my hands as I navigate the sewing machine over simple plain muslin.

And then to see the outcome, after a little bit of stress and tense shoulders is always worth it!

Here's what I did:

First you want to go to the Burlap Tote Tutorial I have a few days here and cut out all the parts and pieces needed to make one of those totes.

• Before I start free motion stitching I always do some warm-up panels to get the rhythm and flow going. I always have a stack of batting and muslin squares sitting right next to my sewing machine ... ready to be stitched.

• Looking at the print/motif on the burlap I choose to, I decided to free motion stitch a couple of mums and a stem and a few leaves.
• On plain white copy paper, I drew the basic shapes.
• Next I layered a panel of white cotton bating with a panel of muslin and then pinned the copy paper on top and cut out around the shape.

• Next I used a fabric glue stick and fabric basting adhesive to adhere the batting and muslin to the front panel of my burlap tote.

• Next  ...  the fun part ... Free motion stitch the mum, stems and leaf patterns, while looking at the motif on the burlap. I use free motion quilting gloves to help grip the fabric a bit.

What I did not realize was just how much the boots I was wearing was going to effect the control, or in this case, lack of control ... I had with the foot pedal! Oh, my ... total lead foot here!

• Then using sharp scissors, I cut out around the stitched motif and best I could.

 And there you have it ... Easy Peasy and one so fun ... and the perfect size and shape to hold your laptop and wallet  ... oh any you lipstick!

 

Stitch, Sketch, Doodling with my Sewing Machine

Just playing around here.

Moving kind of fast and not thinking, just creating.

Being inspired by old botanical prints.

And finding the back side of some of these pieces to be even more interesting than the front.

Happy Stitching, Sketching and Doodling with your sewing machine!

Free Motion Stitching ... Continued

Here's a funny thing you might like to know about me ... when I have lots of projects on my plate and it seems like I don't have any time to really work on them, I tell myself to just start, just start even if I only have 10 minutes before I need to run out the door ... just start.

Usually that piece that I really quick "just start" creating, will become something at some point.

This piece above was one of of those quick start projects. Seriously ... the kids were all hanging out at our house, which is almost always the case, and they were hungry, of course, so we all decided to go out for dinner. While everyone was putting on their shoes and deciding what's for dinner, I quick created the background for this little panel.

Then, when I returned from dinner and did have a bit more time, my creative juices were flowing and next thing you know ... this little free motion stitched panel has been stitched, painted and embroidered on!

The same thing happened with this stitched and painted panel. While at first it was just a stitched and painted panel, I thought how fun it would be to make a little free motion stitched sampler book.

To make the pages for the book, I used vinyl that I bought at my local fabric store, and stitched pockets on several pages ... slightly wider than the tags I wanted to use.

Next I free motion stitched on a big panel of layered muslin and batting, then cut up different motifs and patterns that I liked. Then, stitched the samples onto the tag and there you have it ... a little book of free motion samples. 

NOTE: Before I free motion stitch any project, I do warm up drills on a sandwich of muslin and batting and more often than not, I'll use these stitched warm ups in project or cut them up and make them into a banner or bunting.